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Thread: Lets talk bandsaw blades!

  1. #46
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    Mark Duginske posted a number of times here a few years ago in reference to blades and tension. There is some good info in them, and he slaughters a few sacred cows in the process. You could search for his posts and get some additional info. In general I think Van has provided a very good summary of the issues, but Mark's posts may provide some additional details.

  2. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jake Helmboldt View Post
    Mark Duginske and he slaughters a few sacred cows in the process. .
    And he took a beating for some, based on his posts probably the reason he no longer posts here or elsewhere. I also agree that his posts are certainly worth a read, maybe more than once.

  3. #48
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    Van,
    This wasn't an easy search actually, so thought I'd add it to your thread for others:
    my Agazzani B-20 says it can take a blade length of 4.14 m max, to 4.06 m min. In inches, that's 162.99 " to 159.84". I'm going to say 160"-163" so I can remember it. Now, if I'm ordering a new blade from Highland for it, what actually is the best length to get? Does everything in the range fit easily, or do I want to stay shortish so there's lots of tension range left?

    What custom length should I order?
    Thread on "How do I pickup/move XXX Saw?" http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=597898

    Compilation of "Which Band Saw to buy?" threads http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...028#post692028

  4. #49
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    I've always ordered them at 161 inches for mine. This was the length listed in the Eagle Tools for a long time until they changed the site. You might give them a call, www.eagle-tools.com.

  5. Thanks for posting those information, Van!

  6. #51
    Old thread but great stuff. I just got an old Delta 14" 3/4 hp 28-203 in great shape. Can it run the 5/8" resaw blade or should I stick to 1/2"?

  7. #52
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    Jim, Everything I've read and heard anecdotally says stick with the 1/2" for a 14" saw. Per Van's recommendations I just ordered a 1/4" Diemaster II and a 1/2" Kerfmaster (.022 thick) for my Jet 14" (with riser).

    Quote Originally Posted by JimT Thompson View Post
    Old thread but great stuff. I just got an old Delta 14" 3/4 hp 28-203 in great shape. Can it run the 5/8" resaw blade or should I stick to 1/2"?

  8. #53
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    Jim, sorry I missed replying earlier. As Charlie said staying with 1/2" max is prudent for the Delta 14" and its clones. Not saying people haven't gotten decent results with wider blades on those saws but a lot of people have bent or broken the tracking arm trying...
    Of all the laws Brandolini's may be the most universally true.

    Deep thought for the day:

    Your bandsaw weighs more when you leave the spring compressed instead of relieving the tension.

  9. #54
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    Jan 2013
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    Hi Van, thanks for making our education on the subject. I plan on buying a General 490 15 inch all cast iron band saw. Made in Canada, not imported.


    Would you stick with a 1/2 inch max width blade with this saw?
    Last edited by Ken Fitzgerald; 07-24-2013 at 11:57 AM. Reason: remove link to other forum which violates the TOSs

  10. #55
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    Oh man, I saw Vans name and clicked on the link without even noticing it was an old thread...I got so excited thinking that Van had returned! Not so...no I'm glum.

  11. #56
    Has anybody tried the carbide tipped Haltbar CT1001 or CT1002 from sawblade.com?

    I wonder how these compare to other carbide tipped blades, they seem to be considerably less expensive.


    Haltbar CT 1002.jpg TM.JPG
    Kevin Groenke
    @personmakeobject on instagram
    Fabrication Director,UMN College of Design (retired!)


  12. #57
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    I know this is an old thread to bump but man was it helpful for me! I just took delivery of a Hammer N4400 and knew I wanted to go with Lenox blades but what to get and why was the trick I still needed to figure out. This thread was an immense help and I know have a much better idea of what I need to order for what I want to do. Thank you for taking the time to make this thread!
    If at first you don't succeed, redefine success!

  13. #58
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dean Ousterhout View Post
    I am a novice to the bandsaw and really appreciate all the information here... and the time it took for you to write out the details.

    I have a 14" Delta with a riser. How do I know what tension I can/should use? Is this saw in the category of "Cast Clone"?

    I calculated the length of the blade that was on the saw that I need to replace and it seems it was 106", but you reference that it should be the standard 105", so I am a little confused? Is it possible that the previous owner put a 106" blade on the saw? Perhaps I calculated the length wrong, (Pi*D) plus 2 times the distance between the wheel centers(31")?
    Dean, I had a Powermatic 14 inch with riser block and the specs called for 105 inch blade. Yes, they would fit, technically. But man were they hard to take on and off. A 106 inch blade would have made life much easier on that particular saw. I've since sold and upgraded to a Laguna LT16HD, and blade changing is a dream on that machine. YMMV

  14. #59
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    I remember reading this thread a long time ago and realizing then just how good the information that Van and others provided in the thread was and would be when I got around to buying blades for my bandsaw. I just reread it today and am still impressed with it. IMHO, this thread is one of the all-time great informational threads here on SMC and I'd like to nominate it for "sticky" status.
    Brian

    "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger or more complicated...it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - E.F. Schumacher

  15. #60
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    Feb 2013
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    Great thread, thank you for sharing so much!

    I have been recently been working on some harvested acacia logs, which were showing >29% RH months after cutting -- psst, that's green, wet wood, hehehe. Initially, I got help cutting these from a friend with a Chinese Laguna 14" and running what appeared to be a 1/2" bimetal 3-4tpi blade. Things went pretty well, but it was tough getting straight slabs off the 11" logs.

    I got it slabbed down enough to be able to fit it onto my Italian Laguna LT-16, whereupon I went at it with Highland's 5/8" Woodslicer, their recommendation for green wood. The blade seemed to work okay, but it gummed up pretty severely and smoked a lot, although the blade itself stayed cool to the touch; I also struggled to get straight cuts even though I bumped the tension from the factory suggestion for 5/8" up to that for the 3/4" blades.

    Any suggestions for how to keep the gumming up under control and how to get straighter cuts? The larger question seems to be steps I can take to increase the blade tension on this particular saw, as it can run >1" blades, yes it came with the big carbide Laguna Woodslicer (lucky me!).


    TIA,
    Bradley

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