Bandsaws and Resawing, blades dulling, cuts curveballing... frustrating!

[Van Huskey]

You didn't answer my questions so I can't give much info.

Try here for some general info: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...s+talk+bandsaw

Someone mentioned the "other" Woodslicer from Florida, that would be the Bladerunner from Iturra in Jacksonville, same stock cheaper price, for the same stock and even cheaper price look to Spectrum Supply, they call it the Kerfmaster, they are hardened spring steel blades with have their pros and cons, listed in the post I linked above.

All I can say is don't spend money trying to fix anything based on a dull blade, false economy...

[Phil Thien]

All I can say is don't spend money trying to fix anything based on a dull blade, false economy...

If a blade is dull, just sharpen it.

Again, diamond burr in a Dremel rotary tool marks short work of it.

My sharpened blades are sharper than anyone else's brand-new blades.

For resawing, I currently use a .025" thick bimetal 3-TPI hook blade. Mine is from MK-Morse, you can get similar elsewhere. I squished the set of the teeth (in a metal vice), and then sharpened with my diamond burr. It was brand-new when I did this. It turns an okay blade into an amazing blade.

I sharpen the blades right on the saw, no need to remove them. Bimetal blades don't need sharpening as frequently as spring steel or carbon blades.

My saw is an older Skil 10" with 7" of resaw height, and I can cut to that full 7" much faster than most people would think.

The WoodSlicer/BladeRunner/KerfMaster blades are good, they just require more frequent sharpening. They're nice and quiet due to their variable pitch. If I could find a 3,4-TPI 1/2" wide .025" thick blades, I'd be on those like white on rice.

So don't toss dull blades, sharpen them!

Unless they are carbide. Then have them professionally sharpened.

[Andrew Joiner]

Phil, Kerfmaster lists 3,4-TPI 1/2" wide .022" thick blade stock.

[Phil Thien]

Phil, Kerfmaster lists 3,4-TPI 1/2" wide .022" thick blade stock.

But I think it is the same Atlanta Sharptech stock as the WS and BR, it isn't bimetal, is it?

[Andrew Joiner]

No,not bi-metal.

[Jim Matthews]

If the blade gets dulled, it's from contact with something more abrasive than wood fiber.

Are you sawing through bark? Are you sawing something with a silicate in the wood?
Mesquite, cypress, live oak and Teak are hard on blades.

A more uniform domestic species like Cherry shouldn't dull a blade quickly.

How many board feet are you resawing before the problem appears?

jim
wpt, ma

[Bill Arnold]

FWIW, I have a 1/2" Woodslicer I've been using for 10 years on my Grizzly G0513. I resaw with the stock fence and adjust tracking to be parallel with the fence which is parallel with the blade which is parallel with the miter slot. I've never needed anything else to get good resaw up to 12".

[Nick Sorenson]

Resawing + dull blade = bad mojo. Cure the problem don't treat the symptom. What blade are you using and what are you primarily resawing and what do you want the most out of your resaw blade ie finish quality/speed/longevity/price/wood savings etc. There is most likely a blade that will do what you want without dulling quickly, let us know what you want and we will be glad to recommend

I'm sawing various woods: Mahogany, Walnut, Alder, Hard Maple, Rosewoods, Doug Fir, and sometimes Oak. The majority of my cutting seems to be Maple.

I don't care too much about finish quality but I get a very good finish from the 3 tpi woodslicers. Wood savings is a mute point for me as well since it still has to get planed and or jointed. Speed and longevity is probably my main concern. I don't like to have to babysit my bandsaw and hope that it will cooperate with me as I turn it on and cut. I've had it curve and ruin (or come close to ruining) good parts. So that's what I'm wanting most is reliability and predictability each time I cut.

[John Lanciani]

Speed and longevity is probably my main concern. I don't like to have to babysit my bandsaw and hope that it will cooperate with me as I turn it on and cut. I've had it curve and ruin (or come close to ruining) good parts. So that's what I'm wanting most is reliability and predictability each time I cut.

One word then; carbide. If I had your saw I'd be looking hard at a 1/2" x 3tpi trimaster. I know there is a lot of concern about metal fatigue with smaller wheels but I ran one to dull on a 14" saw with no band cracking.

[Van Huskey]

One word then; carbide. If I had your saw I'd be looking hard at a 1/2" x 3tpi trimaster. I know there is a lot of concern about metal fatigue with smaller wheels but I ran one to dull on a 14" saw with no band cracking.

I agree on carbide but I do subscribe to a thinner gauge, not just for fatigue on a smaller wheeld saw but the saws ability to properly tension a carbide blade, near 30,000 PSI. The 1/2" TM is a thin gauge (.025) so it is fine on a smaller saw assuming it can tension it. On the Grizzly I would use a 3/4" Laguna Resaw King also .025" where the Trimaster 3/4" is .035, too thick for the Grizzly to tension. Plus the RK leaves a better finish than the TM.

My guess is the cost of a carbide blade for the saw may turn him off, that is money he probably would prefer to put toward a better saw.

The problem with the balance of speed and longevity is whether the saw can tension any aggressive TPI bi-metal blades as there aren't a lot of them on the market. The best balance I know but it is going to push the tension ability of the saw would be a 1/2" Lenox Diemaster 2 in 3tpi, will not be super fast but it will last a LONG time. The low TPI bi-metal blades tend to be fairly thick and wide. Edit, forgot about the Olson MVP they make it in thin gauge bi-metal in 3 TPI. It would be my choice here, unless you want to go carbide or can find a thin gauge lower TPI bi-metal blade.

I would stay away from hardened spring steel (Woodslicer et al) and Swedish/silicon steel, both will dull very quickly.

[Nick Sorenson]

I adjusted the fence to match the drift at about 3 degree off straight and it works. Seems to do the trick. I hadn't noticed that my fence had slipped (had it matching the drift a while back) and it seems to have gone almost straight over time. Re-adjusted and for now it's back to good again.

[Van Huskey]

I adjusted the fence to match the drift at about 3 degree off straight and it works. Seems to do the trick. I hadn't noticed that my fence had slipped (had it matching the drift a while back) and it seems to have gone almost straight over time. Re-adjusted and for now it's back to good again.

Good deal! Makes the point we should start at the beginning when trouble shooting, even if we "think" nothing has changed!

[Chris Padilla]

Glad things are working again, Nick.

FWIW, on my 20" MM, I'm finding the Lenox Diemaster2 in 6 tpi, hook style, to cut on par with my Trimaster. In terms of cutting the maximum number of veneers from a plank of wood, they are about equal. The DM2 has a thinner kerf than the Trimaster but requires a bit more cleanup on the sander in my experience. Oh, one can buy about 5 DM2s for the price of one Trimaster and the DM2 does stay sharp for quite a while. I resawed around 20 3/32" veneers from two planks of walnut and the thing still seems brand new.

[Bill Arnold]

I adjusted the fence to match the drift at about 3 degree off straight and it works. Seems to do the trick. I hadn't noticed that my fence had slipped (had it matching the drift a while back) and it seems to have gone almost straight over time. Re-adjusted and for now it's back to good again.

If your Grizzly has a crowned tire like mine, the tracking adjustment will affect the angle of the blade.

[Jim Finn]

[QUOTE=Bill Arnold;1923264]If your Grizzly has a crowned tire like mine, the tracking adjustment will affect the angle of the blade.[/QUOTE................]I do not understand how that will effect the blade angle. The top and bottom roller guides should straighten out any bias caused by the tire. No?