Advice for first blade(s) for Laguna 1412 bandsaw

[Guy Dotan]

I purchased a Laguna 1412 over the weekend :-) I would love to get advice for my first blade. My main uses:

* Tapers and big arches (no detail work)
* Dovetails - (tails onlyr rest by hand)
* I would like to be able to resaw

Can I get by with an all-around for a while or would re-sawing require a second blade?
Also - at this point, I don't think I'll buy anything too pricey... Is this a good option: http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/3...sawblades.aspx


Thanks!

[Hoang N Nguyen]

I bought the laguna blades when I picked up my 1412. I believe I have a 1/2" and 1/4". I use the 1/2" blade to resaw boards around 8" and it does an OK job, but it's low going and you don't get a nice smooth cut. It's also too big to make any radius smaller than 2".

For tapers and big arches, it will do fine and if you don't mind slow resaw it will work as well. It's the only blade I have on my saw and I've never used the 1/4" blade I have.

[Guy Dotan]

Thanks. This is the first bandsaw I have owned, so I am a newbie.
I'd love to hear more opinions. I have a (very good) general purpose blade on my tablesaw, so I wonder if I can get away with a single blade and what that blade should be.

[Cory Newman]

I bought the 1/4 inch blade with the intention of going back and getting the 1/2 and the resaw king. I haven't bothered yet, the 1/4 has handled everything I have thrown at it, including resawing 8 inch maple and walnut.

[Nick Lazz]

You'll want to use as big of a blade you can IMO, for resawing. 3/4" is what I use. The 1" is too large for my Laguna 14 SE and I wouldn't waste my money on the RK. Plenty of good resaw blades out there like Timberwolf and WoodSlicer. As far as a one blade fits all approach....just like anything else I suppose, you'll have to compromise somewhere. You might find an adequate resaw blade that was 1/2" that would do everything else you want, but why? Blades aren't that expensive and they're not that hard to change.

[Van Huskey]

You can absolutely do everything you plan with a 3/8" blade BUT it won't be ideal for every cut in some cases you will give up speed, in others quality of cut and in some both. My choice for a single blade (with low budget in mind) would be a 1/4" or 3/8" Lenox Flexback 4 TPI Hook. I would go to a 6 TPI if you plan to cut anything thinner than 3/4".

Below is a link to some bandsaw blade basics:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...bandsaw+blades

[john lawson]

For that saw and the things you prioritized I would get a 3/4" Lenox Tri-Master or Woodmaster CT.

These blades will do everything you listed and do it very well. You can then add a 1/4 general purpose blade, 6TPI Lenox carbon steel. That will do almost anything else you need, and they are pretty cheap.

[Van Huskey]

For that saw and the things you prioritized I would get a 3/4" Lenox Tri-Master or Woodmaster CT.

These blades will do everything you listed and do it very well. You can then add a 1/4 general purpose blade, 6TPI Lenox carbon steel. That will do almost anything else you need, and they are pretty cheap.

The Woodmaster CT doesn't come in 3/4" and the 1" is too much for the saw. I got the impression he doesn't want to spend $150 on a blade like a Trimaster or Reasaw King. Whether a wider than 3/8" blade will work for him depends on if it is available in a high enough TPI for the thinnest work he plans to cut, he could be wasting tails on 3/8" boxes...

[john lawson]

The Woodmaster CT doesn't come in 3/4" and the 1" is too much for the saw. I got the impression he doesn't want to spend $150 on a blade like a Trimaster or Reasaw King. Whether a wider than 3/8" blade will work for him depends on if it is available in a high enough TPI for the thinnest work he plans to cut, he could be wasting tails on 3/8" boxes...

You're right, and I should know, I just bought one last week for my MiniMax 16", but the Tri-Master does. And pricey is in the eye of the beholder. If you spend over $1000 on a saw you need to spend enough to get the most out of it.

There are a lot of blades that make a lot of claims. The only one I have found that meets those claims is the Tri-Master. And it does cost more than most blades. Lots of compromises have to be made in woodworking; sometimes it's quality, sometimes it's money.

[Guy Dotan]

Thank you all for the great advices!

I decided to keep the 3/8" 6TPI Timberwolf I got with the saw and add a 3/4" resaw blade, probably Woodslicer, soon. Re cost: while I try not to over-spend, I am mostly in the buy-once camp as far as my machines are concerned. I can see myself getting a $150 blade later, when I better understand how I use the first bandsaw I have ever owned...

[Van Huskey]

probably Woodslicer, soon. Re cost: while I try not to over-spend,

Understand the Woodslicer is what I consider a niche blade, though you wouldn't get that idea from most of the internet. It is a impulse hardened spring steel blade that cuts VERY cleaning for a short period of time (even a standard carbon blade will last much longer) but it has two distinct uses, one for use on smaller saws that can't tension more standard thickness wider blades (not an issue for you) or when you are cutting veneer and can use the wood saving thin kerf.

The other thing about the Woodslicer is it is quite expensive for what it is partly because of the relatively soft teeth but also because both Iturra and Spectrum supply sell the same bladestock for significantly less money as the Blade Runner and Kerf Master respectively. If you want a blade that will outlast it 15 times and cost about twice as much (but won't cut as cleanly or have as thin a kerf) consider a bi-metal blade like the Lenox Diemaster II. In the long run carbide blades are more cost effective than any other blade, they just have the high initial cost. The Laguna Resaw King and the Lenox Trimaster will leave the best finish with the Woodmaster CT a little behind them. Another excellent low cost resaw blade is the Lenox Woodmaster C which is a carbon blade but only comes in 1" and wider but if you go to a two blade system that isn't an issue. If you want to buy from Highland thats fine, they are a great brick and mortar but they are a reseller so they don't weld their own stock so you have to pay for another middle man.

[Van Huskey]

You're right, and I should know, I just bought one last week for my MiniMax 16", but the Tri-Master does. And pricey is in the eye of the beholder. If you spend over $1000 on a saw you need to spend enough to get the most out of it.

There are a lot of blades that make a lot of claims. The only one I have found that meets those claims is the Tri-Master. And it does cost more than most blades. Lots of compromises have to be made in woodworking; sometimes it's quality, sometimes it's money.

You are preaching to the choir, I believe in changing bandsaws not blades and promote the idea everyone should have a tension gauge...

The Trimaster is my second favorite (by a hair) resaw blade but gathered that just wasn't what the OP was looking for.

[John Sayen]

Guy

I took vans advice and ordered

Flex back
1/4 4 TPI hook
3/8 4 TPI hook
1/4 6 TPI hook
3/8 6 TPI hook

I think the total after shipping was $90.

Maybe I don't need the 6 TPIs but I really don't know and at $13 a blade it was hard to not buy them all.

I know there are better options but I'm just getting started too so I wanted something decent to get started, but not something pricey enough to worry about screwing it up.