Better Bandsaw Blade

[Jesse Marquez]

Hello Everyone,

Now that the adjustments have been made to my bandsaw, I'm going to pick your brains on selecting a quality bandsaw blade(s) for general work and resawing. Any thoughts or preferences?


Jesse

[Ken Garlock]

HI Jesse. If no one has said it yet, WELCOME to the creek.

Band saw blades are like many things, a point of discussion. But, after the smoke clears, there are the Lenox blades, and others. I strongly recommend your calling Ittura Designs and ordering their catalog. It is more of a band saw reference than a sales catalog. Well worth the phone call, they don't have a web site.... You can find their ad in the classified section of most WW magazines.

Steer clear of those who advertise "low tension" blades. Steel is steel, the science of steel making is well known. If there was such a thing as low tension band saw blades, there would be more than just one vendor.

Good Luck

[Wolf Kiessling]

Hello Everyone,

Now that the adjustments have been made to my bandsaw, I'm going to pick your brains on selecting a quality bandsaw blade(s) for general work and resawing. Any thoughts or preferences?


Jesse

I have a Delta bandsaw and for quite a while I used Delta brand bandsaw blades. Also used the ones sold by ACE Hardward but I can't remember the brand name. I started using the Timberwolf blades and much prefer them over any other blade I had ever used. The only thing I would caution you on is if you decide to go with the Timberwolf blades, make sure you buy them from Suffolk Machinery who actually makes them. You can buy them at other sources, some of them even put their own name on them, but they are usually much more expensive. As to which blade to purchase (Timberwolf), the best thing to do is talk to them and tell them what the usage will be and they will make a recommendation. I use my band saw for both resawing and cutting bowl blanks for turning and use two different type blades.

The are probably some other good blades out there but I have no knowledge of them. When I started using Timberwolf, I just stuck with them.

[Bob Oswin]

I have just recently switched to all Supercut Carbide impregnated blades after using a 1/2" 3 tpi for resawing.
They are a bit pricey but I like the fact that they seem to cut more effectively with less blade wander than others I have used.
They are not the smoothest in the drawer but they are the most aggressive.

Do a search on Super cut.
I have no idea as to how to post a pic her so I wll pass on that.


Bob

[Joseph N. Myers]

Jesse,

I've just getting back into woodworking after some 3 years and one of the things on my list was to get upto date on band saws.

I agree with Ken about Iturra Design, 1-888-722-7078. Used to talk to their owner/president Louis A. Iturra quite a bit and he was really helpful. Last set of documentation from him was from 1999 and they were full of information including "a complete history on Delta. I'll be interested in what the latest set has to offer.

I also agree with Wolf about Suffolk Machine's Timber Wolf blades; once I started using them, I gave up on all the other ones I had. The one exception was when I was doing resawing --- I used a Lenox Pro Master III Carbine Tipped blade, 3 TPI triple chip grind (purchased from Iturra Design).

Regards, Joe

[Tom Hintz]

I also am a Timber Wolf convert. I tried LOTS of other blades in my band saw and was on the verge of tossing it out altogether when a friend told me about Timber Wolf. Since the first one my band saw world has been a better place.
Since then I have tried a few other blade manufacturers, just to see, and keep going back to Timber Wolf.
See my review of them at the link below.

http://www.newwoodworker.com/tmwlfblde.html

[Jesse Marquez]

Ken,Wolf,Bob,Joe and Tom:

Thanks a lot guys, as I type this out, I just received Timber Wolf's catalog. I'm definitely going to look into Iturra Design and the other suggestions made. I'm new to woodworking and it's a sure bet I'll call upon you guys for other advice.

Thanks again,
Jesse