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Background:

All I ever use my bandsaw for is either cutting up logs for turning stock (soaking wet, up to 14" cuts), cutting up dried stock, or cutting out carving blanks. I have about a 1/2 clue what I am doing as far as blade tension, etc. I use the so called flutter method, which seems pretty sketchy to me, but what do I know. Too lazy to measure the stretch and apply Young's modulus. I am not ever buying a tension gauge and don't have the sort of musical ear that I can pluck a saw blade to determine proper tension. The tension gauge on the saw does not work. I have a Laguna 14 SUV, which due to the 3 HP motor I really enjoy. I am careful about the blade setup so far as balance on the tires and blade guides go. I have never stalled a blade. I always release tension on the blade at the end of a session. I am not a mechanical engineer but I wonder if the application and removal of tension stresses the blade, but I am worried about the tires as I cannot imagine what replacement of a tire would be.

I always simply bought the cheapest blade I could find as cut quality, etc. were meaningless in my use. I always buy a 1/2", 3 tpi, hook. Last Spring I popped for a Lenox bimetal Diemaster 2, 1/2, 3tpi, hook blade as I had read about long life and all that. I will say that I noticed an immediate difference, in cut speed and general utility. At around twice to three times the price.

It broke yesterday after around 5 months of use. Not particularly heavy use as I have not processed all that many logs, or not all that many so far as I am concerned. I have no way to quantify this. It broke cleanly, clearly fractured and not at the weld. When it broke it was cutting as nicely as ever. Nor was it a particularly thick cut, about 4 or 5 inches in soaking wet crab apple. The blade was not dull. This is less than the life I got out of cheaper blades, which I always run until they break. I do not recall ever throwing a "dull" blade away.

So my question is am I ahead? Is that the life I should expect, am I doing something wrong that I shortened the blade's life or is it the case that the better cut and utility is what I was paying for and I need to decide if that is worth the difference?

Thank you for responses.