band saw blades
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7 October 2017 at 9:32 pm #330456
Hi Guys i know we are mostly hand tool woodworkers here, but i would like to know which brand of band saw blades do you choose, i trust you guys to give me honest opinions rather than sales chatter ,thanks in advance Eddy
7 October 2017 at 10:53 pm #330478Hi Eddy,
I have a Record BS250 and have been using blades from Axminster. To be honest I am not too thrilled with them. I have had two 1/2″ 4t blades that have performed well, but I did get one that was so bad it needed me to present the wood at 45 deg to get a straight cut. I took it back and true to the Axminster form they changed it without quibble. I am following this thread should be interesting…..7 October 2017 at 11:07 pm #330485I did look at the Axminster blades but wanted more info before i buy
7 October 2017 at 11:46 pm #330501If I remember rightly Paul did say he was going to do a piece on setting a bandsaw up he is welcome to our workshop any day to demonstrate
8 October 2017 at 1:21 am #330530I have a very old Delta 14″ saw and I use it for almost all my routine cutting. I just use commercial Olson saw blades, 1/4″ 6 tpi. The saw is not strong enough to resaw more than 3-4″ so I don’t buy special resaw blades.
8 October 2017 at 1:35 am #330533Hi Harvey
Thanks for that I should of made it clear I’m in the UK so that may make a difference to what’s availableHas anyone tried one of these? I have been considering buying one.
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/wood-slicer-resaw-bandsaw-blades.aspx
Eddy,
Paul recommended the
“Axcaliber” blades as being equivalent to the “Wood Slicer blades sold by Highland Hdwr in the US.
Blog of June 7, 2014
I use the wood slicer blades. They’re excellent.
Additionally. the youtube vid:
“Bandsaw Clinic with Alex Snodgrass” will solve a lot of setup questions.
Best,
Craig8 October 2017 at 7:04 am #330623I have an antique bandsaw ( Woodworking machine Co.-about 1930) that uses a slightly shorter Band than the ubiquitous Delta 14” so I have to have them induction welded to fit. The 3 or 4 saw outfits I know here in Portland Oregon buy their blade stock from Starrett, and I’m pretty happy with the results. I buy from any of them mostly depending how quickly they can weld them up. Often they will do them same day if they aren’t too slammed with customers.
A quick google.UK search brought up the Saw Centre UK as a mail oreder site there. They are appparently in Scotland.
I’m sure there are plenty others, but they advertise Starrett stock.A firm local to Liverpool appears to be Carbide Services, according to the Starrett products locater.
I think they are mainly a small carbide saw sharpening service.I bought my first bandsaw a few months ago, so my experience being responsible for one is limited. I’ve been using Starrett blades because they are cheaper than many of the alternatives. So far, I’ve used a 1/2″ 4 tpi hook for ripping and resawing and a 1/4″ 6 tpi skip for curves. I wanted the 1/4″ to be more like 3 tpi, but one wasn’t available when I needed the blade. I resawed 11.5″ softwood with the 1/2″ with good results on a 14″ laguna saw. I’ll be ordering one of the woodslicer blades at some point.
Some people reserve a blade for straight cutting and prohibit cutting curves with that blade. They argue that curved cutting wears one side of the set more than the other after which straight cutting is difficult. Does anyone have experience to corroborate that? I’m not sure I buy it.
You asked for an unbiased opinion: heres’s mine.
I’ve bought blades from this small firm in South Wales for many years – excellent quality and they will advise on use, set up or make any blade to any length to suit your special needs.
http://www.tuffsaws.co.uk/All best
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