Bandsaw blade handy reference

[Terry - Somerset]

As a purely hobby user, if I changed the blade every time the size of the wood changed, I would spend far more time blade changing than cutting.

This is probably the root cause of my cutting problems - mostly I just leave a compromise blade on, use a slow feed when necessary, and change it when blunt.

 

[GrahamRounce]

Thanks deema, and apologies for delay in replying - I've had guests, so little workshop time...
Preliminary measurements suggest that my 350S can indeed hold that 'tension' with a half inch blade, but yet to try with a a 3/4 " claimed to be OK for the machine by Record. I'm sceptical frankly.
Bob.

Is the (musical) pitch of the blade when twanged a reliable guide? Would it vary depending on the width? Any hopes of a "note" column being added to the chart?

 

[Jitter]

Some months ago during a bandsaw upgrade project, Deema and myself got in touch with Ian at Tuffsaws to ask for information about blade types, steels, recommended tensions, etc. The help that we received was excellent and to educate us further, we received a selection of blade samples through the post.

The Minimax S45 bandsaw refurb is covered in it's own thread but the blade samples are a very useful resource so I'd like to share it with everyone here.

The blade details are written on all but the smallest sample. They can be hard to pick out against the darker carbon steel blades so, from top to bottom

1 inch 3tpi Premium
3/4 inch 2tpi carbon steel
3/4 inch 3tpi M42 steel
3/4 inch Fastcut
3/4 inch 3 - 4 tpi varitooth premium
3/4 inch 6tpi premium
5/8 inch 3tpi carbon
1/2 inch 3tpi Sabercut
1/2 inch 4tpi M42
1/2 inch 6 - 10 tpi varitooth M42
1/2 inch 10tpi carbon
3/8 inch 4tpi carbon
3/8 inch 6tpi premium
3/8 inch 6tpi carbon
1/4 inch 6tpi carbon
1/4 inch 4tpi
3/16 inch 14tpi carbon

View attachment 140052

Some points to note :
M42 blades are noticeably thicker as well as a more durable steel
Fastcut blades have a low tooth count plus a smaller raker tooth in between to clear the cut efficiently.
Sabercut has deep gullets making it well suited for ripping
Varitooth designs combine wider and closer spaced teeth for a combination of a finer and faster cut than either of the same tpi blades.

Very useful info Sideways. I’m going to print this out for helpful reference in the workshop next to the S45. To be honest, the wider blade you guys picked out for me does well with hardwood up to 150mm or so which is more than good enough for what I do. It also does well for gradual curve cuts and although I’ve not tried the narrower blade yet, if I do need to cut tighter curves, I think it would do better in that respect.

I find that allowing the blade to do the work with gentle pressure works best with oak. Elm feeds faster with the same pressure. I try to give the blade a chance to cool between cuts too, I think this helps to retain sharpness for longer.

Anyway, thoroughly enjoying the use of the saw, you guys have done a great job with overhauling it. Thanks again.

 

[Mikebart]

Thanks deema, and apologies for delay in replying - I've had guests, so little workshop time...
Preliminary measurements suggest that my 350S can indeed hold that 'tension' with a half inch blade, but yet to try with a a 3/4 " claimed to be OK for the machine by Record. I'm sceptical frankly.
Bob.

I have a 350 sabre and regularly use it with a 3/4 blade to re-saw hardwoods and tensions up fine in fact it’s a brilliant bandsaw for the money

 

[Jonzjob]

I have had my Startrite 301S for about 25 years now and I have never used anything but a ¼" 6 skip blade. Ian's Tufsaw M42 blades when I learned of them years ago. I haven't had any problems and with thicked hardwoods I let the blade cut at the speed it wants. As long as it's set up corrrectly it has not let me down so far.

This is a blank for a 'bowl from a plank' and was cut from a 4 X 4 X 7" off cut of an ash newel post using an Ian's ¼" 6 skip M42 blades. The 4 x 4 x 7 lump had to be cut a ½ then each ½ cut in ½ again. There was no deviation and the only inaccuracy was because I didn't get the ½ exactly ½. I have also done the same with 6" thick oak.

Just as a matter of interest, this is the finished bowl

As a further matter of interest, that is a 10 ½" bowl from an 8 ½ bit of wood.

 

[Rewound]

With note to this ref for minimum material thickness for tpi.
https://www.tuffsaws.co.uk/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=24
What happens when you use material too thin. For instance 1" thick with 1.3tpi ?

 

[Jonzjob]

I was showing one of our Men's Shed members how to cut match sticks on the Shed saw with a ¼" 6 skip blade. He was quite impressed that they were about ⅛" square and no problems in doing it either. As for 1" thick, 3tpi? I have no experience of doing that.

A while back I was asked to revamp an old family heirloom dolls house. It included replacing the windows and I cut the glazing bars on it. Once again no problems. So if it can't do those things I ain't going to be the one who tells it that it can't.

 

[Jake]

Plus, a metal cutting blade is lousy for cutting wood / wood blade equally bad for metal.
Would you use a hacksaw to cut a plank, or try to use a carpenters saw to cut a metal bar ?

I don't think that is true of bandsaw blades. Especially for things like M42 or TCT, which are really produced for metal cutting.

 

[Spectric]

What happens when you use material too thin. For instance 1" thick with 1.3tpi ?

I would think that with not enough teeth it would just chew its way through and give a rough finish.

 

[Katomi woodsmith]

Hiya all just found this very interesting
My band saw is back for a new blade, seems that the blade I had in it was to small (from teeth to back edge) for my intended use
This time I have told the repair shop what I plan to cut and why,,, ripping corners off wood before starting to turn on lathe
I grew up on “horror” stories about band saws, so am not that big a user. More often like today I will spend a whole load of time knocking the corners off bowl blanks. Square to well sort of round........give or fake 10 mm. Ish lol

 

[Sideways]

Bowl blank is going to be a couple of inches thick presumably. And maybe several inches across.
For the thickness, I'd just be going for a coarse 3 or 4 TPI blade as you will be swinging through cross grain to ripping. You're going to turn it anyway so you don't need a smooth finish off the saw.
Then what is the narrowest blade that you can get with a coarse pitch for cutting radii ?
9mm or 12mm wide ?

Don't forget, you don't have to force a tight radius cut, just take a couple of cuts at lesser radius and you'll knock the corners off.

 

[Katomi woodsmith]

I had a very thin blade 5 mm I think was way to small the band saw was a Nu tool
Never seen them before or since.... once other important bits have been bought like dust control and bed extension for lathe I will look around ‘ask here about a new band saw to suit my needs

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Keep an eye on FB Marketplace, Gumtree etc. if you're not in a hurry. I sold a Woodstar BS12 with new bearings, a spare belt and ten blades for £100 because I desperately needed the space for a Record RSBS14 that I bought for £75, spares or repair. I replaced the wheel bearings, guide bearings, tyres, drive belt, Bristol lever and capacitor and with a little TLC had basically a new saw for about £160.

 

[Oddbod]

I have a 350 sabre and regularly use it with a 3/4 blade to re-saw hardwoods and tensions up fine in fact it’s a brilliant bandsaw for the money

That's exactly the information I've been looking for, as my Sabre 350 arrived today & the supplied blade is certainly NOT suitable for re-sawing thick timber.
I'm looking at the 3/4" Super Tuff Sabrecut 3tpi extra set - will mostly be used for recently felled ash & softwoods, occasionally beech cherry & holly.