finally tried out my tuff saw blade

[thetyreman]

can't believe the difference! absolutely amazing it is, cuts through rock hard american white oak like butter, they are well worth it if you are thinking of getting one, I spent ages setting up my new bandsaw and it works a treat.

 

[Raymond UK]

Been using them for a while in my BS250 and very pleased.

Ian is a nice bloke to deal with too.

 

[El Barto]

They are bloody brilliant. (hammer)

 

[Lonsdale73]

This is worrying. December 2017, I ordered two blades from Tuffsaws. Now I've got space to use the bandsaw, I got round to fitting one the other day! Could not get a straight cut no matter what I tried to put through it. I reckon I'd have to be seriously unlucky to get the one duff blade ever made by Tuffsaws so figured it must be either set-up or technique. Rewatched the Alan Holthman Masterclass, the Alex Snodgrass classic and an abbreviated version from The Wood whisperer and still no joy.

 

[Rorschach]

I can highly recommend trying the Axminster ground tooth blades also, they are definitely sharper than the Tuffsaws blades and I think they last longer too.

 

[owen]

This is worrying. December 2017, I ordered two blades from Tuffsaws. Now I've got space to use the bandsaw, I got round to fitting one the other day! Could not get a straight cut no matter what I tried to put through it. I reckon I'd have to be seriously unlucky to get the one duff blade ever made by Tuffsaws so figured it must be either set-up or technique. Rewatched the Alan Holthman Masterclass, the Alex Snodgrass classic and an abbreviated version from The Wood whisperer and still no joy.

Try the other blade??

 

[Lonsdale73]

This is worrying. December 2017, I ordered two blades from Tuffsaws. Now I've got space to use the bandsaw, I got round to fitting one the other day! Could not get a straight cut no matter what I tried to put through it. I reckon I'd have to be seriously unlucky to get the one duff blade ever made by Tuffsaws so figured it must be either set-up or technique. Rewatched the Alan Holthman Masterclass, the Alex Snodgrass classic and an abbreviated version from The Wood whisperer and still no joy.

Try the other blade??

They're not identical blades, the second one is smaller, for doing the kind of curved cuts I'm achieving with the rip blade!

 

[owen]

Ah fair enough! I've had quite a few blades from tuff saws and they have all been good, that doesn't help you though.

 

[woodbloke66]

I can highly recommend trying the Axminster ground tooth blades also, they are definitely sharper than the Tuffsaws blades and I think they last longer too.

Folks rabbit on about Tuff Saw blades and they're good, but I'd agree with Rorschach; the Ax GT blades are superb and last for ages - Rob

 

[sunnybob]

This is worrying. December 2017, I ordered two blades from Tuffsaws. Now I've got space to use the bandsaw, I got round to fitting one the other day! Could not get a straight cut no matter what I tried to put through it. I reckon I'd have to be seriously unlucky to get the one duff blade ever made by Tuffsaws so figured it must be either set-up or technique. Rewatched the Alan Holthman Masterclass, the Alex Snodgrass classic and an abbreviated version from The Wood whisperer and still no joy.

First question, how much experience have you with bandsaws?
If this is your first, Check that the blade can not be be pushed back by the wood so that the teeth are squashed between the side bearings. If that happens, the blade is scrap because youve closed the teeth up. Check top and bottom bearings for this common mistake.Replace the blade if thats what youve done.
Then check tightness by winding the guard arm all the way up, and WITH THE POWER OFF, use your thumb and finger to twist the blade at just above table height. you should be able to twist it about a quarter turn. Obviously this doesnt apply to very wide blades over a half inch.

Then the most common reasons why you cant cut straight are that the fence is not parallel to the blade, and you are feeding the wood too fast.

the quickest way to check both of these is to find a piece of scrap at least a foot long. Draw a pencil line along the centre.
Move the fence out of the way and cut along the line.
If the cut curves one way or the other, youre pushing too hard. Let the blade do the job, all youre there for is to guide the wood.
Once thats sorted, try again with a scrap piece against the fence. If the wood pulls away from the fence or the blade starts to curve sideways, you need to work on the fence.

 

[Lonsdale73]

First question, how much experience have you with bandsaws?
If this is your first, Check that the blade can not be be pushed back by the wood so that the teeth are squashed between the side bearings. If that happens, the blade is scrap because youve closed the teeth up. Check top and bottom bearings for this common mistake.Replace the blade if thats what youve done.
Then check tightness by winding the guard arm all the way up, and WITH THE POWER OFF, use your thumb and finger to twist the blade at just above table height. you should be able to twist it about a quarter turn. Obviously this doesnt apply to very wide blades over a half inch.

Then the most common reasons why you cant cut straight are that the fence is not parallel to the blade, and you are feeding the wood too fast.

the quickest way to check both of these is to find a piece of scrap at least a foot long. Draw a pencil line along the centre.
Move the fence out of the way and cut along the line.
If the cut curves one way or the other, youre pushing too hard. Let the blade do the job, all youre there for is to guide the wood.
Once thats sorted, try again with a scrap piece against the fence. If the wood pulls away from the fence or the blade starts to curve sideways, you need to work on the fence.

Although I've had it for over two year, it is my first bandsaw and for the most part served mostly as a repository, even after I clear everything away, clean off the accumulated dust and vow not to repeat such disrespectful behaviour. So no, not much experience.

I'd watched the Alan Holtham Masterclass and the classic Snodgrass one several times each before taking delivery of the machie and, in fairness, even with the 'crappy' supplied blade, it wasn't too bad. I thought I'd persevere with the supplied blade while I was getting used to the machine and, of course' it wasn't long before it started struggling and so I ordered the Tuffsaws.

I resisted the temptation to whack one on as soon as it arrived, thinking I'd get the limited space organised so there'd be adequate space to use the bandsaw without risking a hernia or heart attack hauling it about each time. I hadn't realised two whole years had gone by! I blame the garage door saga!

Related to the doors, I had my first real use for the bandsaw in its newly allocated position when I wanted to resaw a length of pine. Admittedly, trying to tackle a seven foot length of 6x2 probably was the right thing to attempt for someone with my limited experience. I'm not the tallest either so I wasn't sure if the weight of the board was pulling it down and away from the fence, even with a roller stand supporting the trailing edge and a Magswith resaw guide supplementing the saw's rip fence. The blade didn't appear to be even cutting .

I switched to something simpler, trying 18mm and 12mm pine, 10mm and 12mm ply and a piece of Conti board, possibly 18mm. I did think the conti shouldn't have posed a problem. I can line the supplied fence parallel to the mitre slot but as soon as I tighten it it does pull away so it's about 1-1.5mm away at the far end of the table - wasn't sure if this was a bit like the recommendation for table saw fences. I moved the supplied fence out of the way completely and used a straight edge to line up a Magswitch fence perfectly parallel to the mitre slot and tried again for same result. So I dispensed with a fence altogether, marked a straight line on my test pieces and tried to just follow the line. In each case - supplied fence, Magswith fence, no fence, the cut drifted to the left, towards the fence.

The Bandsaw in question is a Record Power BS350, possibly an 'S' version but not the newer sabre-toothed beast.

 

[Lons]

That all sounds very strange, I've used Tuffsaw blades for a number of years though I don't buy many as they last a long time for my purposes and never had an issue of any kind. Have always found them to be very reliable and sharp.
The only time I get significant drift from a blade is after it's been used for cutting a number of tight curves but then I put those aside for specifically those jobs, I wonder if you've twisted yours while trying to handle that long timber though unlikely.

It would normally go through pine like a hot knife through butter so clearly something is wrong. Stupid question but you do have the blade teeth cutting downwards don't you? It's very easy to reverse the blade when uncoiling it and wouldn't be the first time. I've done it myself when not concentrating though noticed straight away.

It looks as if you bought more than one blade so what I'd do is swap to another blade and check it out after first carefully going through the saw settings again. It it's the same it's the saw, if it works then try the suspect blade again carefully adjusting settings and you'll know.

After doing this if you still think the blade is faulty ring Tuffsaws who will always help if they can.

I hadn't realised two whole years had gone by!

I think most people can relate to that. :lol:

 

[Lonsdale73]

That all sounds very strange, I've used Tuffsaw blades for a number of years though I don't buy many as they last a long time for my purposes and never had an issue of any kind. Have always found them to be very reliable and sharp.
The only time I get significant drift from a blade is after it's been used for cutting a number of tight curves but then I put those aside for specifically those jobs, I wonder if you've twisted yours while trying to handle that long timber though unlikely.

It would normally go through pine like a hot knife through butter so clearly something is wrong. Stupid question but you do have the blade teeth cutting downwards don't you? It's very easy to reverse the blade when uncoiling it and wouldn't be the first time. I've done it myself when not concentrating though noticed straight away.

It looks as if you bought more than one blade so what I'd do is swap to another blade and check it out after first carefully going through the saw settings again. It it's the same it's the saw, if it works then try the suspect blade again carefully adjusting settings and you'll know.

After doing this if you still think the blade is faulty ring Tuffsaws who will always help if they can.

I hadn't realised two whole years had gone by!

I think most people can relate to that. :lol:

Oddly enough, I did think "What manner of ***** would attempt to fit the blade upside down?" as I tried to do just that however I am - or was - fairly confident it did go on the way it's meant to. I'm also confident it's not the blade and more a case of something I've either done wrong or not done at all.

 

[sunnybob]

Go and check the teeth on the blade, they should be pointing down into the table slot. I am concerned you have it wrong.
And while we are on the "really silly" wagon, make sure the blade is also pushing down into the table. I dont think you can make them go backwards, but its a case of trying everything.

 

[samhay]

>"What manner of Silly person would attempt to fit the blade upside down?"

I managed to put a blade on upside down once. It still worked, but not very well.
In my defence, I have an Inca, which is back to front, so blades requre turning inside out. I guess I was distracted that day.

Has anyone mentioned blade tension yet?

 

[sunnybob]

Yes.

 

[nev]

I swapped blades (both Tuffsaws) to a (used) finer one a week or two ago and no matter what I tried I could not get it to cut parallel to the fence. Ordered a new one which arrived 3 days later.
Fitting Method:
Slacken all guides so they're out of the way, fit blade (the right way up), tension blade, spin wheel by hand to ensure its running true, don't care where on the wheel it runs, then bring up all guides and bearings till they almost touch the blade, a hairs breadth/rizzla paper/gnats wotsit away.
Job done!
Runs true, no drift and cuts like the proverbial hot knife and parallel to the fence.
They're great blades but not indestructible in the hands of a rank hammer chewer like me

 

[Lonsdale73]

I didn't type "Silly person" and I can't believe they felt the need to filter out "I di ot"!

I'd tensioned it so much I was sure a smidgeon more would see it snap but yes, at back of my mind, that seemed likely contender.

Had to smile when I saw thisearlier.

 

[Lons]

Had to smile when I saw thisearlier.

:lol: :lol: Thanks for that I can identify with it, especially filling empty hanging space.