Good alternatives to Tuffsaws?

[Jake]

But if Beau (or any one else) wants to mumble away in the background about "it all comes from the same steel strip stock/mill" (which I personally doubt BTW - talking about "steel strip" is just like talking about "a piece of wood" without specifying the species!)

There are a limited number of suppliers of bandsaw blade material - it is an industrial product in its own right sold in coils. The only way in which in a minor supplier might influence the quality or characteristics of the stock used is maybe to find a willing Chinese supplier to mimic a product they haven't yet copied so far, and that's at the biggest most generous stretch.

Retail suppliers cut and weld them together from stock coils.

I recall the Dragon Saw spamming days, and then (post the mods stamping on the direct spamming), a certain Devon gent receiving some free samples and posting some generously effusive reviews (was that the launch of a new business, maybe). The way of the world I guess, but never used, never will.

A blade should not snap at the weld, let alone commonly in hobby usage. Bad welding or selling overly thick bodied blades for small diameter wheels most likely IMHO.

 

[woodfarmer]

More often than not you will only see people who are dissatisfied posting rather than satisfied, you have to take the internet with a pinch of salt. I'm about to give Tuffsaws a shot, I have two horizontal bandsaws for cutting steel and I'll have an M42 and Carbon blade running in each so I'll see if the M42 is worth it.

I cut a fair amount of en316L and I can tell you the m42 blades last a lot longer than carbon steel. You do have to have the right number of teeth and when in doubt have more teeth as these are less prone to breaking. The only blade I had a problem with was when I was using a blade with too big teeth cutting scrap timber with nails and hardened screws.

 

[AJB Temple]

I several of use Ian's blades based on recommendation on this site. I swap them round quite a bit as I saw different things, but I pay a lot of attention to saw set up (Jet 16" in my case) - which is a faff but worth it. I also have an Axcalibur blade and am happy with that too.

I have not had a bandsaw for long (less than a year) but have broken one blade (or rather it twisted) - the one that came with the machine. That was caused by ignorant misuse when I was trying to shape up a branch for turning and had not supported it properly. Lesson learnt.

 

[curtisrider]

More often than not you will only see people who are dissatisfied posting rather than satisfied, you have to take the internet with a pinch of salt. I'm about to give Tuffsaws a shot, I have two horizontal bandsaws for cutting steel and I'll have an M42 and Carbon blade running in each so I'll see if the M42 is worth it.

I cut a fair amount of en316L and I can tell you the m42 blades last a lot longer than carbon steel. You do have to have the right number of teeth and when in doubt have more teeth as these are less prone to breaking. The only blade I had a problem with was when I was using a blade with too big teeth cutting scrap timber with nails and hardened screws.

Unfortunately the M42 lost a few teeth within minutes of cutting and snags on thin stuff which is a bit poor, the carbon one has been great though.

 

[DennisCA]

Hmmm interesting to hear some people say their blades have never broken. All my blades (TuffSaws) have broken, that's been when I stopped using them and got new ones. I figured that happened to everyone eventually.

I asked TuffSaws about this and said I got roughly 1.5 years worth of use out of the one blade before it broke (and I sharpened it myself once). He said he would be over the moon if a bandsaw blade lasted him that long so I assumed from that they had lasted longer than they do for most people. Is this correct, do you think my blades lasted as long as you could expect them to?

I bought the premium ones this time instead of the carbon, will be interesting to see how they perform.

 

[paulm]

Unfortunately the M42 lost a few teeth within minutes of cutting and snags on thin stuff which is a bit poor, the carbon one has been great though.

What tooth count were the blades and what material being cut ?

 

[paulm]

Hmmm interesting to hear some people say their blades have never broken. All my blades (TuffSaws) have broken, that's been when I stopped using them and got new ones. I figured that happened to everyone eventually.

I asked TuffSaws about this and said I got roughly 1.5 years worth of use out of the one blade before it broke (and I sharpened it myself once). He said he would be over the moon if a bandsaw blade lasted him that long so I assumed from that they had lasted longer than they do for most people. Is this correct, do you think my blades lasted as long as you could expect them to?

I bought the premium ones this time instead of the carbon, will be interesting to see how they perform.

Length of time doesn't really mean much though Dennis, it might only have been used once or twice in your 1.5 years for all we know !

I'm another very satisfied long term Tuffsaws customer, having tried other makes now and again and found them noticably sub-par by comparison.

 

[DennisCA]

I'd say it varied, but it got used weekly at a minimum, often daily, and I always left the tension on. I have a pretty big bandsaw that wants 175" blades so I can't go out and buy them from just anywhere.

 

[NazNomad]

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted: Oh well, the blade on my burgess broke today... on the weld.

I doubt I'll bother paying the postage to send it back to Tuffsaws. My pennies will be spent elsewhere.

 

[ColeyS1]

We need pictures !

Coley

 

[paulm]

Is the Burgess one of the small three wheeled machines ?

They are notorious for breaking blades as they have to cope with such tight turns.

 

[woodfarmer]

More often than not you will only see people who are dissatisfied posting rather than satisfied, you have to take the internet with a pinch of salt. I'm about to give Tuffsaws a shot, I have two horizontal bandsaws for cutting steel and I'll have an M42 and Carbon blade running in each so I'll see if the M42 is worth it.

I cut a fair amount of en316L and I can tell you the m42 blades last a lot longer than carbon steel. You do have to have the right number of teeth and when in doubt have more teeth as these are less prone to breaking. The only blade I had a problem with was when I was using a blade with too big teeth cutting scrap timber with nails and hardened screws.

Unfortunately the M42 lost a few teeth within minutes of cutting and snags on thin stuff which is a bit poor, the carbon one has been great though.

Thin stuff will snag teeth and break them. I suspect the carbon steel ones can "bend or spring " more than M42. This is why I advocate using a blade with enough teeth. there should always be three teeth at least running in what you are cutting. so if you are running 6 tpi blade you shouldn't cut anything less than 1/2" thick.

 

[flh801978]

As I mentioned in my post on page 1 that all my blades broke at the weld I'd just like to say that every blade that has broken broke at the weld..it's bound to be a weak point I've never had a blade break anywhere else
This is in 100's of bandsaw blades over the years tuffsaws blades or others
I run 6 bandsaws in all
2 for metals only
3 for woods
1 for rubber,fabric ,leather and card with a blade band in
The metal saw is hardest on blades as it has the highest tension and twists the blade to allow unlimited length cutoff I'm lucky if I get 8 hours use out of a new blade..but I just build the price in to the job

 

[NazNomad]

We need pictures !

You want pictures of a broken bandsaw blade?

 

[ColeyS1]

Yes please, and of the bandsaw ! I love pictures [WINKING FACE]

Coley

 

[HAMBEV227]

In the interest of fairness, why can't the forum print a complete list of band saw blades mail order suppliers?
So the users can take their pick, if they are disgruntled with one then try another.

 

[kevinlightfoot]

I have used tru cut for many years they have always supplies good quality blades and at reasonable prices give them ago I don't think you will be disappointed .

 

[Eric The Viking]

In the interest of fairness, why can't the forum print a complete list of band saw blades mail order suppliers?
So the users can take their pick, if they are disgruntled with one then try another.

I bet you can probably answer that question yourself...

 

[n0legs]

In the interest of fairness, why can't the forum print a complete list of band saw blades mail order suppliers?
So the users can take their pick, if they are disgruntled with one then try another.

You know who makes good blades :wink:

 

[skipdiver]

I emailed Tuffsaws well over a week ago with a couple of questions and have not received a reply.