what finish can I expect from a band saw?

[manxman]

I've recently Bought a Record BS300X after reading lots of good reviews on here.

It will be used for resawing reclaimed timber and I was also planning to use it to cut thin strips of stock to produce laminated curves and maybe even play around with producing some veneers.

I was also hoping I could use it to saw a thin slither of the back of some reclaimed mahogany parquat (to remove the tar) and accurately size all the blocks as they differ by up to 3-4mm in some cases.

anyway after setting it up I'm a bit dissapointed in the finish it leaves with the std 3 tpi record blade.

So my question is what finish can I realisticly expect to achieve with different blades?

If you could post some pics that would be great..... thanks.

 

[woodbloke]

That looks about par for a 3tpi blade. A finer pitch and slower feed rate will give a better finish, but it'll never be the same as one from a table saw with plenty of TCT teeth on the blade - Rob

 

[MIGNAL]

You should be able to improve on that surface finish. Ditch the blade. See this thread:
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... hp?t=32109

 

[OPJ]

I've been ripping some 3" beech down on my bandsaw using a 4tpi blade and the finish is actually very good (I end up with similar results to yours when using a 3tpi blade). Applying plenty of tension seems to be very important to get a clean and consistent cut.

If you want to produce laminated sections then, you would be better off with a 6tpi blade, I reckon. Provided that your depth of cut is less than 2"? You may get away with slightly more but, this will affect your feed-rate.

 

[user 5053]

You can get a reasonable finish with bandsaws depending on the number of teeth and type of wood. You might want to invest in a planer thicknesser for perfect finishing on strips of wood for laminating.

 

[Steve Maskery]

I wouldn't dream of resawing with 6TPI. I reckon 3TPI is the MOST you should have for resawing. The finish is more likely to be to do with the quality of the blade, type of tooth and feeding technique rather than number teeth.

FWIW I reckon what you have there is not too bad, especially if it's your first attempt. A bandsaw is not a finishing tool.

S

 

[manxman]

Thanks

I had read the Record blades are not up to much, I'll get a couple of different ones.

Does the width of the blade have an effect on finish, I'd guess a wider blade would help things track straighter?

I've got a Dewalt 733 planer (hiding under the beneath the dust sheet) for final finishing was just expecting to get a better finish from the bandsaw.

Maybe I "need" a table saw as well......

Is this what you mean by Slope??

 

[woodbloke]

Maybe I "need" a table saw as well......

Is this what you mean by Slope??

Exactamondo :lol: ...it'a akin to a certain political group who said of their members 'once in, never out' only on UKWorkshop it's 'once on, never off' The 'Slope' is one of those indefinable, malicious thingies that creep up on you slowly and then bite you on the ar*e and never let go. Believe it or not, before I joined this forum I was a 'minimalist' and Paul Chapman didn't have a collection of honing guides. Mike Garnham still is a non-believer in the 'Slope'...time will tell :wink: - Rob

 

[Steve Maskery]

Here's one I did earlier...

Oak, single-point fence, 3TPI blade

Cheers
Steve

 

[Tintin]

I had read the Record blades are not up to much, I'll get a couple of different ones..

Yes thats about what I got with my record 3tpi blade..



I replaced it with a better quality axminster blade (14tpi)

 

[OPJ]

I replaced it with a better quality axminster blade (14tpi)

While the results do show an improvement, even I can admit that 14tpi is too fine for anything thicker than 6mm! :shock: I would still expect an even better finish with that sort of blade - it looks like you may be feeding a little too fast or, perhaps you need a little more tension (never rely on the given scales; it often helps to go to the next size up).

 

[Tintin]

While I agree that the finish could be better, saying that you should only use a 14tpi on 6mm or less is somewhat puzzling. I cut through 9" of walnut last week without problems. Its a Bandsaw. Its designed to cut thick material. If your cutting 6mm then use a table or scroll saw.

 

[devonwoody]

Your blade quality is number one culprit, and your experience most probably plays a part.

My original cuts using the same make blade and no previous B/S usage was about the same as yours.

I think any new members here thinking of buying a bandsaw should tell the retailer they want a discount because they dont wish to have the blades provided.

 

[OPJ]

Well, if you're getting good results with what I consider to be a very fine blade then, fair enough. Who am I to argue. If was cutting 6mm stuff, I'd still prefer to do it on the bandsaw - it can make a terrible racket as it rattles past a table saw blade! :wink:

 

[Harbo]

These are some cuts from a piece of 10" deep beech, cut on my Startrite 352 with a very thin kerf 1/2" wide 4TPI Hakasson Fish & Meat blade:

Similar ones from Dragon saws gave good results too.
Very fine finish achieved.

Rod

 

[devonwoody]

Lovely cuts, the piece on the B/S with the grain running vertically behind the blade, is that just a support board?

 

[Harbo]

I am afraid so - a piece of oak veneered MDF!

Rod

 

[Steve Maskery]

Where did yo get that blade, Rod, that's as good an advert as I have ever seen. Smashing!
S

 

[Harbo]

Steve - http://www.sharpquips.co.uk/prod1.asp?ID=202

When I bought them, which is a while back now, their web page was down, but a phone call did the trick.

Rod

 

[woodbloke]

If you 'fone up Axminster you can order blades made from 14thou steel which is thinner by 6thou than the meat and fish blades used by Rod (at least for my 73" blade length Euro 260) The blades can be ordered in any width and any tooth configuration and cost about 75p more than standard. I've used them for years now and have never had any problem...my bandsaw will easily tension a 5/8" 14thou blade but would really struggle with anything thicker - Rob