Bandsaw blade size
 

I've just got a bandsaw (seems to be a bit of an epidemic at the
moment!) and it came with a blade fitted as standard. I've been
following the discussions here recently on blade sizes, and I'm
wondering how the blade width is measured exactly, so that I can
determine what I've got fitted and decide whether I want to upgrade or not.

So, is it measured to the tip of the teeth, or the hollow between the
teeth (I'm sure there's a 'proper' name for this) ?
--
Alun Saunders

"Alun Saunders" wrote in message
...
I've just got a bandsaw (seems to be a bit of an epidemic at the
moment!) and it came with a blade fitted as standard. I've been
following the discussions here recently on blade sizes, and I'm
wondering how the blade width is measured exactly, so that I can
determine what I've got fitted and decide whether I want to upgrade or
not.

So, is it measured to the tip of the teeth, or the hollow between the
teeth (I'm sure there's a 'proper' name for this) ?
--

Width tip to back, but go closest, without splitting hairs. Upgrade doesn't
count in blade width, but in blade design and tooth configuration. Blade
width is about the diameter circle it'll cut.

Gullet(s).

George wrote:

Blade
width is about the diameter circle it'll cut.

Or, conversely, how well it will cut a straight line.

Alun, have you tried the blade that came with the bandsaw and found a
problem? FWI, I am very happy with the Viking 1/2" x 3tpi blade I use on
my 14" Delta. It seems to work well for both straight cuts and bowl
blanks of any reasonable size.


--
Derek Andrews, woodturner

http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com
http://chipshop.blogspot.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/toolrest/

Derek Andrews wrote:
George wrote:

Blade width is about the diameter circle it'll cut.

Or, conversely, how well it will cut a straight line.

Alun, have you tried the blade that came with the bandsaw and found a
problem? FWI, I am very happy with the Viking 1/2" x 3tpi blade I use on
my 14" Delta. It seems to work well for both straight cuts and bowl
blanks of any reasonable size.

I've not had any real problems, but then I've never owned, or even used
a bandsaw until two days ago when I got it, so I don't really have
anything to compare it with. I've managed to cut a 13" bowl blank out of
a big slab of 5" thick ash, so I guess it's working OK. The only problem
I have had is when crosscutting some smallish (4-5" diameter) maple logs
that weren't completely cylindrical when the blade appeared to pull the
log downwards in a rotating motion towards the table and then stalled,
but I managed to recover from that.

I measured the blade and it's a 3/8". How small a diameter circle could
I realistically cut with that? And would there be any advantage to going
up a size to, say, a 1/2" blade if I decided that the minimum diameter I
could cut with that wouldn't be a problem?

--
Alun Saunders

"Alun Saunders" wrote in message
...
Derek Andrews wrote:
George wrote:

Blade width is about the diameter circle it'll cut.

Or, conversely, how well it will cut a straight line.


I measured the blade and it's a 3/8". How small a diameter circle could
I realistically cut with that? And would there be any advantage to going
up a size to, say, a 1/2" blade if I decided that the minimum diameter I
could cut with that wouldn't be a problem?

http://www.timberwolf1.com/silicon_steel_slection.asp says 2 1/2 diameter
for 3/8

Good fellows to order from.

Straight lines are the responsibility of the operator, the limitation on
circles is posed by the blade, and is purely geometry. The greater rigidity
(beam strength) of the 1/2" blade, plus the extra amount under control by
the guides makes it a better candidate for larger and thicker work in my
opinion.

Alun
Crosscutting a cylindrical shape is asking for the blade to grab the wood
and over rotate it so as to kink the blade and scare you half to death, not
to mention the possiblility of some piece of flesh being pulled into the
blade. Use a large c-clamp (g-cramp to the UK folks) to hold the wood so as
to keep it from rotating. The clamp is positioned so that it grips the wood
and the bar of the clamp rides the table. There is a picture on my web page.

--
God bless and safe turning
Darrell Feltmate
Truro, NS Canada
www.aroundthewoods.com

Hi Alun

The standard blades are normally for sawing dry wood with a narrow
smooth kerf.
The blades we need for sawing wet wood do need a wide kerf for clearance
and it does not have to be a nice smooth cut.
The standard idea is to have a minimum of 3 teeth in the wood you saw,
so for furniture making where 1/2" and 3/4" wood is sawn regularly you
need 8 or more teeth per inch (tpi).
We saw thicker wood normally so a 3 or 4 tpi is best and if you have
more than one speed on your saw, you can safely go to the higher speed,
the more teeth going through the wood make for a faster sawing feed.
The size of the saw (measured from its back to tooth point, not from the
back to the gullet) is important only for the tightness of the curve you
want to make, for a tight curve you need a narrow blade and a wide blade
helps for making straight cuts.
Also now is a good time to get a book on bands use and tuning.

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo


Alun Saunders wrote:

I've just got a bandsaw (seems to be a bit of an epidemic at the
moment!) and it came with a blade fitted as standard. I've been
following the discussions here recently on blade sizes, and I'm
wondering how the blade width is measured exactly, so that I can
determine what I've got fitted and decide whether I want to upgrade or not.

So, is it measured to the tip of the teeth, or the hollow between the
teeth (I'm sure there's a 'proper' name for this) ?

Leo Van Der Loo wrote:

The standard blades are normally for sawing dry wood with a narrow
smooth kerf.
The blades we need for sawing wet wood do need a wide kerf for clearance
and it does not have to be a nice smooth cut.
The standard idea is to have a minimum of 3 teeth in the wood you saw,
so for furniture making where 1/2" and 3/4" wood is sawn regularly you
need 8 or more teeth per inch (tpi).
We saw thicker wood normally so a 3 or 4 tpi is best and if you have
more than one speed on your saw, you can safely go to the higher speed,
the more teeth going through the wood make for a faster sawing feed.
The size of the saw (measured from its back to tooth point, not from the
back to the gullet) is important only for the tightness of the curve you
want to make, for a tight curve you need a narrow blade and a wide blade
helps for making straight cuts.
Also now is a good time to get a book on bands use and tuning.

I've measured the standard saw blade that came with the saw, and it
appears to be a 3/8" 3tpi blade, so I'm OK there it seems.

Regarding the speed, it is a dual speed saw, a Record Power BS300, and
according to the manual ...

"The BS300 has two blade speeds 360 m/min (1190 feet/
min) for hardwoods, some plastics and certain non ferrous
metals and 780 m/min (2580 feet/min) for all other timber."

I figured that since most of the wood I would be cutting would qualify
as "hardwood" I'd use the slower setting, but are you saying I should be
using the higher setting?

--
Alun Saunders

Hi Alun

If you have enough power, yes use the higher speed for wet thick wood.

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo

Alun Saunders wrote:

I've measured the standard saw blade that came with the saw, and it
appears to be a 3/8" 3tpi blade, so I'm OK there it seems.

Regarding the speed, it is a dual speed saw, a Record Power BS300, and
according to the manual ...

"The BS300 has two blade speeds 360 m/min (1190 feet/
min) for hardwoods, some plastics and certain non ferrous
metals and 780 m/min (2580 feet/min) for all other timber."

I figured that since most of the wood I would be cutting would qualify
as "hardwood" I'd use the slower setting, but are you saying I should be
using the higher setting?

Leo Van Der Loo wrote:
If you have enough power, yes use the higher speed for wet thick wood.

It's a 1.25hp motor apparently.

--
Alun Saunders