I'm fully aware of the crapshoot involved when buying stuff at Harbor
Freight.
My theory for HF is the same as for Radio Shack.
75 percent of their stuff is pure, unadulterated crap.
20 percent is usable if you're not expecting the kind of quality you get
with... well, real quality.
And 5 percent is actually pretty good stuff.

So where do the bandsaw blades fall in those categories?
I'm thinking of picking up some of their -$10 ones.
They have $20+ ones, too, but if I'm going to spend that much, I'll go
to Woodcraft.

Anyone actually use their blades? Are they.....
Crap?
Ok for the money, but don't expect much?
Better than average, a good bargain?
Diamond in the rough?

Or the final choice...
Wait for my Iturra Design catalog because they have great blades under
10 bucks?


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

"-MIKE-" wrote in message
...
I'm fully aware of the crapshoot involved when buying stuff at Harbor
Freight.
My theory for HF is the same as for Radio Shack.
75 percent of their stuff is pure, unadulterated crap.
20 percent is usable if you're not expecting the kind of quality you get
with... well, real quality.
And 5 percent is actually pretty good stuff.

So where do the bandsaw blades fall in those categories?
I'm thinking of picking up some of their -$10 ones.
They have $20+ ones, too, but if I'm going to spend that much, I'll go to
Woodcraft.

Anyone actually use their blades? Are they.....
Crap?
Ok for the money, but don't expect much?
Better than average, a good bargain?
Diamond in the rough?

Or the final choice...
Wait for my Iturra Design catalog because they have great blades under 10
bucks?


IMHO BS blades are so inexpensive to start with, why pinch pennies here. I
would certainly give 1 a try and compare it to a better quality blade. Then
there is my 150" x 1-1/4" Resaw King that costs me $1.50 per inch but it
does leave a very smooth surface when resawing and it cuts through hard
maple like butter.
For general purpose cutting the $10 blades may be just what you are looking
for but for the better cut you are probably going to buy a better blade.
Keep in mind that Timberwolf makes good blades and are probably cheaper than
Woodcraft.

On Mar 29, 1:55*pm, -MIKE- wrote:
I'm fully aware of the crapshoot involved when buying stuff at Harbor
Freight.
My theory for HF is the same as for Radio Shack.
75 percent of their stuff is pure, unadulterated crap.
20 percent is usable if you're not expecting the kind of quality you get
with... well, real quality.
And 5 percent is actually pretty good stuff.

So where do the bandsaw blades fall in those categories?
I'm thinking of picking up some of their -$10 ones.
They have $20+ ones, too, but if I'm going to spend that much, I'll go
to Woodcraft.

Anyone actually use their blades? *Are they.....
Crap?
Ok for the money, but don't expect much?
Better than average, a good bargain?
Diamond in the rough?

Or the final choice...
Wait for my Iturra Design catalog because they have great blades under
10 bucks?

--

* -MIKE-

* "Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
* * *--Elvin Jones *(1927-2004)
* --
*http://mikedrums.com
*
* ---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

Wait. Or go to Highland Hardware. Why bother taking a chance. Bandsaw
blades are cheap enough even when they're excellent.

"-MIKE-" wrote in message
...
I'm fully aware of the crapshoot involved when buying stuff at Harbor
Freight.

Ah,, you're aware. But have you experienced it first hand?
In general, for my time, the cost of the disappointment has outweighed
the money saved. I have not tried their blades.

Of course, as always, the right choice just "depends".
Seriously, I hope you'll posts the results of your experiment.
Good luck!




My theory for HF is the same as for Radio Shack.
75 percent of their stuff is pure, unadulterated crap.
20 percent is usable if you're not expecting the kind of quality you get
with... well, real quality.
And 5 percent is actually pretty good stuff.

So where do the bandsaw blades fall in those categories?
I'm thinking of picking up some of their -$10 ones.
They have $20+ ones, too, but if I'm going to spend that much, I'll go to
Woodcraft.

Anyone actually use their blades? Are they.....
Crap?
Ok for the money, but don't expect much?
Better than average, a good bargain?
Diamond in the rough?

Or the final choice...
Wait for my Iturra Design catalog because they have great blades under 10
bucks?


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

-MIKE- wrote:
I'm fully aware of the crapshoot involved when buying stuff at Harbor
Freight.
My theory for HF is the same as for Radio Shack.
75 percent of their stuff is pure, unadulterated crap.
20 percent is usable if you're not expecting the kind of quality you
get with... well, real quality.
And 5 percent is actually pretty good stuff.

So where do the bandsaw blades fall in those categories?
I'm thinking of picking up some of their -$10 ones.
They have $20+ ones, too, but if I'm going to spend that much, I'll go
to Woodcraft.

Anyone actually use their blades? Are they.....
Crap?
Ok for the money, but don't expect much?
Better than average, a good bargain?
Diamond in the rough?

Or the final choice...
Wait for my Iturra Design catalog because they have great blades under
10 bucks?

No answer re HF blades but how many blades do you want? All you really need
are a couple...a skinny one for doing curves, a wide one for resawing. The
two I use are...

1. 3/16" 4 tpi skiptooth
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/i...D&ProdID=27290

2. 1/2" 3-4 tpi (variable) hook. You won't find a better one for resawing
without laying out very big bucks.
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/i...OD&ProdID=1293

I have a bunch of others in a cabinet...sizes from 1/8" to 3/4"; TPI from 14
to 3. I bought them when I first bought the bandsaw, never used most. Why?
For one thing, it is a PITA to change blades on a bandsaw; main reason is I
never needed them.



--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

-MIKE- wrote:
I'm fully aware of the crapshoot involved when buying stuff at Harbor
Freight.
My theory for HF is the same as for Radio Shack.
75 percent of their stuff is pure, unadulterated crap.
20 percent is usable if you're not expecting the kind of quality you get
with... well, real quality.
And 5 percent is actually pretty good stuff.

So where do the bandsaw blades fall in those categories?
I'm thinking of picking up some of their -$10 ones.
They have $20+ ones, too, but if I'm going to spend that much, I'll go
to Woodcraft.

Anyone actually use their blades? Are they.....
Crap?
Ok for the money, but don't expect much?
Better than average, a good bargain?
Diamond in the rough?

Or the final choice...
Wait for my Iturra Design catalog because they have great blades under
10 bucks?

If it were me I'd go to Woodworker's Supply and order up a couple of
their Starrett/Bahco blades:

http://www.woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FU...e=&showsingle=

I don't know if some of their blades are Starrett and some are Bahco, or
if the blades are the product of a joint venture; the website isn't
clear about it. I ordered four different blades for my MiniMax and they
all came with Starrett tags on them. In any case, both brand names are
highly regarded and the blades I received are excellent quality and
reasonably priced.

--
Free bad advice available here.
To reply, eat the taco.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bbqboyee/

"-MIKE-" wrote in message
...
I'm fully aware of the crapshoot involved when buying stuff at Harbor
Freight.
My theory for HF is the same as for Radio Shack.
75 percent of their stuff is pure, unadulterated crap.
20 percent is usable if you're not expecting the kind of quality you get
with... well, real quality.
And 5 percent is actually pretty good stuff.

So where do the bandsaw blades fall in those categories?
I'm thinking of picking up some of their -$10 ones.
They have $20+ ones, too, but if I'm going to spend that much, I'll go to
Woodcraft.

Anyone actually use their blades? Are they.....
Crap?
Ok for the money, but don't expect much?
Better than average, a good bargain?
Diamond in the rough?

Or the final choice...
Wait for my Iturra Design catalog because they have great blades under 10
bucks?

What makes a bandsaw blade good, one better than another? Is it just
magazine reviews and their stamps of approval? Can a mortal man, average Joe
Woodworker, make that determination for himself?

$5 - $10 blades are the run of the mill carbon steel. If you're able to test
it, consistent, good metallurgy in the blade is best. For usability, are the
teeth sharp, and the set consistent? Are the teeth ground or are they
stamped? These show in the quality of cut.

$20 to $30 should buy a good quality bi-metal blade. These have high speed
steel teeth for sharpness, married to a carbon steel band for durability.
High speed steel retains its temper at higher temperatures. They last longer
than the cheaper carbon steel blades, by about the same ratio as the
difference in price.

Got $120 burning a hole in your pocket? Get a 3/4" blade with welded carbide
teeth for resaw.

How many TPI? Hook? skip tooth? regular?

There was a point when I was frenzied about making the decision. I have a
1/4" bi-metal 10-14 TPI for general use and joinery, and a 1/2" 3-4 TPI thin
kerf for resaw. There's a box full of other stuff I bought when I got the
saw, but I'm still using only those two blades. (Along with the original
Delta metal guides.) I wouldn't know about Highland's WoodSlicer. It's the
same spec as the KerfMaster I buy from Spectrum Supply for $20. I'm pleased
with the KerfMaster. If the WoodSlicer really cuts better, it would truly be
a phenomenal blade, perhaps even cheap at $30.

Leon wrote:
IMHO BS blades are so inexpensive to start with, why pinch pennies here. I
would certainly give 1 a try and compare it to a better quality blade.

That's certainly true, especially when you consider what we're asking
them to do.
Compare that to a a good circular blade and yeah, we're getting off easy.


For general purpose cutting the $10 blades may be just what you are looking
for but for the better cut you are probably going to buy a better blade.
Keep in mind that Timberwolf makes good blades and are probably cheaper than
Woodcraft.


Thanks for the endorsement of Timberwolf. I was wondering about them.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

Charlie Self wrote:

Wait. Or go to Highland Hardware. Why bother taking a chance. Bandsaw
blades are cheap enough even when they're excellent.

I take the chance because of HF's excellent return policy and the
adventure involved with "you never know." :-)

Thanks for the Highland recommendation.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

Bill wrote:
"-MIKE-" wrote in message
I'm fully aware of the crapshoot involved when buying stuff at Harbor
Freight.

Ah,, you're aware. But have you experienced it first hand?

Yes, but it's never ruined a project.


In general, for my time, the cost of the disappointment has outweighed
the money saved. I have not tried their blades.


My discernment get sharpened with every purchase. :-)


Of course, as always, the right choice just "depends".
Seriously, I hope you'll posts the results of your experiment.
Good luck!


I will, but I'm afraid my opinion might suffer from lack of experience
with many different blades.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

-MIKE- wrote:
Leon wrote:

IMHO BS blades are so inexpensive to start with, why pinch pennies
here. I would certainly give 1 a try and compare it to a better
quality blade.


That's certainly true, especially when you consider what we're asking
them to do.
Compare that to a a good circular blade and yeah, we're getting off easy.


For general purpose cutting the $10 blades may be just what you are
looking for but for the better cut you are probably going to buy a
better blade.
Keep in mind that Timberwolf makes good blades and are probably
cheaper than Woodcraft.


Thanks for the endorsement of Timberwolf. I was wondering about them.



The Olson All Pro blades are also good and somewhat less expensive than
the Timberwolf and Woodslicer.

http://www.olsonsaw.com/

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA

Steve Turner wrote:
If it were me I'd go to Woodworker's Supply and order up a couple of
their Starrett/Bahco blades:

http://www.woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FU...e=&showsingle=


Thanks, Steve. The prices look reasonable.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

MikeWhy wrote:
I have
a 1/4" bi-metal 10-14 TPI for general use and joinery, and a 1/2" 3-4
TPI thin kerf for resaw. There's a box full of other stuff I bought when
I got the saw, but I'm still using only those two blades.


I'm getting that response a lot.
I get the feeling, I'll be repeating it a year from now. :-)


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

Nova wrote:
Thanks for the endorsement of Timberwolf. I was wondering about them.



The Olson All Pro blades are also good and somewhat less expensive than
the Timberwolf and Woodslicer.

http://www.olsonsaw.com/


I saw those on the Woodcraft site.
So are the regular Olson's any good, or just the same as the cheap generics?


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

Harbor Freight

If you value your time, you probably don't spend it shopping at Harbor
Freight except possibly for disposables.

Lew

-MIKE- wrote:

I'm fully aware of the crapshoot involved when buying stuff at Harbor
Freight.
My theory for HF is the same as for Radio Shack.
75 percent of their stuff is pure, unadulterated crap.
20 percent is usable if you're not expecting the kind of quality you get
with... well, real quality.
And 5 percent is actually pretty good stuff.

So where do the bandsaw blades fall in those categories?
I'm thinking of picking up some of their -$10 ones.
They have $20+ ones, too, but if I'm going to spend that much, I'll go
to Woodcraft.

Anyone actually use their blades? Are they.....
Crap?
Ok for the money, but don't expect much?
Better than average, a good bargain?
Diamond in the rough?

Or the final choice...
Wait for my Iturra Design catalog because they have great blades under
10 bucks?



The ratios on the HF stuff might be a bit severe but when it comes to the
bandsaw blades, pure "I don't think I want to use one of those, thank you."


My preference is Carter blades from Carter Tool Co. I have tried the
others, Timberwolf is good, as are most of the other name brands, and just
like them better.

As an aside, my general rule for buying stuff at HF is, the pnuematic
nailers and cordless drills are fine for the hobbest. For the rest, if I
see it advertised at another vendor (Grizzly, Garret Wade, etc) I will buy
it at HF and save a few dollars.

Deb

"-MIKE-" wrote in message
...
Nova wrote:
Thanks for the endorsement of Timberwolf. I was wondering about them.



The Olson All Pro blades are also good and somewhat less expensive than
the Timberwolf and Woodslicer.

http://www.olsonsaw.com/


I saw those on the Woodcraft site.
So are the regular Olson's any good, or just the same as the cheap
generics?


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

I've been using Olson blades, both metal cutting and for wood, and have
never had a complaint.
I have a 1/2" blade that I use for re-saw and I don't get any drift at all.
(Delta 14" bandsaw)

Max

Harbor Freight

If you value your time, you probably don't spend it shopping at Harbor
Freight except possibly for disposables.

Lew


I value my time AND money, but thanks for the condescension. :-p
If I have more disposable time than money, HF pays off occasionally.

Like you said about disposables, I'm usually there getting things on
sale like rubber gloves, magnets, parts bins, and those nylon-insert
nuts I seem to use a million of. So why not check out the disposable
tools, too.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

I've been using Olson blades, both metal cutting and for wood, and have
never had a complaint.
I have a 1/2" blade that I use for re-saw and I don't get any drift at
all. (Delta 14" bandsaw)

Max


Thanks, Max.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

MikeWhy wrote:

I wouldn't know about
Highland's WoodSlicer. It's the same spec as the KerfMaster I buy
from Spectrum Supply for $20. I'm pleased with the KerfMaster. If the
WoodSlicer really cuts better, it would truly be a phenomenal blade,
perhaps even cheap at $30.

I can't compare it to your Kerfmaster as I've never used the latter;
however, it is hands down better compared to the highly touted Timberwolf.
I bought one of those once, tried it once, put back the WoodSlicer and have
never used the Timberwolf again.


--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

"-MIKE-" wrote in message
...
I've been using Olson blades, both metal cutting and for wood, and have
never had a complaint.
I have a 1/2" blade that I use for re-saw and I don't get any drift at
all. (Delta 14" bandsaw)

Max


Thanks, Max.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

I should add that when I bought my metal cutting band saw (from Grizzly) I
bought 2 blades with it.
Both blades broke after short use. I still have , and use, the Olson
blades.

Max

"-MIKE-" wrote in message
...
I've been using Olson blades, both metal cutting and for wood, and have
never had a complaint.
I have a 1/2" blade that I use for re-saw and I don't get any drift at
all. (Delta 14" bandsaw)

Max


Thanks, Max.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

I've had consistently better results than I should with Olson (hss) blades
on my '54 Delta 14" w/riser. I'd bet there are better blades... I'd bet
there are better woodworkers, too. On my little 9" benchtop (Sears
Companion), I use either Sears (far east blades in Sears packaging, I'm
sure) or Delta branded (same thing, I'd bet), with fine results.

Personally (and take it for what it's worth), I think taking your time is
the lesson to learn as for as bandsaws go, regardless of the blades you use.

Ed

I should add that when I bought my metal cutting band saw (from Grizzly)
I bought 2 blades with it.
Both blades broke after short use. I still have , and use, the Olson
blades.

Max

Since this old Jet is a three-speed, that advice is welcomed.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

Personally (and take it for what it's worth), I think taking your time
is the lesson to learn as for as bandsaws go, regardless of the blades
you use.

Ed


Anyone for whom I've done work will tell you I lean more towards quality
than quantity. :-)

I'm just looking forward to the improved performance over my little, el
cheapo 9-inch (insert euphemism, here).


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

On Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:50:59 -0500, Leon wrote:

Keep in mind that Timberwolf makes good blades and are probably
cheaper than Woodcraft.

Doesn't your Woodcraft sell Timberwolf?

And I second the recommendation - very good blades.

--
Intelligence is an experiment that failed - G. B. Shaw

"Larry Blanchard" wrote in message
om...
On Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:50:59 -0500, Leon wrote:

Keep in mind that Timberwolf makes good blades and are probably
cheaper than Woodcraft.

Doesn't your Woodcraft sell Timberwolf?

I don't recall, IIRC the last time I looked they were a little more
expensive than buying dirrect. They don't have 150" blades so I don't keep
up with them. I am still working on the several that came with my saw.


And I second the recommendation - very good blades.


Oddly, I never could get a Timberwolf to do worth a darn on the Rikon, I had
a blade made for it locally and it worked just fine along with the one that
came with the saw. Again IIRC Laguna uses the same steel and or coils that
Timberwolf does and those blades work very well on my Laguna.

"-MIKE-" wrote in message
...
I should add that when I bought my metal cutting band saw (from Grizzly)
I bought 2 blades with it.
Both blades broke after short use. I still have , and use, the Olson
blades.

Max

Since this old Jet is a three-speed, that advice is welcomed.

For sure, I'd get a bi-metal blade or two to take advantage of the higher
speed.

On Sun, 29 Mar 2009 12:55:59 -0500, -MIKE-
wrote:

I'm fully aware of the crapshoot involved when buying stuff at Harbor
Freight.
My theory for HF is the same as for Radio Shack.
75 percent of their stuff is pure, unadulterated crap.
20 percent is usable if you're not expecting the kind of quality you get
with... well, real quality.
And 5 percent is actually pretty good stuff.

So where do the bandsaw blades fall in those categories?
I'm thinking of picking up some of their -$10 ones.
They have $20+ ones, too, but if I'm going to spend that much, I'll go
to Woodcraft.

Anyone actually use their blades? Are they.....
Crap?
Ok for the money, but don't expect much?
Better than average, a good bargain?
Diamond in the rough?

Or the final choice...
Wait for my Iturra Design catalog because they have great blades under
10 bucks?

Why not buy one of each to compare? Personally, I'd rather not fool
around and buy the best blade I can get.

Lew Hodgett wrote:
Harbor Freight

If you value your time, you probably don't spend it shopping at Harbor
Freight except possibly for disposables.

Lew

In time, even bandsaw blades are disposable.

--
Frank Howell

-MIKE- wrote:
I'm fully aware of the crapshoot involved when buying stuff at Harbor
Freight.
My theory for HF is the same as for Radio Shack.
75 percent of their stuff is pure, unadulterated crap.
20 percent is usable if you're not expecting the kind of quality you
get with... well, real quality.
And 5 percent is actually pretty good stuff.

So where do the bandsaw blades fall in those categories?
I'm thinking of picking up some of their -$10 ones.
They have $20+ ones, too, but if I'm going to spend that much, I'll go
to Woodcraft.

Anyone actually use their blades? Are they.....
Crap?
Ok for the money, but don't expect much?
Better than average, a good bargain?
Diamond in the rough?

Or the final choice...
Wait for my Iturra Design catalog because they have great blades under
10 bucks?

The last time I posted, what was essentially the same question, it appears
no one in this group has tried the HF offering. So, as soon as I get my next
20% off coupon, I will buy one and be the sacrificial ram and bleat out the
results.

Baa to all
--
Frank Howell

Frank, I was about to make a comment that not a single person had
tried one, just constant rants against HF. I'm in the same boat -
I'm not in the market for a blade (have a few) and I've not tried
HF. Buddy tried their circular blades, both 7 1/4 and 10 and
swears they are great. Probably not in the class with WWII.

--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"Frank Howell" wrote in message
...
-MIKE- wrote:
I'm fully aware of the crapshoot involved when buying stuff at
Harbor
Freight.
My theory for HF is the same as for Radio Shack.
75 percent of their stuff is pure, unadulterated crap.
20 percent is usable if you're not expecting the kind of
quality you
get with... well, real quality.
And 5 percent is actually pretty good stuff.

So where do the bandsaw blades fall in those categories?
I'm thinking of picking up some of their -$10 ones.
They have $20+ ones, too, but if I'm going to spend that much,
I'll go
to Woodcraft.

Anyone actually use their blades? Are they.....
Crap?
Ok for the money, but don't expect much?
Better than average, a good bargain?
Diamond in the rough?

Or the final choice...
Wait for my Iturra Design catalog because they have great
blades under
10 bucks?

The last time I posted, what was essentially the same question,
it appears no one in this group has tried the HF offering. So,
as soon as I get my next 20% off coupon, I will buy one and be
the sacrificial ram and bleat out the results.

Baa to all
--
Frank Howell

On Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:01:58 -0500, Leon wrote:

And I second the recommendation - very good blades.


Oddly, I never could get a Timberwolf to do worth a darn on the Rikon, I
had a blade made for it locally and it worked just fine along with the
one that came with the saw. Again IIRC Laguna uses the same steel and
or coils that Timberwolf does and those blades work very well on my
Laguna.

I'm using a 1/2" Timberwolf for resawing on my 14" Rikon - the one
with13" resaw. Works like a champ. I did round the back of the blade,
did you try that?

And surprisingly, the blade that came with the Rikon wasn't all that bad
as you said. We did have one on an 18" Rikon at the store that gave some
problems resawing maple burl into veneer. Switched for a Timberwolf and
there was a considerable improvement.

I've heard that the Highland Hardware resaw blade is even better, but I
haven't tried it.

--
Intelligence is an experiment that failed - G. B. Shaw

WD wrote:
Olson All Pro definitely better than Timberwolf and cheaper too.
You might wanna check here for cheap Olson bandsaw blades:

http://www.coastaltool.com/a/accesso...andsaw_14.html
http://www.cherrytreetoys.com/Olson_...SortBy=&Page=3


WHOA! Thanks for that link.
Those blades are 20 bucks at Woodcraft.
Your link has them at HF prices. Nice.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

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"Larry Blanchard" wrote in message
om...
On Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:01:58 -0500, Leon wrote:

And I second the recommendation - very good blades.


Oddly, I never could get a Timberwolf to do worth a darn on the Rikon, I
had a blade made for it locally and it worked just fine along with the
one that came with the saw. Again IIRC Laguna uses the same steel and
or coils that Timberwolf does and those blades work very well on my
Laguna.

I'm using a 1/2" Timberwolf for resawing on my 14" Rikon - the one
with13" resaw. Works like a champ. I did round the back of the blade,
did you try that?

Yes, the biggest problem was keeping the blade in one spot relative to the
back thruss guide. the blade would move forward and backward about 1/8"
when turning and not cutting. Timberwolf and I had several conversations
over the matter.


And surprisingly, the blade that came with the Rikon wasn't all that bad
as you said. We did have one on an 18" Rikon at the store that gave some
problems resawing maple burl into veneer. Switched for a Timberwolf and
there was a considerable improvement.

I've heard that the Highland Hardware resaw blade is even better, but I
haven't tried it.

So far I am pretty impressed with what Laguna sells and they are not that
badly priced on the standard type blades. I'll probably stick with them.



--
Intelligence is an experiment that failed - G. B. Shaw

MikeWhy wrote:
"-MIKE-" wrote in message
...
I should add that when I bought my metal cutting band saw (from
Grizzly) I bought 2 blades with it.
Both blades broke after short use. I still have , and use, the Olson
blades.

Max

Since this old Jet is a three-speed, that advice is welcomed.

For sure, I'd get a bi-metal blade or two to take advantage of the
higher speed.


Help me understand this.
Because the blade has HSS teeth, you don't have to worry about heat
fatigue when running fast?
When cutting metal, too?


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

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"DanG" wrote in message
...
Frank, I was about to make a comment that not a single person had tried
one, just constant rants against HF. I'm in the same boat - I'm not in
the market for a blade (have a few) and I've not tried HF. Buddy tried
their circular blades, both 7 1/4 and 10 and swears they are great.
Probably not in the class with WWII.

--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




I've got 10" blades from HF on both table and chop saws right now. They are
ok. Hell, for the $10-$20 apiece I paid, they are great. They are fine for
rough to "rustic" projects. When I start on some finer projects, I'll
probably get better blades.

Hmmm.... for that matter, my chop saw is a 25 year old Black and Decker.
*It* probably ought to get upgraded.

Ed

"-MIKE-" wrote in message
...
MikeWhy wrote:
"-MIKE-" wrote in message
...
I should add that when I bought my metal cutting band saw (from
Grizzly) I bought 2 blades with it.
Both blades broke after short use. I still have , and use, the Olson
blades.

Max

Since this old Jet is a three-speed, that advice is welcomed.

For sure, I'd get a bi-metal blade or two to take advantage of the higher
speed.


Help me understand this.
Because the blade has HSS teeth, you don't have to worry about heat
fatigue when running fast?
When cutting metal, too?

High carbon steel loses its temper when heated to relatively low
temperatures. Has more to do with hardness and edge retention more so than
fatigue strength. HSS is much more tolerant of high heat. Since it can
tolerate high heat better, you can run the saw at higher speeds, getting
faster and smoother cuts (assuming it has enough power).

"WD" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:44:56 -0400, "Ed Edelenbos"
wrote:

I've got 10" blades from HF on both table and chop saws right now. They
are
ok. Hell, for the $10-$20 apiece I paid, they are great. They are fine
for
rough to "rustic" projects. When I start on some finer projects, I'll
probably get better blades.

Hmmm.... for that matter, my chop saw is a 25 year old Black and Decker.
*It* probably ought to get upgraded.

Ed

Why pay $10-$20 for the craps when you can buy for the same for Oslson
Pro?
I had tried Timberwolf including Viking from Lee Valley, I still think you
cannot go wrong with Olson Pro.

http://www.coastaltool.com/a/accesso...andsaw_14.html
http://www.cherrytreetoys.com/Olson_...SortBy=&Page=3

Hmmm, things are getting a bit mixed up here. I was talking about blades on
my table and miter saw. On my Delta bandsaw, I use Olson (I think they are
the "regular", not Pro). They do everything I need.

I think this thread is pretty well done anyway....

Ed

"WD" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:32:50 -0400, "Ed Edelenbos"
wrote:

Hmmm, things are getting a bit mixed up here. I was talking about blades
on
my table and miter saw. On my Delta bandsaw, I use Olson (I think they
are
the "regular", not Pro). They do everything I need.

I think this thread is pretty well done anyway....

Escuse me, my mistake. I didn't read carefully and jump the gun.
We all contribute our two cents and someone must have gain something
from it. :-)


Ed

(grin)... I really need to remember to put those in now and then. I could
never get used to the :-) things.

Ed

I think this thread is pretty well done anyway....

Ed


Oh, is it? Because you say so, right? :-)


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

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