BC Saw (blade) experience

[Wes Stewart]

As mentioned in my "Mini gloat" thread, I recently acquired a Jet 16" bandsaw. The 3/4" blade that was on it was crap and it required Herculean effort to push a piece of stock through it.

New blades were definitely in order. Using the Finewoodworking Mar/Apr 2004 issue as a guide, with a touch of Scottish heritage thrown in, I decided to go with the low cost provider, BC Saw.

Since this story is a work in progress, I'll try to offer it without editorial comment.

I called in an order for four blades on 10/27. 1 ea. 3/4" 3 TPI, 1 ea. 1/2" 3 TPI, 1 ea. 3/8" 6 TPI and 1 ea. 1/4" 6 TPI. Figured this would be a representative sample and get the 10% discount offered when four or more blades are ordered.

Package arrived 11/1. Invoice cost was $64.69 (Canadian) material and $19.98 shipping. Ouch! Oops---sorry---I said no editorializing.

Since saw is nominally set up for 3/4" blades, try new 3/4" blade first. To make a long story shorter, after all is said and done, there is a lot of runout in the blade and while I can resaw a nice thin, even slice, the cut quality is very bad. Viewed edge on, there is a twist in the blade at the weld and viewed from the side it appears that when the ends of blade were welded, they were either not cut off square or were not butted together squarely.

Placing a 12" machinist's rule vertically against the back of the blade, in contact top and bottom, shows a gap of nearly 1/16" at the weld. A dial indicator placed against the back side shows over 0.050" variation as the blade is rotated through its length. The teeth are similarly proud on the opposite side.

11/2 Take a coupla photos of the above, compose email with them attached and send it off to BC Saw.

11/4 After no response to email, give BC Saw a call and explain problem to "Anthony." Anthony sez it couldn't possibly be a bad blade, it must be my saw, I don't know what I'm talking about, etc. blah, blah. He also sez that blade expert has gone home for the day but he will have him call me on Monday (11/4).

11/7 (Late afternoon) After no call from BC Saw I call them. Anthony sez expert has left for the day, but to make it right they will send me two new blades, is this okay by me? I say yes, that should do it.

11/17 I'm still waiting.

[Wes Stewart]

On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 07:42:36 -0700, Wes Stewart wrote: [snip]

That should be, "Monday (11/7)"

[tom]

If you got a lemon, sounds like you could make something out of it. But you don't say a thing about the other blades! Check the 1/2 incher, and put it on the saw to see, saw. Also, you don't say what type of wood you're resawing. Sorry to bring it up now but I guess that's fair, as I never told you of the "gloat" I had with that "Free wood in Tucson". To make up for that, would you like some of it? But just a little, as I'm hoarding it! Pam really fell in love with the cherry and it's got some interesting dark spalting going on, I believe, along with some termite damage that came with the wood. So you'd probably have to fight her for any of that .The hard Ohio maple's got some flame, and there's enough for my new workbench, besides. It's all stickered under a temporary shelter, and the cats can't catch all the mice that're settin' up shop in there. Could be hantavirus heaven, but what are ya gonna do? Tom

[Wes Stewart]

|If you got a lemon, sounds like you could make something out of it. But |you don't say a thing about the other blades! Check the 1/2 incher, and |put it on the saw to see, saw.

Done that. There is a little bit of the same problem, but since the blade is narrower, less so. I think they were just having a bad day [g].

|Also, you don't say what type of wood |you're resawing.

I've just been testing with poplar and a little alder. The saw works great (IMHO), none of the blade drift and other horror stories I've read about resawing (so far).

|Sorry to bring it up now but I guess that's fair, as I |never told you of the "gloat" I had with that "Free wood in Tucson".

I remember that, you beat me to it :-(

|To make up for that, would you like some of it?

You bet, I'll not turn down free wood! 682-8189

|But just a little, as I'm |hoarding it! Pam really fell in love with the cherry and it's got some |interesting dark spalting going on, I believe, along with some termite |damage that came with the wood. So you'd probably have to fight her for |any of that .The hard Ohio maple's got some flame, and there's enough |for my new workbench, besides. It's all stickered under a temporary |shelter, and the cats can't catch all the mice that're settin' up shop |in there. Could be hantavirus heaven, but what are ya gonna do?

I could trade you some rattlesnakes.

Wes

[tom]

Wes wrote: I remember that, you beat me to it :-( Well, that's true, but I didn't want to gloat, as I had hoped you'd never had found out who it was. It must be those darned unhappy face emoticons. I guess I'm sorta gloating now, though. I appreciate the offer of the rattlesnakes, but we've got a few that we like, and with their territorial nature, Pam tells me to tell you it'd be like signing their death warrant. But I knew you were only kidding. I'll give you a call. Tom

[Teamcasa]

snip I have the same saw. I replaced the blade with a lenox blade welded by a local saw blade builder. It works great. The whole process took less than an hour.

Contact a local saw blade builder/sharpener. They most likely have the bandsaw blades in (bulk) stock and can make you one in short order.

Dave

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[Wes Stewart]

Follow-up:

11/21 Called Anthony again. He sez thought they shipped, but give him the particulars again and he will send me two blades gratis.

12/1 Blades finally arrive.

12/2 First one I try is marginally better but still not what I expected. Guess that's the last of my dealings with BC Saw.