My trips to Sears for those 10.00 bandsaw blades after each small project are getting pretty tiresome and expensive, I was just wondering if blades such as Timberwolf are more economical in the long run. Also, is there such a thing as a carbide-tipped wood cutting blade? Since they were never on board the carbide revolution train I figure there must be something unworkable or inherently incompatible with the idea.
Yes. Buy the best, cry once; buy cheap junk, cry every time.
-- Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?
Well, just my opinion here, but yes. I used to use the OEM blades on my Ridgid bandsaw. I order 4 sizes of the Timberwolf blades just a couple weeks ago. I'll never look back! I resawed some walnut the other night, and there's all the difference in the world!!! I should have done it years ago. Now if I could just convince myself into getting a good blade for the TS.
BUBster: The purchase of a premium blade is worthwhile. Timberwolf blades come immediately to mind as I use them on my Delta 14" (w//riser). And Highland Hardware has a blade I believe is called the "Woodslicer" that has received great reviews. The Timberwolf blades are "low tension" blades and I have yet to find a bad cut from one.
And there are bandsaw blades that have carbide tips but you will pay a premium price for these blades.
Try here:
Philski
the blades supplied OEM are usually pretty low quality. get a good blade, you'll like it.
there are definitely such things as carbide bandsaw blades. mostly they are meant for big saws, as the tight radius of small wheels seems to be hard on them.
The latest FWW just showed up today. There's a review article comparing about 20 brands of bandsaw blades.
Colorado Springs, CO My advice may be worth what you paid for it.
Timberwolf gets a lot of good press in this group but IMO they're overrated. I like Olson blades. Their FB series blades, in my experience, cut just as smoothly as the Timberwolf, last just as long, and cost about half as much.
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I just bought a set at the show of 4 AllPro and 2 MVP and I've used several of them already. I'm very happy with them. I love that the MVPs eat right through nails.
I've got an Olson Pro 5/8 which I think is reasonably good. sure better than the crap that ships with the Delta or the powermatic 14's. FWW liked the Olson 1/2". they reviewed numerous BS blades this month. Timberwolf didn't fare so well.
dave
John Carls> Timberwolf gets a lot of good press in this group but IMO they're
Depends on where you buy them. Retail, yes, but if you order direct from Suffolk machine, you save a bundle. Probably close in price to the Olson.
I've felt the same way and the most recent FWW confirms it. I've tried
3 or 4 Timberwolf blades and have never been impressed. The junk bands that come with most saws are in a class by themselves - they barely cut. People run out and buy a Timberwolf to replace it based on the neverending shills they read here. It naturally cuts better than the stock blade so they mistakenly think it's the best on the market. Then anytime the question of bandsaw blades pops up they jump on the bandwagon with the "Timberwolf is best" mantra.Timberwolf is about average for the low end bands. There are plenty that cut as well or better for less money.
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better yet, that it not break at the weld...
dave
Dan Dunphy wrote:
Anybody else really disappointed that they didn't compare the longevity of the blades? Unlike tablesaw blades, longevity really is an issue with band saw blades. To me it's not meaningful to compare the prices of the blades without comparing how long they stay sharp, especially if you mix bi-metal and carbon steel blades in the review as they did.
Mark
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I agree. The article started with something to the effect that they didn't test longevity because a typical hobbiest will get a couple years worth of cutting out of a band. I must not be typical because I wear out resaw bands every couple of projects. Most of my projects involve resawing lumber for bookmatched panels. I've been using Woodslicer bands for the past few years because they cut so fast and leave such a smooth finish, but they wear out pretty quick. At 30 bucks a pop that really adds up. I'm trying to decide if it would be cost effective to spend the $100+ on a carbide blade.
Is there a carbide blade that will cut as smoothly as a Woodslicer? I have a Woodslicer that I use for "critical" (i.e., very thin) resawing but I don't use it routinely because at $30 or so I don't want to wear it out. But a $100 carbide blade would only have to last about 3x as long to break even, and I would think that carbide is so much harder than steel that it would last considerably longer than that.
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What size bandsaw?? Most folks do NOT recommend using carbide on saws smaller than around 20in, as the smaller wheels flex the heck out of the carbide blades leading to premature failure. And at $100 to well over $200+ (depending on the blade length), you really don't want a blade that should last a couple years failing in a couple months\
Specifically on 14in saws, I would NOT even think about carbide blades
John
I think that they don't fail due to flexing any sooner than steel blades, it's just that the teeth far outlive the base metal. I agree that unless a carbide blade has a base metal that gives the same extended life that carbide teeth give, carbide on a < 20" saw is probably not the most cost effective.
An ideal blade would have the teeth dull/fail about the same time the base metal begins to fail from fatigue.
-Bruce
John Crea wrote:
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