Which blade to resaw green wood?

[HerHusband]

I have a Grizzly 14" G0555 bandsaw with a riser kit. I primarily just use it for resawing.

I have been using the 105" Woodslicer blade which performs OK.

Unfortunately, I tried resawing some green logs today and the blade had lots of problems with binding and warping. I assume the blade is toast now.

After the fact, of course, I read that Woodslicer is specifically NOT recommended for sawing green lumber. Ooops. Live and learn.

I've also read that I shouldn't use a blade thicker than .025" on a 14" bandsaw. The blades I've seen for green lumber are all thicker than that.

Are there any bandsaw blades you would recommend for resawing green lumber?

Thanks,

Anthony

[Sonny]

I don't suppose running water on your cutting, as a bandsaw mill does with green or dry logs, is an option.

I don't have a "blade" answer, either.

Sonny

[G. Ross]

I have the same saw setup and mainly use it to cut bowl blanks from green wood. I use timberwolf blades 3 tpi but not sure what hook angle. Recommend you call suffolk machinery who sell them and they will know what you need. They are very helpful and knowledgeable.

800-234-7297.

[Puckdropper]

HerHusband wrote in news:XnsA3BED0D0FC6F9herhusband@78.46.70.116:

Next time you order from Highland, you might want to give one of their "Woodturner's Blades" a try. I've used it several times to cut green and greenish logs, and it seems to work well.

Puckdropper

[HerHusband]

I found that blade yesterday, but the .032" thickness seems thicker than the recommended .025" maximum for a 14" bandsaw. Have you had any issues? From what I gather, the thicker blades fatique faster and could potentially break?

Thanks,

Anthony

[Kevin Miller]

Took the words right out of my mouth. Been using 3 tpi Timberwolf blades to cut bowl blanks for years. Getting them straight from the source (Suffolk Machinery) is also cheaper than anywhere else. At least that I've found.

I don't run them as loose as they recommend, but I do wipe the blade down with Pam cooking spray which helps with the friction...

...Kevin

[Puckdropper]

HerHusband wrote in news:XnsA3BF4A34944CFherhusband@213.239.209.88:

Puckdropper's millions of hired monkeys eventually banged out (it's not Hamlet, but at least it's on topic):

I haven't really done a whole lot. Probably about 10 firewood sized logs. So far, with my 14" 1 hp Jet I haven't had any problems. I do sometimes get uneven cuts, but that could very well be my fault.

I wouldn't get too worried about the .025" number. The .032" blade is only 7 thou wider, which isn't a whole lot in this case. It's more important to listen to the saw and adjust your feed based on what the saw is telling you.

Puckdropper

[Larry Blanchard]

I wiped a blade down with one of the spray "dry" lubricants for saw tables, etc.. I was a little worried that it would then slip on the wheels but it didn't. And it sure helped the cutting.

[dadiOH]

Personally, I wouldn't be worrying about .007 but you could call Highland and ask.

As an alternative, maybe the Wood Slicer blade? The blade is 1/2", 3-4 tpi, .022.

FWIW, I've had one on my 14" import saw for at least ten years. The same one. OK, I don't do a lot of bandsaw work anymore but I used to.

I once went to a wood show and bought a Timberwolf blade because I had heard good things about it. I went home, put it on, made one cut, took it off and put back the Wood Slicer. I don't know if I still have the Timberwolf or not but I probably tossed it.

The only other blade I use is a 3/16 4 tpi skiptooth. I sometimes use both blades to cut green wood but not all that often.

[Spalted Walt]

Check out this supplier in North Carolina.

Pricing:

Their web site is kinda cheesy, you have to call them to place your order, but they have (or will make) your size and their prices are unbeatable.

After ruining a new 105" timberwolf AND a woodslicer resawing green oak (red and white) a couple of years ago, I called them and talked at length with the owner, a very friendly and knowledgeable fella. I oreder several blades from him and have been very satisfied.

I don't think I've ever seen so many positive reviews about any other vendor on any of the larger woodworking forums I read. (sawmillcreek, lumberjocks, ncwoodworker):

[Leon]

Fewer teeth, less than one per inch. And the guides can be a problem. roller guides tend to hammer the debris onto the blade, ceramic guides tend to keep the blades clean.

When all else fails, call the manufacturer of the blades and ask for a recommendation.

[HerHusband]

First, it turns out I had a Timberwolf blade installed on the saw, not that it made a difference.

I ended up buying a "woodturners" blade from highland woodworking:

It performed MUCH better in green wood. I was able to saw several two foot long logs into 1" thick boards easily.

The only real issue I had was buildup on the bandsaw tires. I would have to stop periodically and use a putty knife to scrape the sawdust from the tires. It was really stuck on there.

Also, I had to readjust for drift after cutting several boards.

I now have a good stack of boards from a Holly tree and a few boards from a plum tree. The plum wood is beautiful, but the tree was mostly rotten and bug infested (worms and ants) so there wasn't much I could salvage from it. I cut it mostly as an experiment in making lumber, but I have no idea what I'm going to use it for. It'll take at least a year to dry, so I guess I have time to figure something out. :)

Anthony Watson

[G. Ross]

Glue the head of an old toothbrush so that it brushes the top of the bottom tire. Use a dust collector to extract the loose dust from the lower housing. This will keep a lot of the dust from going up to the top housing and sticking on the tire. Use metal or ceramic blade guides. This keeps a lot of the stuff from sticking on the blade. Spray a litle pam on the sides of the blades while it is running. This helps to prevent build-up.

You may be doing all or most of these things already, but they help.