Bad Bosch Band Saw Blades

[Hoosierpopi]

The quarter-inch x 93.5 inch blade for my Delta BS snapped in half on start-up. We had been cutting half-inch pine - about sixty lineal feet of curved fence pickets Initially, the Bosch cut nicely - quite an improvement. Then "bang," it went. Scared my wife quite a bit as she was running the saw at the time - we now call her Band Saw Grannie!.

So I took it back to Lowes and traded it for another. After about fifteen more pickets - it snapped in half! I'm on my third blade and planning on taking it back, as well as the second broken blade.

Neither broke at the weld seam.

OK, what I'm looking to learn is the brand of Band Saw Blade I can depend upon and a source or two for same.

I suspect a few folks will have questions as to how I set up my BS, how I was using it, etc. More than happy to answer. But, from my perspective: nothing different from how I've been using it for years with the old blades.

Thanks in advance.

[Bill]

I recent picked up Delta Model 28-276, which is alot like Model 28-206. Did you make all of the adjustments as guided by the manual? In particular, "adjusting the upper (and loweer) blade guides and suport bearings". I spent at least several hours trying to make sure I had those right (but I never owned a BS before). I needed to use a flashlight. I made a few wavy cuts through a few 2by4s, made a celebratory sigh, and moved onto my next project.

At least on my BS, there is another mechanism which comes into play when the saw is started--a screw with a rubber cap on it, that bounces against the motor like a door-stop when the saw is started. You may wish to check that the rubber cap is still present. Good luck with your saw.

Bill

[Leon]

What does Bosch know about band saws and or blades?

Anyway, I have had good luck with these

[Doug Miller]

I've had nothing but excellent results from Olson blades.

[Steve Turner]

You're not going overboard on the blade tension, are you?

[tiredofspam]

[Gordon Shumway]

[Hoosierpopi]

Thank you, went looking, which one(s)/type?? General woodworking, no re-sawing. softwoods mostly.

Band Saw Blades include: All-Pro and MVP, Bi-Metal, Hard Edge, Flex Back, Hard Back, Thin Kerf, and Wood Band.

[Hoosierpopi]

Could be. I reduced the tension twice (between each break) and have gone through three of their blades so far.

link is to a chart of SWEDISH SILICON STEEL blades. Great selection - but confusing to me as I don't know what all the abbreviations (AS, AS-S, VPC) mean

I thought to purchase the following for about $28. Not sure if that's a great price (shipping extra) or not. Also, I do NOT understand the two-letter descriptions Woodcraft lists. The quarter-inch blades appear to come in 4, six eight and ten tooth versions (not all seen on one website!) - for the task we were doing (cutting half-inch thick p.t. pine fence pickets (a bit "wet") into shapes with a couple of 1.5- inch diameter semi-circles, what should I look for?

Timber Wolf Bandsaw Blade 1/4" x 93-1/2", 6 TPI Timber Wolf makes the worlds only thin-kerf, low tension, silicon steel band saw blades that will outlast your old carbon steel blades by a mile! Your bandsaw will cut better and faster, with less wear on bearings, shafts and tires. Tooth angles and gullet symmetries, combined with a unique set pattern, create a blade that is everything a wood-cutting blade was meant to be. Blade has over 60 of the speed capabilities of a hook blade while giving you the great finish of a skip. The round design of the gullet eliminates any work hardening zones. Couple that with the special 6.5 degrees rake, 5-tooth set pattern, and .025" thick thin- kerf blade and you have an awesome bandsaw blade!

Thanks for the feedback.

[Doug Miller]

blades.http://www.olsonsaw.com>> Thank you, went looking, which one(s)/type?? General woodworking, no

Just general woodworking. It's been a while since I've needed to buy a bandsaw blade; the packaging on the last one I bought doesn't have any partilar designations like those on it.

[Larry Blanchard]

I like Timberwolf blades, but I haven't found them to work as well under low tension as they do under normal tension. They wander more under low tension. I don't know what tension I'm using, I just tighten till the blade sounds tight when twanged.

For blades I use infrequently, I buy Olsen. One of these days I'll try a HH Woodslicer.

[DanG]

I have had excellent experience using Grainger. I've been running Morse blades on the steel cutting band saw and portaband. I've been using Lennox on the wood band saw.

[Hoosierpopi]

Replying to all who offered advice.

I went to Klingspor and bout a Timber wolf blade. Set it up (flutter) as instructed - scary low tension) and it works. I also reset the steel guides (need to get cool blocks or ceramic blocks or rollers, I guess and maybe a new yellow spring) and the roller on top - the blade (at low tension) was missing it entirely. I discovered why the top bearing shaft was hex-shaped!

The blade does cut noticeably better than the old one or the Bosch blades.

Unfortunately, we are done with the major BS cutting operation (last eight pickets done today) so cannot test the TW against the same amount of work as was put to the Bosch blades (three broke all told - Lowes took 'em back).

[Ed Pawlowski]

"Hoosierpopi" wrote

Given the reputation for quality Bosch has, I'm really surprised you had the problem with three blades. They may have all been from the same batch. Makes me wonder if something was missed in the heat treating of that batch.

[Leon]

I have never subscribed to the low tension setting, I use close to the setting suggested by my saw gauge.

[Casper]

I couldn't locally find a bandsaw blade in the size (56-1/8) I needed for my Black & Decker 3-wheeler other than a Bosch, so I am currently trying one. So far it's working good. Cut through bone like butter, tracked great and even kept the dust down. I'll see how long it lasts.

[Hoosierpopi]

Makes me wonder if something was missed in the heat treating of that batch.

Well, they all were from the same rack in the same store.

Having said that, I may have contributed to the failures as I am a novice with this machine and band saws in general. I did find that, at some point, blades had worn ruts in the steel guides and the round bearings behind the blade were not properly aligned. I found these problems one after the other after each blade broke and, the last after installing the timber wolf blade.

Only time will tell if these adjustments and the new blade cure the problem and acquit the Bosch blades.

[Ed Pawlowski]

May Paul Harvey RIP. "and now you know the rest of the story"

You just acquitted the blades.

Properly set up, nothing wears grooves. Improperly set up, blades will break.

[Leon]

I suspect a few folks will have questions as to how I set up my BS, how I was using it, etc. More than happy to answer. But, from my perspective: nothing different from how I've been using it for years with the old blades.

Kinda hard to diagnose a problem with those two paragraph above. ;~)

[Morgans]

"Hoosierpopi" wrote

So I took it back to Lowes and traded it for another. After about fifteen more pickets - it snapped in half! I'm on my third blade and planning on taking it back, as well as the second broken blade.

Neither broke at the weld seam.

OK, what I'm looking to learn is the brand of Band Saw Blade I can depend upon and a source or two for same.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Betcha the blades are made in China. China steel and accurate heat treating sucks. Find better blades.

-- Jim in NC