Ok, Ready! Here I go!

[John Moorhead]

Folks -

Okay - I start, sort of, tomorrow with the woodworking class - I have 3 days to work in the shop, cleaning and getting a handle on things, inventory, what's gotten ripped off, etc...

I do know that the blade they have on the Unisaur is cheap/old/dull.... The blade on the bandsaw is bent... And this being a public school, actually buying something before the end of the school year *may* be a trick.

What would you all recommend for general purpose blades here? Nermally, I'd go with a Forrest WWII Combo for the TS, and a Timberwolf for the BS... but how wide a blade? The BS is an 18" Delta.

More tomorrow night on this, after I report back from "the front". I tried to get them to let me bring NIPPER into shop class as a "Shop Dog" - but as I figured, it got ixnayed. So, if any of y'all are going to be in town tomorrow, the dog could use a small pack of hot dogs at about 10 and another around 2.

Lemme know what y'all recommend for blades. Woof!

John Moorhead

[George]

I recommend any decent ~40T combination blade for the tablesaw. Preferably one handled by a local merchant who will donate it to the school. For bandsaw blades, whatever's cheapest (donated?) - with 3/8 a good GP, since the kids are likely to kink anything before it gets dull enough to worry. Smaller than 3/8 is going to kink faster, and spend some time in contact with the guides getting dull. Later add a 3/4 resaw and a 3/16 with wooden guides for those who want to try bandsaw boxes - supervised up front, I might add, until you're convinced they're turning _only_ while advancing in the cut.

It's also nice, for the future, to have a good 80T cross/plywood cutting blade available where neatness really counts.

[Teamcasa]

On the saw blade, I agree with George, get a good combo blade donated from a local merchant. On the Bandsaw however, I would also try to find a local merchant but I would use a 1/2 - 3/4 blade to start. It will handle the abuse much better.

The main ting is to establish a project plan and get the tools for the plan. Pick projects that you have the correct tools and machinery for. Don't start out by saying, "If we had the correct so & so, we would do it that way but since we don't lets try it whit this tool(s) and see what happens."

I would suggest you pick a project that when finished, they will be proud of and want to show off. Not just some simple (you kids are too stupid for that) thing. In addition, show them how to keep and sharpen the tools. A skill that still evades most people.

Dave

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[Leon]

I am betting your local sharpening service has a few blades that were sharpened and abandoned. They typically sell these blades pretty cheap.