I am in the process of cutting some blanks from some semi-dry wood (beech and sycamore). They are up to 6 inches thick and I am struggling with my bandsaw which is a Record RSB12. Am I expecting too much from this machine? I need some new blades and see quite a variation in price in the catalogues that I have but Screwfix seem about the cheapest. Is there any problem with their blades? If so which are the best/better? What is the optimum specification for cutting fairly thick blanks up to about 10 inches in diameter? All advice will be appreciated. Thank you. Peter
Band saw and blades
Dec 06, 2003
9 Replies
I have a Grizzly 14" bandsaw with the riser kit. It only has a 3/4 HP motor. I've found I can resaw 10" thick oak using a 1/2" / 3 TPI Suffolk "Timberwolf" blade. I was getting barreled cuts attempting 4" thick pine using the blade that came with the saw.
I highly recommend the "Timberwolf" blades. They are a bit expensive, but worth the cost. See:
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Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)
On Sat, 06 Dec 2003 22:49:40 GMT, Nova's fingers viciously stabbed at an innocent keyboard to form the now famous if slightly awkward haiku:
good stuff
Mowgli - not gonna ignore good advise any more
Peter, the recommended Timberwolf brand are made in the U.S. I suspect you are from elsewhere?? At any rate, a 3 tooth per inch blade by
3/8" wide will serve very well for what you are cutting. In fact, I use it for everything that I cut on the bandsaw. Jim Peter wrote: I am in the process of cutting some blanks from some semi-dry wood (beech and sycamore). They are up to 6 inches thick and I am struggling with my bandsaw which is a Record RSB12. Am I expecting too much from this machine? I need some new blades and see quite a variation in price in the catalogues that I have but Screwfix seem about the cheapest. Is there any problem with their blades? If so which are the best/better? What is the optimum specification for cutting fairly thick blanks up to about 10 inches in diameter? All advice will be appreciated. Thank you. PeterI like Tufftooth blades http::\
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They sell both regular and low tension Swedish steel. Both are good. I regularly cut 6" hardwood on an old Rockwell Beaver 10" band saw with a 3/8" x 3 tpi blade.
Buy locally, if you can. Look in the yellowpages under saw sharpening, you might find blades cheaper than the mailorder outfits. In my area, is a Ma and Pa saw sharpening establishment that welds blades for me when I need them--I can get a 1/2" x 102" blade for just over $9.00. And I don't pay shipping. But I'm in a woodsy area with a lot of bandsaw mills and woodcrafters, which helps. Don't know what brand of blade stock they use, it's standard issue carbon steel--possibly Starrett. The 1/2" blade is sufficient for me cutting up to 10" rounds, although I found 3 tpi blades to be grabby. I've ruined some blades by not holding on tight enough to a round log, resulting in an awful grab--so I switched to 6 tpi.
Ken Grunke member and webguy, Coulee Region Woodturners of Wisconsin
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Sharp blades are definitely needed. I purchased a 14" Reliant bandsaw and it just wouldn't go through my blanks of any sizes. Finally talked with a Suffolk Machinery expert and he told me that I wasn't getting enough surface feet per minute of the blade from the bandsaw. He instructed me to remove a jack pulley/sheave and have direct drive from my motor to the drive wheel of the BS. That made all the difference. I am currently running about 2100 surface fpm and your BS ought to be chugging along with about that value. If you can't get the sfpm value up, you may need a new (larger) motor. Hope this helps.
Hi Peter
As you appear to be in the UK, the best I have found is dure-edge. You can get their number at
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advertise in woodturning magazine John, UK
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