Best band saw blades!?!?!

[04titanse]

Well I just ordered myself a harbor freight mill a few days ago and I am looking to do a little learning before it shows up. Been spending a bunch of time reading around and there is tons of info here on milling.

What do most of you guys use for blades? Looks like the saw takes 1 1/4" x 144" x .048" blades. Apparently the one it comes with is junk so I want to get a bunch of them soon.

I am going to be milling about 10,000 board feet to build my barn, so I assume I am going to need 20 or so of them to keep the rotation going.

 

[hamish]

Welcome to the AS milling side!

Firstly you will have a have a hard time finding a band in 0.048 thickness, normal in north america will be .042 or .045 then jumping up to .055.

The best band is in the eye of the sawyer, everybody has there favourite, and sometomes there favourite changes.

As you are starting out, all I can say is get some training bands, figure out your new mill, then go from there.

Cost of bands and the particulars of sharpening or tossing will be deciding factors.

Cant wait to hear how you make out with you new mill.

 

[04titanse]

Probably a stupid question, but what did you mean by training bands?

Also do you think using a thicker blade is an issue?

 

[hunterbuild]

I put cooks on my HF saw. I just sent 11 in to be sharpened. I am having good luck with them. There the super sharps.

 

[mikeb1079]

i've been satisfied with woodmizer's 4 degree bands. i've also heard good things about cooks, munkforsager, norwood, lenox and timberwolf.

i wouldn't go with anything thicker than 045 on your saw. i think the thicker bands require alot more beam strength to tension them properly. i could be wrong. order a few of each and see which ones you like.

 

[hamish]

Probably a stupid question, but what did you mean by training bands?

Also do you think using a thicker blade is an issue?

I deem a training band to be the cheapest band you cant get, till you get the hang of things. Alot of "oh crap" moments in a short time can destroy many bands.

With your 19" bandwheels the thinner the body of the band will prove to me most beneficial to you. Greater beam strenght isn't very noticeable on lower powered mills, especially manual ones.

 

[redprospector]

The Cook's Super Sharp are the best in my opinion, and Cook's is a great company to deal with.
Running a close second is the Timberwolf blade from Suffolk Machinery. They will help you if you can convince them that your not trying to blame them for whatever's wrong.

This is my opinion, and your results may vary.

Andy

 

[qbilder]

I used WM 7* for a while & then switched to Lenox and haven't looked back. I plan to try a few others as time goes but likely won't go back to WM any more. They cut rough for me and dull out too fast. The Lenox last very well & leave a cleaner finish. If I were cutting poplars or pines, blades would last at least 1000bf. Heck I get 1000bf out of hard maple using a Lenox. But cutting the hard stuff I cut, like seasoned hardwoods, mesquite, etc., I normally get 500+bf.

 

[04titanse]

Thanks a lot guys!! This has been super helpful!!! Exactly what I was looking for, I was thinking about trying cooks and lenox. I have had very good luck with other lenox products and I have read that cooks makes good stuff.

 

[excess650]

I've only tried Norwood (came with the mill) and Cook's. I preferred the Cook's.

 

[Mike Van]

Here's a quick tip - Take one of your new blades, mark it 'test' and put it apart from the others. When you start getting messed up, wavey, or otherwise crappy lumber, put that blade on and try it. If the problem goes away, you'll know the blade you had on was in need of set, sharpening or ? If the problems still there, something's out of wack on the mill. Don't saw a lot with that test blade, one board or two is usually enough to narrow down the problem. Where are you in Ct?

 

[04titanse]

Here's a quick tip - Take one of your new blades, mark it 'test' and put it apart from the others. When you start getting messed up, wavey, or otherwise crappy lumber, put that blade on and try it. If the problem goes away, you'll know the blade you had on was in need of set, sharpening or ? If the problems still there, something's out of wack on the mill. Don't saw a lot with that test blade, one board or two is usually enough to narrow down the problem. Where are you in Ct?

I am actually located in Becket, Massachusetts. That's an interesting idea with the test blade, I will give it a shot.

 

[mikeb1079]

The Lenox last very well & leave a cleaner finish

q bilder: i know i've asked you this before but what model lenox are you running? also are you sharpening your own or sending em out?

 

[Mike Van]

Forgot to add - After trying many different blade mfgs over the last 22 years, I settled on Simmonds Red Streaks from Cooks. I tried a few of the super sharps from there, but didn't see an improvement to justify the extra money over their std. blade. .042 is as thick as you want to go on wheels your size. Mine are 24" dia and .042 is al lI buy. Years back, I messed with every kind of home sharpener I could find, with mixed results on all of the. For a time I set the blades back to Cooks, but this got expensive too. Plus, I found I was running them way past dull, 'cause I knew I had to send them out. One day I sent Cooks an email,, asking about used sharpeners - A few weeks went by, they answered with a deal on one they had took back, looking just like new for a lot less money. Worth it's weight in gold as they say, there is no substitute for a sharp blade.

 

[MHouse1028]

I use the lenox woodmaster blades..they hold a good edge and there not to hard on the wallet..

 

[qbilder]

I use woodmaster C blades. I sharpen them myself, but don't have a setter yet.

 

[brookpederson]

From what i can tell cooks is winning. To be honest i've never tried experimenting with to many different companies. I'm running Timberking ultras right now and haven't been that satisfied. After reading this thread i will be ordering some new blades.