Hello All,
So I splurged on Black Friday and purchased a 24” bandsaw from Grizzly. It arrives in a few hours :-)
What size blade should I get? 1” or 1.25” or 1.5”?
The bandsaw is my primary cutting tool and is used for a variety of operations. I do not have a table saw. I am keeping my smaller bandsaw with a .25” blade for tighter cuts.
My priority is to get straight cuts. Zero blade drift is my goal. Speed and smoothness of cut are secondary. I know that blade setup is crucial but assume that’s done properly. All else being equal will a wider blade give me a straighter cut? I know that convention says it will but others say it doesn’t necessarily. If someone has experience using various size blades on the same saw then that would be great.
Any other advice? Suggestions on tpi? I plan on 3 – 4 tpi.
I will initially use the stock blade and when that wears out I’ll upgrade to a Lenox Trimaster.
Thank you and God bless.
3 comments so far
55woodbutcher
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83 posts in 980 days
#1 posted 12-07-2019 12:48 AM
I don’t really have an opinion about the blade size, although the consensus seems to lean toward wider blades cutting straighter. I have found no significant difference between a 1/4, 1/2, or 3/4” blade on my Rikon 14” saw.However, I cannot overemphasize the rewards of spending an hour or two tuning up your saw. Adjusting the guides, blade tracking and squareness (side to side and front to back) of the table makes a saw a pleasure to use. Congrats on the new saw!
Hazem
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264 posts in 2402 days
#2 posted 12-07-2019 04:45 PM
Thanks 55. Will do.
stefang
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17040 posts in 4488 days
#3 posted 12-15-2019 01:33 PM
I use a 5/8” blade on my 18” bandsaw which is a pretty good all-around blade for resawing/veneer and ripping while still being able to cut moderate curves. Personally I keep a 1/8” blade in reserve for tight curves, but I don’t use it often as I can usually use my scroll saw if the workpiece isn’t too thick.
-- Mike, an American living in Norway.
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