What is the best resaw blade?

I just resawed some 8” boards a couple of days ago with the woodslicer, this is hot off the bandsaw table, the cuts are true end to end, and the cut surface is fairly smooth (not planed smooth, but not rough cut either):

the blade cuts smoothly and FAST even though it has a kink in the middle (my bad) it still performs superb,

since you asked – these are 6”+ boards and will probably won’t fit on your bandsaw without the riser block.

you can see a couple more resaw pictures I posted on my bandsaw review here : http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/697

If you are planning on getting a riser block at some point – might as well do it now since the blades will not fit on the longer saw later on.

just my 2c

-- ㊍ When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

After I finally installed my resaw kit, I got the 105” Wood Slicer.

Amazing blade.

Like PurpLev mentioned, at the time: it’s become my daily use blade, too.

I did, however, buy a 105” Lenox bi-metal blade for tighter curves. I just haven’t needed it, yet.

-- -- Neil

I have a wood slicer but it drifts very bad. Any idea why?

-- Bert

Bert:

There’s a fairly current thread, over on SawMillCreek, talking about that very subject, right now.

I’ve been exceptionally lucky. My Grizzly, and the blades it’s worn, have been virtually drift-free.

Also, I recently got a MagSwitch Resaw Fence, which—from my early experience with it—would make compensating for drift, in real-time, absolutely simple.

Note: As always, I like to admit that my brother is the product rep FOR MagSwitch. But … if I didn’t like the product, I would simply say nothing about it ;-)

-- -- Neil

I have the riser block, it is still in the box, I just jumped in and started working, should have put it on first then bought my blades. If I do add the block then I have to get new 1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2”, and a 3/4” blades of different tooth count to replace the 93.5” blades.

Hard choice, but then from what I have read, 2-3 wood slicer blades of different widths might be all I need.

Thanks

-- David, Mesa Arizona

I did the same thing, David: bought the riser kit on day one … installed it a year later, and had to gift TimberWolf blades to my eager brother ;-)

If you’re never going to care about resawing anything > 6” wide, then … you may not care, but … I wanted to have that option—wider board resaw—and had to view the 93” blades as “sunk costs.”

The Wood Slicers are fantastic blades, but …. for fine cuts, and tight radii … I hope I’m not too lazy to change out my blade for my 1/4” 6TPI Lenox Diemaster 2

-- -- Neil

The Lenox bi-metal Diemaster blades have been saving us a lot of money. We’ve used the Timberwolf and Woodslicer blades but they just don’t compare to the Lenox blades. The best prices I’ve found is from Wood Craft Bands. This is a small one-man business and I like supporting the guy as well.

http://www.woodcraftbands.com/

I recently switched from Timber Wolf blades to Woodslicers when I added Carter guides to my Rikon 10-325 14” Deluxe saw. What a great combination! I used a 1/2” Woodslicer to cut some 1/8” slices off a 11” tall chunk of oak using just the stock fence and there was absolutely NO drift whatsoever!

I am working on bookmarks, and the re-sawing of them I need to be very thin, less than an 1/8th and really straight. I have the Carter style guides that came with the bandsaw, I have purchased an Olson 1/2” 3tpi Hook and it does OK but it is too rough and requires lots of clean up.

I have looked at the bi-metal blades and I want to know if they are smoother than others.

Thanks

-- David, Mesa Arizona

Any one us the carbide tipped from Lenox?
I read good thing about them.
Neil, thank you for the link

I have Kreg resaw fence.
I am not crazy about it as it is not tall enough and for some reason it does not fit my saw very well.
I am going to have to build another fence or an auxiliary fence.
I have an HF 14” handsaw with eh the riser,

-- Bert

How wide a blade for I should I use for resaw on a 14” band saw?.
I use 1/2”.
It seems to me that a wider blade will not drift as bad.
Is 1.00” too wide for a 14’ wheel?
Have a wonderful day.

-- Bert

I just found this website:
http://www.bandsawbladesdirect.com/index.php/cPath/21_28

http://www.bandsawbladesdirect.com/product_info.php/cPath/21_24/products_id/29

Neil witch kind of tooth configuration do you use for resaw and for the other jobs?

-- Bert

Mine’s this one , Bert. So … 3-4TPI variable pitch.

From my understanding …. there’s a lot of question as to whether a 14” band saw can get enough tension on a 1” wide blade, and … an inadequately tensioned blade is not going to be your friend, for resawing.

A bigger (say, 18”) saw might be able to do it, but ….

And my 1/2” ... works. I don’t (personally) see a reason to go wider, on a 14” saw.

Here’s another link for you (the website is down, this morning, but you can try it later):

I’ve watched this guy for months, now. He’s quite knowledgeable about band saws.

-- -- Neil

I think most of the smaller saws don’t have enough room for running
wider blades inside – the wheels are too shallow and you run the risk of
stripping the tips off the blade teeth if the blade creeps off the front
of the wheels. Unless you know something I don’t about setting up
smaller saws, you’re gonna have your saw throwing blades at the
wheel guards from time to time. It’s just inevitable in my experience –
because I’m not a perfect saw operator.

Bigger saws don’t have this problem much. Wider wheels and perhaps
a heavier build help the blades track better, even when the operator
is not careful.

I use a 1” carbide tipped blade on a 20” saw. The capacity to run wider
blades is one of the main reasons I recommend getting an 18” or bigger
saw if you’re serious about working with solid woods. I’ve used the
WoodSlicer and it cuts nicely, but gets dull. I prefer the Timberwolf 1/2” blades for smaller saws because they are a lot cheaper and can be
re-sharpened easily. They don’t cut as fast as the WoodSlicer, but with
careful set-up they’ll cut just as straight.

Lorn, “I prefer the Timberwolf 1/2” blades for smaller saws because they are a lot cheaper and can be
re-sharpened easily. They don’t cut as fast as the WoodSlicer, but with
careful set-up they’ll cut just as straight”

Timberwoldf says to not resharpen their blades, that they cannot be resharpen. I have issue getting my timberwolf cutting straight when resaw, it drifts a lot.

-- Bert