Band Saw Blades

[Skie_M]

Looking for recommendations concerning band saw blade replacements for my tool...


I have a Harbor Freight bench top band saw that takes a 62" blade 1/8" to 3/8" wide (1/4" currently in use).

I'm looking into getting some high quality band saw blades to replace the Harbor Freight blades that I have - 62" 1/4" wide, 14TPI raker.

I'm wanting a variety of blades so that I can handle a small variety of materials ...


I looked around and found 2 makers that I'ld like to see if I can get blades from, as their prices don't seem too unreasonable, but the materials I am cutting can be quite abrasive and unforgiving of low quality blades. The manufacturers I'm looking at right now are M.K. Morse and Lenox.


M.K. Morse offers a 62" blade that is 1/4" wide with 6 TPI skip, which would be for rough cutting and fast milling work in wood, and 14 TPI raker, which is for finer cutting. These is available through Amazon for about 14 - 16 dollars, from Hartville Tools.

Lenox offers a custom length (I put in the appropriate variables for my bandsaw 62" blade that is 1/4" wide with 4 TPI skip, 10 TPI, 14 TPI, 18 TPI, and 24 TPI. These are their Neo-Type Carbon blades available at about 13 dollars each through BandSawBladesDirect.com

Also available from them is the Lenox Flex Back carbon steel blades made for home woodworking use. These are 6 TPI and run a little under 13 dollars each.

Also available through them are the Lenox Diemaster 2 Bi-Metal blade, 62" 1/4" wide, 10/14 TPI (varies). They charge about 26 dollars each for these, but they are touted as very high quality and long life blades, lasting up to 10 times longer than carbon steel blades (the previous 3 are carbon steels).


If I have the choice of these (and possibly other manufacturers), which type should I go with for my usual projects? I'm currently leaning towards trying the Diemaster 2, as it's made specifically for metal cutting and should last me a long time.

I use softwoods, hardwoods, soapstone, alabaster, trustone, acrylics, aluminum, brass, copper, and a few other exotic materials that wont go near the bandsaw .... I have a diamond saw for these.

 

[turn81]

Timber Wolf if they have that size.


Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app

 

[Skie_M]

It seems that they do ...

timber wolf blades through Sears

 

[Terredax]

I second Timber Wolf.
I forget the parent company, but they used to make any size blade you need. Just give them the measurements and they would weld one for you.

Maybe they still do?

 

[Skie_M]

Grizzly Industrial is the parent company ... and yes, they make custom length blades at not a bad price (around 16 dollars a blade for what I want).

Timber Wolf® Silicon Steel and Specialty Wood Cutting Blade Selection Chart

 

[bmachin]

Depending upon your time horizon, I suggest calling Iturra Design at 904-642-2802 and requesting a copy of their catalog. They do not have a web presence, but you will find their parts in all the woodworking stores and their catalog is kind of a bible when it comes to bandsaw setup and blades. I'm also pretty sure that the catalog is free--a pretty cheap education.

Bill

 

[luckyscroller788]

I second Timber Wolf.
I forget the parent company,.

Maybe they still do?

The parent company is Suffolk Machinery I believe. And yes,they do have great blades.
But, for what you are going to be hacking away at, I would definitely go with the Diemaster II . If I think of the place I've ordered mine from I will post it, its slipped my mind right now.
EDIT- Iturra Designs!!! Thanks Bill, that was what slipped my mind! If you have a band saw question, or blade question,that is the best place to call, very knowlegable guy, really pleasant to talk with.

 

[Charlie_W]

While you list your blade length and width, you have not mentioned blade thickness. This is very important to a quality blade and quality cuts.
Thumbs up for Suffolk. We had a group buy a few years ago from them.
Buy for quality ...not the least expensive.

 

[jttheclockman]

I am a Lennox guy. Anything will be better than HF.

 

[Edgar]

Woodcraft has a 20% discount on Timber Wolf blades right now. Sale price is good until March 23.

 

[Skie_M]

Woodcraft has a 20% discount on Timber Wolf blades right now. Sale price is good until March 23.

You're JOKING, right??

Seriously, they call that a SALE????

I'ld be ashamed to mention working at a place like that .... what a rip off!

They don't even stock my blade size!!!!????

Woodcraft's "sale" price ....

Price for the exact same blade direct from Timber Wolf ....

Seriously, they tacked on an extra 10 dollars in overhead, and for their "sale" they took 5 dollars off.

And notice, if I order 10 or more blades direct from Timber Wolf, they'll knock off an extra 15% or more off the total ... THAT's a SALE.

 

[Skie_M]

OK ... rant over, sorry Edgar .... that just really ticks me off, to see companies take advantage of people like that.


I realize that Woodcraft has a right to make a profit on their sales, but seriously ... that's kinda rediculous.

Here's how I would justify a "sale" price ...


I'ld go to Timberwolf and buy 20+ at their 25% discount, which would get me a bunch of blades at a good price and 5 of them would literally be FREE to me. I would then resell them at a "sale price" of 5% off of Timberwolf's price, netting my customers a discount over buying them direct and still giving me a profit. (Rather than 5 free blades, I get 4 free blades ... those 4 free blades represents my entire profit.)

Of course, for regular price, I'ld probably tack on 2 dollars (or roughly 15%) for overhead costs the rest of the time.

 

[jttheclockman]

OK ... rant over, sorry Edgar .... that just really ticks me off, to see companies take advantage of people like that.


I realize that Woodcraft has a right to make a profit on their sales, but seriously ... that's kinda rediculous.

Here's how I would justify a "sale" price ...


I'ld go to Timberwolf and buy 20+ at their 25% discount, which would get me a bunch of blades at a good price and 5 of them would literally be FREE to me. I would then resell them at a "sale price" of 5% off of Timberwolf's price, netting my customers a discount over buying them direct and still giving me a profit. (Rather than 5 free blades, I get 4 free blades ... those 4 free blades represents my entire profit.)

Of course, for regular price, I'ld probably tack on 2 dollars (or roughly 15%) for overhead costs the rest of the time.

I suggest you open your own store and take your words of wisdom and run with them. Do have to tell you that saw you have is an ODD ball saw. Companies do not like to carry those toy saws blades.

You can break down many companies and what their sales practices are and find faults. That is why you shop around. It was given to you as an option and the sale part is what stood out. No need to go on a rant about Woodcraft. Be careful there.

 

[Charlie_W]

Gregory,
I am going to agree with John on this one. When I read your post earlier, I was troubled by it's tone. You asked for suggestions and Edgar was answering your request. I would think a simple "Thanks Edgar" would have been an appropriate reply whether you had issues with Woodcraft's pricing or not.

As for Woodcraft, how many woodworkers, turners, pen makers, etc would be up the creek without them. Where can one go on a Friday night for that one pen kit you need asap? Where else can you go and see, and touch the turning blocks or check out quality tools and equipment? Who else will come out to your shop when you are having a problem with a new bandsaw you bought from them?
Where can you take your Turning chisels to be sharpened if you don't have a grinder? One can get their feet wet teaching classes at Woodcraft or doing live demos. Etc, Etc....

Yes, they do have to charge for their products. They have labor costs, rent, insurance, healthcare, utilities, advertising, taxes, shipping to get products to their store. They will order something for you, get it in at the store and you can pick it up with no shipping.
The internet does not provide the service that physical stores do.
Many times, I will pay the Woodcraft price to help them keep the lights on even if I can get it for less $ online. There is value is walking in a store and the employees say "Hi Charlie, What brings you in today?"

Not a rant...just speaking from my heart.

 

[Terredax]

Grizzly Industrial is the parent company ... and yes, they make custom length blades at not a bad price (around 16 dollars a blade for what I want).

Timber Wolf® Silicon Steel and Specialty Wood Cutting Blade Selection Chart

No it's not Grizzly. Grizzly is a reseller...mostly Chinese manufactured products.

I second Timber Wolf.
I forget the parent company,.

Maybe they still do?

The parent company is Suffolk Machinery I believe. And yes,they do have great blades.
But, for what you are going to be hacking away at, I would definitely go with the Diemaster II . If I think of the place I've ordered mine from I will post it, its slipped my mind right now.
EDIT- Iturra Designs!!! Thanks Bill, that was what slipped my mind! If you have a band saw question, or blade question,that is the best place to call, very knowlegable guy, really pleasant to talk with.

Yes, Suffolk. Thank you. I couldn't remember the name for anything.

 

[Skie_M]

Grizzly Industrial is the parent company ... and yes, they make custom length blades at not a bad price (around 16 dollars a blade for what I want).

Timber Wolf® Silicon Steel and Specialty Wood Cutting Blade Selection Chart

No it's not Grizzly. Grizzly is a reseller...mostly Chinese manufactured products.

I second Timber Wolf.
I forget the parent company,.

Maybe they still do?

The parent company is Suffolk Machinery I believe. And yes,they do have great blades.
But, for what you are going to be hacking away at, I would definitely go with the Diemaster II . If I think of the place I've ordered mine from I will post it, its slipped my mind right now.
EDIT- Iturra Designs!!! Thanks Bill, that was what slipped my mind! If you have a band saw question, or blade question,that is the best place to call, very knowlegable guy, really pleasant to talk with.

Yes, Suffolk. Thank you. I couldn't remember the name for anything.

Yeah, I did some digging around ... it seems that the Timber Wolf blades available through Sears was being re-sold by Grizzly Industrial, and I mistakenly thought that was the parent company.

JT mentioned in my other thread (about making veneers with my bandsaw), that even a bi-metal blade like the Diemaster II won't hold up against trustone for all that long. The problem is that obtaining a carbide tooth blade for my little band saw is pretty much impossible, at the prices I'm willing to pay. I managed to find a Lenox metal cutting blade in a 3/8" width that can fit my band saw, but they want 180 dollars for a single blade.

I'll just have to make sure I don't need to make trustone veneers very often ... I pay about 12 dollars a blade for the Harbor Freight one, with no shipping costs or wait time to worry about. It's chewing through hardwoods and softwoods right now with ease, making squared pen blanks and veneers from all sorts of woods that I have on hand. I've already gotten through pretty much my entire collection, giving myself a variety to work with, and just recently realized that mesquite veneer and squared pen blanks would be nice to have, too, and I get that stuff for free whenever I like so ....

 

[gimpy]

I like Timber Wolf

 

[Skie_M]

Well, it looks like Timber Wolf has got the majority vote ... that's good enough for me. I'm leaning towards their woodworking 3-pack, and I may pick up a metal cutting blade later in case I need to do more stone work.

These HF blades aren't all that bad, they leave a really nice finished cut if you go REALLY slow .... now, this doesn't mean "go as slowly/fast as the material is removed by the blade", as that can still leave a rough appearance ... I mean "feed the material as incrementally slow as possible, perhaps 2 inches per minute or slower". This gives every single tooth in the blade the chance to scrape past every part of that board for a very smooth (looked nearly 1000 grit sanded) surface behind on both sides of the cut.

14 tpi raker is not a bad tooth combo at all for a nicely finished cut, if you are willing to take the time to do it that way.

 

[TellicoTurning]

check with Ellis blades... I think they have a minimum order but will make blades any size you need.

I don't use them myself, but have heard good things about them. I use the 105 olsen blades from Packardwoods...

 

[Neil]

I only buy timber wolf blades, they last a lot longer and making cuts that are wicked smooth. Also they can recommend the proper tpi for your job

 

[Skie_M]

Hmm ... double checked the specs on my saw ... seems I can handle a 1/2" blade

I decided to try out the 3-pack Timber Wolf blades from TimberWolfBlades.com for curve, template, pattern cutting, ripping, and resaw (basically a general purpose woodworking blade pack). I selected 62 inches, to fit my band saw and saw that the price was around 46 dollars (+ shipping came to just under 60 dollars).


I'll be getting this package, so 1 each blade in 1/4" x 6PC, 3/8" x 4PC, and 1/2" x 3PC. That last one is supposed to be really good for ripping and resaw work.

I like how they're interested in what kind/brand of saw you have and are buying the blades for ... there's a questionnaire included in the checkout process. I guess they are double-checking for you to ensure that the blade length you are buying matches the saw you have. Harbor Freight was one of the brands listed, so that was easy.

 

[Skie_M]

Got my blades today (1 day early, yay for USPS!) and tossed the 1/4 x 6 tpi blade in the band saw ... I did some fiddling with the band saw blade guides and lowered the tension a good bit - it runs like a champ! Cuts through this really hard unknown species I have in my front yard easily, and gives a finish on the cut similar to the 14 tpi raker set on the harbor freight saw blade!

I noticed in my first few practice cuts that my blade tension was up a good bit higher than needed, plus there was a tiny bit of binding on the blade due to it being a tiny bit thicker than the harbor freight ones right at the blade guides ... had to loosen it all up a tiny bit, but once that was done the blade easily freewheeled and stopped making nearly so much noise.

Now that it's in and tuned, I'm ready to start makin nice blanks .... problem is I already made all the blanks I need for now, lol!

The last Harbor Freight blade I had in the saw snapped right at the weld join last night, just as it started to get dull and begin veering off to the right like the others ... I was cutting my mystery wood into blanks. The new TimberWolf blades finished the last 3 cuts I needed to make during my practice setup.