Carbide Bandsaw Blade - is it worth the cost?

[egnald]

Hello all and greetings from Nebraska.

I just put a new blade on my bandsaw. I have considered going the way of a carbide tipped blade, but just don't know if it is worth the extra cost. I currently use Starrett blades that cost sub $20 and are available at my local (relatively local) Woodcraft store. I use carbide tipped blades on my table saw, miter saw, circular saw, and heck, even my reciprocating saw. The cost of those however, are a lot more reasonable than for carbide bandsaw blades. So, one carbide blade costs about the same as 10 standard blades. Will I get 10 times the life from a carbide blade or am I just better off to keep buying standard blades, but more often?

Regards,
Dave

 

[jttheclockman]

What are you cutting with them is a question that needs to be asked. If resawing slabs of wood then you will not beat them with any other blade. If cutting hard resin or stabilized materials they are worth every penny. I also find cutting resinous woods such as rosewoods and many other exotics, well worth the $$. So not a black and white question. Blades of all kinds are made for specific purposes and that is why there are so many. Use the right blade for the job and you save money. Cut everything with the same blade expect to lose money. Good luck.

 

[Lucky2]

Personally, I think they are worth the extra $$$, but, only if you're going to use them for what they are meant to be used for. I have a wide assortment of other blades, they each are for specific uses.

Len

 

[penicillin]

Two Points:

1. I don't like the time and effort it takes to change bandsaw blades. Must of the time, I use a cheap 3/8 inch 4 TPI blade for "general purpose" bandsaw cuts, including re-saws. I have an assortment of non-carbide bandsaw blades, but I wish it were easier and less time consuming to change them.

2. For those who recommend carbide-tipped blades, which brand and configuration do you recommend? (Width?, TPI?). My old Delta 14 inch bandsaw with riser block can take up to 3/4 inch blades.

 

[SteveG]

There is always the unpleasant possibility that you would come across an unexpected embed such as a rock, etc. If using a proposed carbide blade 'all the time' due to being blade-change adverse, that may be your misfortune...an expensive one at that. I think that sbwertz suffered such a misfortune some time ago. (Relying on my failing memory here.)