Cutting blanks on bandsaw.

**Redbeard** · 29th March 2020, 05:08 PM

Folks, I've just picked up a second hand bandsaw and it needs a new blade. I'm mostly cutting bowl blanks but inevitably it'll do some ripping and cross cutting. Saw details in attached photo.

I'm looking for what is almost certainly a mythical beast, the band saw blade which does everything.

- Rip
- Crosscut
- Hardwoods
- Softwoods

I'd be looking to cut from about 150mm (ish) up to 350mm diameter.

What TPI and width should I investigate?

So, how many different blades do I actually need to buy?

Thanks
Redbeard.

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**smiife** · 29th March 2020, 07:47 PM

Hi redbeard , give Henry bros in Sydney a call
I got a new blade recently , best blade I have ever had , bandsaw performs much better
More expensive than others but well worth it

Hope this helps.....

**Redbeard** · 29th March 2020, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by smiife

Hi redbeard , give Henry bros in Sydney a call
I got a new blade recently , best blade I have ever had , bandsaw performs much better
More expensive than others but well worth it

Hope this helps.....

Thanks smiife, but was it the perfect all purpose blade? And if so, what spec was it?

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**smiife** · 29th March 2020, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by Redbeard

Thanks smiife, but was it the perfect all purpose blade? And if so, what spec was it?

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Yes it is perfect blade for what I want to do ,
You will have to ring them and let him know what you want your bandsaw to do , blanks ,ripping etc ,
Mine is a 19mm 3tpi and cuts like hot knife through butter !

**Mobyturns** · 30th March 2020, 07:52 AM

+1 for Henry Bros. Excellent service, and Brad has more knowledge on the best blade/s for each application and on Australian timbers than anyone that I have come across.

I would strongly recommend purchasing a couple of blades to suit your most common tasks. It won't cost any extra on the postage from Sydney. For small less powerful band saws used for "general hobbyist" duty its best to stick with 3 to 6 tpi and around 10mm or 3/8" width. Less tpi increases risk when cutting smaller blanks when turners get complacent and try to cross cut branches and round stock.

Cutting "perfectly round" bowl blanks on the band saw is particularly hard on blades as they tend to lose the set on the teeth one side. Bowl blanks also present all possible grain directions to the blade, cross cut, rip, and into and with the grain. Once the set disappears they drift and play up, so best to cut polygon shaped blanks with all straight cuts.

**NeilS** · 22nd April 2020, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by Mobyturns

+1 for Henry Bros. Excellent service

...

Cutting "perfectly round" bowl blanks on the band saw is particularly hard on blades as they tend to lose the set on the teeth one side. Bowl blanks also present all possible grain directions to the blade, cross cut, rip, and into and with the grain. Once the set disappears they drift and play up, so best to cut polygon shaped blanks with all straight cuts.

Cutting bowl blanks is the main use for my bandsaw so the blade I usually have on it is optimised for that purpose. For that I use a 1-1/4 wide blade with 3tpi bi-metal blade.

Like Moby, I just clip off the blanks on eight sides. Any rounder than that isn't necessary. And, as Moby points out, cutting round blanks reduces the set on the blade (usually more on one side than the other) and then it will cut slower.

I also get my blades from Henry Bros. I prefer them.

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