# Bandsaw blade type for cutting blanks



## Dan Masshardt (May 3, 2013)

D you use a specific width and tpi bandsaw blade for cutting blanks or just whatever is on there from other uses ?

I've been using a 1/2" 4tpi blade with good results but wondering what others use.


----------



## jttheclockman (May 3, 2013)

What are you doing with it??  What materials are you cutting??  That says alot about the type blade one uses. Heck if you are just cutting simple blanks to length use any saw you have on hand. If it cuts it will cut pen blanks. 

Right now I have a metal cutting blade on my bandsaw because I cut acrylic, as well as metals.


----------



## Dan Masshardt (May 3, 2013)

jttheclockman said:


> What are you doing with it??  What materials are you cutting??  That says alot about the type blade one uses. Heck if you are just cutting simple blanks to length use any saw you have on hand. If it cuts it will cut pen blanks.
> 
> Right now I have a metal cutting blade on my bandsaw because I cut acrylic, as well as metals.



Good point!

What I'm wondering about is cutting wood blanks (not just to length but the actual blanks from rough chainsawn wood or boards.


----------



## plantman (May 4, 2013)

Dan; The blade you use is only half the battle. If your bandsaw is not properly set up the blade won't cut true. As far as the blade goes, the best blade you can afford, 3TPI, and a skiptooth blade. This blade will cut anything, and with the spaceing between the teath will discharge the sawdust, and keep overheating down. I have a thread from 4/5/2013 called Better Bandsawing at Your Fingertips that gives you a FineWoodworking.com website that offers a free video on how to set up your bandsaw for straight and accurate cuts. Or, if you can get your hands on a May/June issue #233 of Fine Wood Working, it's in there. You will also need to make a sliding table for your saw, as well as precise jigs to cut square blanks. Jim S


----------



## hobbyist2013 (May 6, 2013)

As the general rule says, 3 TPI is best to use. Wide band saw blades give straighter cut and narrower blades are
typically used in making radius cuts.  1/2" 3 t PI  blade works good at all times.


----------



## mikespenturningz (May 7, 2013)

I just purchased a 1/2" 4TPI Timber Wolf and it is just awesome. I will have to let you know how it is with segmenting though. It seems a little rough but time and practicing with it will tell.


----------



## hobbyist2013 (May 7, 2013)

mikespenturningz said:


> I just purchased a 1/2" 4TPI Timber Wolf and it is just awesome. I will have to let you know how it is with segmenting though. It seems a little rough but time and practicing with it will tell.



Did you have any problems with the weld of the Timber welds?


----------



## Justturnin (May 7, 2013)

For wood I use a 1/2" x 6tpi.  It gives a nice smooth cut so I can still see the grain but is rigid enough to not follow the grain.  I get them from woodcraftbands.com for $11 each.  Come to think of it I will be placing an order w/ them today for 5 more.


----------



## Erik831 (May 7, 2013)

I use 1/2 6tpi works good if I had a table saw sled (which I'm thinking of making soon) would be much better.


----------



## butchf18a (May 7, 2013)

On my 12" bandsaw 1/8" 8 tpi, i use a sled when cutting blanks. 18" bandsaw gets variety of blades depending on what I'm cutting. Favorite for large items such as resawing or creating blanks from larger slab, I'll go with 3/4" 3tpi carbide tipped blade. Still 10" 3hp table saw sees most of the action in my shop.

Note to Erik, i just posted two of the sleds I use, perhaps one or both would suit your needs.


----------



## mikespenturningz (May 7, 2013)

I have only had the timber wolf on for a few days so I would not be the best to say about that. I know the blade works well. I don't get any clicking on it which is usually the weld and it is a great cutter. I will need to use it more for segmenting before I am ready to give it thumbs up. I switch from a 6tpi to the 4tpi to see how I like it. I am sure it will do the job though.  I did find that the 6tpi is not that good for ripping and resawing though. I know the 4tpi will beat it there but not so sure the segmenting will be as easy though? You have to find that right compromise. They are not that expensive or difficult to change though. Maybe I will find that I need both!

I have to say though the sled is absolutely the way to go. Check out those posts and also I use a sled for all of my segmenting I would hate to be without it. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the suggestions you are getting.



hobbyist2013 said:


> mikespenturningz said:
> 
> 
> > I just purchased a 1/2" 4TPI Timber Wolf and it is just awesome. I will have to let you know how it is with segmenting though. It seems a little rough but time and practicing with it will tell.
> ...


----------



## NittanyLion (May 7, 2013)

Dan,

The new Olsen 1/2" 3 TPI I bought Saturday was awesome for ripping up logs and re sawing logs into blanks.......then I overdid it and got a blank caught.  Now it's bent and only good for re sawing logs.  I use a 1/2" 4tpi for most everything else.  It's a little touchy with segmenting.  Ideally I would have a separate saw for segmenting with at least 6TPI.  I don't like anything less than 1/2".  I will. Use my scroll saw for very small work.

If you know a good use for a brand new 1/2" bent blade, let me know.  It was good while it lasted.........


----------



## mikespenturningz (May 7, 2013)

I just tried some cuts that I normally do for segmenting and it was more difficult with the 4tpi blade. I am probably going to get a 6tpi for the finer stuff.


----------



## plantman (May 7, 2013)

mikespenturningz said:


> I just tried some cuts that I normally do for segmenting and it was more difficult with the 4tpi blade. I am probably going to get a 6tpi for the finer stuff.


 
 Mike and Dan: I don't want you to mess up a new blade, but if you take a sharpening stone and work from the back side of the blade with the saw running do the following. First round off the sharp corners on the back of the blade, just enough to take off the sharp edges. This will keep it from burning if you do make tight curves. Next take the stone and srarting from the rear of the blade press it on each side of the blade an equal amount to remove some of the set from the teeth. Don't overdue it. This will make all the teeth have the same set and give you a much smoother cut, plus reduce your kerf size slightly. I find that using this method I do not have to sand my segments much, if any. Also using a skip tooth blade will remove the sawdust much better, and keep the heat down, which is critical on acrylics. When you are segmenting, you are usualy only cutting 3/4 to 1 1/2 inch pieces, so heat isn't a real problem anyway. I use this 3 tpi skip tooth blade on my Shop Smith bandsaw for precise cutting and resawing anything up to 6 inches. I have a second bandsaw for other tasks. The most important thing is that the saw and jigs are set up accurately to begin with !!!!! Jim S


----------

