New Bandsaw Blade Help

I need to buy a new bandsaw blade and I'm looking for some help in choosing the right one. As you might imagine, almost all my cutting is resawing and I can go cross grain. I cut a lot of really hard woods like Ironwood and I usually limit the height to about 12". I use an 18" Grizzly bandsaw. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

I'm no expert and I don't know what's available to you. But it sounds like you could benefit from using bi-metal blades. I know alot of swedish knifemakers that praise those for harder woods, and they can also cut softer metals with them. I haven't tried them myself (in my cheap wood bandsaw) yet though.

 

i like sterrat and lonex blades and if you dont mind the thicker kerf might look into carbide tipped teeth

 

Good advice, thanks guys. I'm leaning towards a bi-metal. Kerf is important to me Butch as I'm often dealing with tight tolerances, but it's not a deal breaker. I'll check out the carbide tipped. Thanks again.

 

Lenox bi-metal was the best among everything I've tried so far. It's not the fastest (due to small teeth), but very durable and was the only blade that really allowed me to make precise cuts on my cheep bandsaw.

 

Thanks Anton. I've gotten some other Lenox recommendations. I'll take a close look at those.

 

i dont liek the wider kerf ether but its not hateful (price is only hateful if you nock a few teeth off) when i was cutting a pile of mycarta in my crapsmen 12 inch wood saw
the thicker blade was stiffer and the weld "bump" was noticable on a bigger better saw might not be noticable (BTW the blade was 3/4 deep)

 

Just about to pull the trigger on a Lenox bi-metal. Just wondering if I should go 1/2" or 3/4".

 

for riping block down to size i would get the 3/4 its stiffer and will drift less (im sure you know how to tune the guides for a good cut ) maybe i should post it for everyone as its a cool video

 

Yes, that's the way to go. Thanks Butch.

 

Its been a long while but remember that the wider the blade the better performance I got from it. Polyurethane tires on the wheels helped a lot also, they are pretty much standard now I think.

 

I went back and forth quite a bit. Really didn't want to spent $100 or more on a bi-metal or carbide tip blade. Read really good things about the Highland Wood Slicer and just pulled the trigger on that in a 3/4". Just $40! I know, you get what you pay for, but I decided, for me, that this was a good place to start.

 

might last well and maybe cost to cut is better for you in the long run after all you chip a few teeth oout of that big $ blade and its gong to suck to use
let us all know as im always looking to bang for the buck consumables

 

Will do Butch.

 

I have used the wood slicer and it just didn't last with stabilized woods.
With bimetal I used about a dozen 3/4 wide before I went back to the 1/2.
Not sure why but the lennox 1/2 bimetal (diemaster or something like that) is what I like best and use the most. 3 cost me just over 100 from bandsawbladesdirect.

Whatever you get spend about 10 minutes breaking in the blade. Cutting at 1/3 your normal rate of speed cutting on soft or medium woods.
Seems to make the blade last a lot longer. Chuck Bybee from AKS told me about breaking in the blade like that. At first I thought BS, but it works.
I use my bandsaw blades like sandpaper. As soon as I notice them starting to get dull I change them.