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+-- Thread: Bandsaw Blade Speed (/showthread.php?tid=7349638)
Bandsaw Blade Speed - cputnam - 08-07-2019
I am in the process of installing a 3/4" 3 TPI Timberwolf blade in my saw. The saw will be used for general purpose ripping of domestic hardwoods and possible resawing and veneer slicing. The saw is currently set to run @ 3500 FPM vs its other speed of 1700 FPM. I really need to pick one speed and stick with it since a) speed adjustment requires loosening motor which requires disassembly of dust collection that took me an entire day to assemble and b) I really cannot get down that low and do much of anything.
If I only cut wood am I OK staying at 3500? The manual suggests slow speed for "super dense exotics." Veneer slicing might involve exotics.
Thanks again guys
RE: Bandsaw Blade Speed - Mr Eddie - 08-07-2019
Curt,
The higher speed should be fine. I don't think you will have any problem re-sawing or slicing veneer strips.
Lonnie
RE: Bandsaw Blade Speed - jteneyck - 08-08-2019
(08-07-2019, 05:49 PM)Mr Eddie Wrote: Curt,
The higher speed should be fine. I don't think you will have any problem re-sawing or slicing veneer strips.
Lonnie
What he said. My 5 HP Grizzly runs at 4500 fpm and slices veneer from anything you shove into it. If you have the power faster blade speed means faster cutting speed as long as the blade can clear the sawdust. To do that you don't want many teeth. If you plan to cut exotics you will want a carbide tipped blade.
For general use like you propose, both ripping and resawing, 2 or 3 teeth per inch will be good. For resawing and veneer slicing I wouldn't use more than 2 or a 2/3 tpi. The fastest, smoothest cutting blade I've ever used is a Woodmaster CT with 1.3 tpi, but you need to be able to tension a 1" blade to use it. The 2 tpi version of that blade comes in a 2 tpi version, IIRC and cuts really well, too, just not quite as fast. Better all around blade though.
John
RE: Bandsaw Blade Speed - daddo - 08-08-2019
My bandsaw doesn't have the ummph (horsepower) to run a big tooth blade that fast- I have to use the lower speed.
RE: Bandsaw Blade Speed - aquaticjim - 08-09-2019
There isn't enough information in the original post to give an answer. HP and material being sawed play an important role. Exotic woods would be hardness's beyond Oak. The woods from South America can be 2 to 3 times harder than Oak.
Trying to run a 3 tooth per inch hook blade through 12 inches of Brazilian hardwood will take some HP at 3500 FPM. My Italian built 20" saw runs at 5500 FPM and only has 3 HP. That is some slow sawing.
RE: Bandsaw Blade Speed - cputnam - 08-09-2019
Thanks, guys! The machine has 2 hp. I doubt that it can tension a 1" blade. The Timberwolf 3 tpi is my learning blade. If I can use it for a while and not break anything then I'll consider a carbide tipped blade or at least, a bi-metal. I'll leave it at 3500 and suffer slow feed rates if need be.