M42 blades for small bandsaws

[LocalOak]

Just spotted that Brimarc are doing M42 blades for small bandsaws. I've got the baby ASBW2 and always thought it was too small for M42 blades, and have been told that by a couple of blade manufacturers.

Has anyone tried these small blades on a 70 1/2 inch bandsaw and do they work?

Thanks

Toby

(Who will now get back to work)

 

[Steve Maskery]

No I haven't, but I have been given a Starrett sample a couple of feet long. It's a heavyweight blade, quite stiff and I think it would not take kindly to being wrapped round a 12" wheel, for example. I may be wrong. If you find out who the manf is, you should be able to get a spec of the min radius.

An option you may wish to consider is the Woodpecker blade. It has a thin flexible back, so is suited to small machines, but it also has flame-hardened teeth, so they will cope with the occasional nastiness. And because the whole blade is not hard, the teeth can be reground and set. Compare that with a standard carbon steel blade which can be resharpened just once or twice if you are lucky, simply because the teeth cannot be set.

Again I've not actually used one, but next time I'm in the market, that's what I'm going for.

HTH
Steve

 

[LocalOak]

If anyone is interested got this reply back from the manufacturers. I'm not totally convinced...

"Thank you for your enquiry, The blades should be suitable for most machines that take a 70 1/2" blade. The main part of the blade is still flexback carbon so is still flexible and but the milled tooth part is fused to the blade back. The thickness of the blade is 0.025".

Regards"

I was under the impression that 0.025 was too thick for the little BS. If I feel rich I may splash out and see.

Toby