What's your 'general purpose' bandsaw blade?

[OPJ]

As I don't own a table saw and, therefore, use my bandsaw for most of my ripping, I normally have a fairly coarse blade fitted most of the time. For instance, right now, I have a new (not to be confused with the ones six months ago!) 5/8" x 4tpi thin-kerf blade from Dragon Saws. The finish is excellent and I've used it already for ripping oak, pine and the finish it leaves on MDF isn't too bad either.

 

[Anonymous]

Dragon variable tooth M42 3/4" blade.

Never swap it and it has lasted for ages

Tony- forgive my ignorance, but whats a variable tooth blade?

Cheers, Ed

Dragon make a blade with varying tooth pitch along it so you get the best of both worlds. I think mine repeatedly goes from around 4TPI to 10TPI or some such numbers along its length (been using it so long I forget).

It cross cuts and rips thick timber (up to 12.5" high on my saw) very cleanly and easily

 

[Harbo]

As changing the blade generally involves readjusting the guides etc. and takes time - I generally use the one that's already fitted - unless it will not do the job at hand

Rod

 

[Jake]

/\ - quite.

That's why a 18mm 3tpi Lenox Trimaster (bought for resawing a bunch of veneers from very abrasive timber) has become my standard blade by default. I swap it out if I saw anything with a curve or anyhting reclaimed which might have metal in it, but it ends up back in there soon afterwards, and then gets left in until the next curve/bit of junk. Very lazy.

 

[ivan]

Jake, Trimaster? Is that the carbide tipped one? If so, where'd you find it? Was under impression only tipped blades imported to UK were rather wide. Around 1.5", say.

 

[Jake]

I called up Lenox UK and asked for names of a couple localish dealers - both were engineering suppliers. There's a vari-pitch version which isn't available below 1.5", but the normal blades go at least down to 1/2".

 

[Mattty]

I called up Lenox UK and asked for names of a couple localish dealers - both were engineering suppliers. There's a vari-pitch version which isn't available below 1.5", but the normal blades go at least down to 1/2".

Are these TCT tipped type Jake? What sort of cost are they mate?

Thanks

 

[Jake]

I called up Lenox UK and asked for names of a couple localish dealers - both were engineering suppliers. There's a vari-pitch version which isn't available below 1.5", but the normal blades go at least down to 1/2".

Are these TCT tipped type Jake? What sort of cost are they mate?

Yes. Expensive - it was a little over £100 for my saw with p&p.

The hideously calcified timber I was using at the time was blunting ordinary bimetallic blades for fun, so I reckon it has about half paid for itself, and no signs of any dulling yet.

 

[woden]

Thought I'd revive this thread as it deals with the question I was about to ask before doing a search.

I've picked up a Rexon 12 1/2" bandsaw that's been little used - thought I couldn't go wrong at £70 - and want to get a replacement blade(s... in time!). I'm just after a general purpose blade to begin with; in truth, a precise, smooth finish will probably never be a major concern as I like to finish stuff by hand (planes, chisels, etc.).

I have the Band Saw Bench Guide by Mark Duginske and he states that consumer grade bandsaws will at most only run a 1/2" blade properly; a 1/4" is the width most frequently used for general purpose sawing according to him.

Axminster, on the other hand, suggest a 3/8" 4tpi skip tooth blade as good for all round work. This is what I was thinking of going for as 1/4" seems a bit too narrow for ripping. They do a 3/8" 3tpi as well: this would cut faster but would the teeth dull considerably quicker due to the coarser pitch?