Lucas blade rebuilding?

[dmcc]

Any of you Lucas sawyers know of a good place to have your blades rebuilt? I got into some hardware (wouldn't you know it would be in a trashy elm, too) and lost a couple of teeth. Still cut really well, but I'd like to keep my blades in good shape.

[RevCant]

I have had my Peterson blades rebuilt by C.S.&T. in Prince Frederick, MD.  They are execellent sawdoctors, and do hammering as well as retipping and sharpening.  If your not in the Mid-Atlantic area, ask the local cabinet shops who they send their blades to.

[dmcc]

Thanks Revcant, I'm in Texas. Never thought about asking cabinet shops, I guess everybody uses carbide these days. Baileys said they have a shop they send theirs to.

Anybody use theirs?

Also, have any of you had to have your swingblades hammered or just retipped?  I use the 618 which has a 17" blade, I was hoping it wouldn't get out of whack like the old, big circle mill blades.

[BW_Williams]

Unless you've really overheated your blade, hammerings not necessary.  I send mine to All-Right saw in Portland OR and have been real happy, but shipping from TX may be a bit.  A guy up the road just opened a saw sharpening shop and I had him replace one tooth (DanG rocks!) and it looks good.  Order your bits from Baileys and have your spec sheet in hand and I think most sharpening shops will be glad to help you out.  Good luck, BWW  
PS:  Welcome to the forum and did you vote on the sawmill poll, we're way behind!

[dmcc]

Hey BWW, thanks for the reply, I'll talk to Baileys about the teeth.
How long have you had your 618? Are you happy with it? I've been enjoying mine but have only had time to cut about 4,000 bft., mostly construction lumber from yellow pine. Got the slabbing attachment too and made one nice red oak slab, not real big but it worked real nice.
 If you have any digital pictures of some big logs you've cut I'd like to see them, if you don't mind emailing them. I'll have some soon.
Thanks, and I'm going to vote right now!
Darren

[Captain]

Just to throw out a name in New England, Vermonter turned me on the STS (Super Thin Saws) in Waterbury, VT.  They do quality work, but I would love to find someone less than 240 miles away to help me out for those "hardware emergencies" :

Anyone else??

Captain

[Gentleman_Sawyer]

I highly recommend Alderman's Saw Shop in Warsaw, Virginia. They re-tipped one of my 8" Peterson blades and shipped it back to me for under $30. Very quick service, too.
(804) 333-4895. Hope this helps.
Ken

[dmcc]

Thanks for all the info. When I bought the mill I made sure I had 4 blades so that I could wait and send 2 off at a time and still have 2 on hand. These swingers sure do cut pretty lumber!

[Dangerous_Dan]

My blade (Lucas 22 inch diameter for 8 inch deep cuts) took a dive during a cut and got hot enough to blue the blade.
When the blade came out of the cut it was dished and as it cooled it got straighter but it's still cupped a 16th or more.
Is is shot or can it be fixed?

[Captain]

Gotta get somebody with a roll tensioner or that can hammer, Dan.

Which way is it dished??

Captain

[Dangerous_Dan]

Cupped away from the hub.
I would like to come up with a way to fix this myself and figure out why it happened.

[Captain]

Tell me a little about the dive, and what was going on....we can probably figure it out.

I'd like to find a way to fix it for myself too...but it takes equipment that I don't have access to.

Captain

[Part_Timer]

Dan

I did that to one of mine.  not quite a 1/16 but close had it hammered and it cuts just like a new one.

Country saw and knife.  Ohio

Tom

[Dangerous_Dan]

I'm not sure if I ever had the blade set perfect.
I cut less than 600 bf of spruce + 20 locust 4x4's + 300 bd of walnut and sharpened the blade once. No problems.
I was trying to make a 14 inch wide board (spruce) by double cutting 7 inches on both sides.
It was the last cut to free the board and about 4 feet in the blade took a steep dive down and started smoking instantly.  
I shut it off and backed it out of the cut and turned it back on to cool the blade evenly.  :
I put a new blade on today and made an adjustment to 1 axis on the blade. It was cutting with less effort than it ever had. Then it started dragging the deeper the cut and the further I went down the log (20 foot oak).  I looked at the blade and it had some light color change in the outside area from the gullet out. Put a straight edge across it and it looks ever so slightly cupped the same way.  :(
I'm only doing sawmilling for fun and to get rid of logs, today was not fun. :(
I have access to alot of equipment or I'll just build it. How's it work? ;D

[highpockets]

There is Poole's Sawmill Service in Shreveport, LA and Smith's Sawmill Service in Timpson, Tx.  I think either can do or lead you in the right direction. 

[Eagle View]

Just purchased two blades from B. H. Payne and Company for my Peterson ATS mill.  (The blades are 6-tooth type.)  I have run one of them for about 10 hours in pine and white oak.  I actually like them better than the ones that came with the mill.  Cost - $160 plus shipping each.  Address is 1657 Taylor Avenue, East Point, GA 30364.

[jpgreen]

I like the new tipping jig Peterson has come out with.  I would have one of those puppies and learn to re-tip my own with brazing being easy as it is.  A guy could be back on line in no time..  8) 8)

[getoverit]

just out of curosity, does anybody use an inserted tooth blade on their swingblade mill?

[Eagle View]

Getoverit--
Not sure if my e-mail reply went through so thought I would post a reply. 
My blade is an 8" blade, but i'm sure the company can supply you a 10" blade and any other repair needed.  Visibly I could not distinguish any difference between the Peterson blade and the B. H. Payne blade.

[Vermonter]

STS is not the cheapest, but I've had good luck with them.
They also worked with me to find the carbide that worked the wood I cut. 
Dan;
Check out the columns in a magazine called Northern Logger, there is a monthly section on blade and sawmill tuning.  It's quite a skill, I was at Dexter's saw shop here in VT, and the day before a helicopter had brought in some saws from sweden for him to hammer.

gtovrt:
the insert teeth have a wider kerf, and the blade can get expensive

[Captain]

I've got a 10" insert tooth blade.  It is over 4 figures.

Captain

[Part_Timer]

Captain

Are you running it or is it stock.

If you are running it how do you like it and what differance do you see between that one and the regular ones



Tom

[Captain]

It is in stock.  I've run only one insert tooth balde, cuts fine  ;D  This was on a customer's 10" WPF.  Speaking of hardware concerns...I've heard of circle mills spitting teeth before.  I would rather them be carbide teeth than an insert tooth. 

Captain