blade life in hard maple

[sawmark52]

Hi all,
I'm sawing several hard maple logs (bark on but cleaned) and finding very short blade life.  In most cases the blades are dulling after just 100 bd ft and start "lurching and bucking" as best as I can describe it.  Wondering if others have had similar experience.  Any suggestions about hook angle or blade tension, etc.?
Thanks
Mark

[Magicman]

bark on but cleaned  

Does that mean cleaned or clean.  OK, I'm being picky but clean means clean, as in no dirt.  Even a small amount of dirt will quickly dull a blade.

4° blades are best for hard logs.

What sawmill are you using?

[sawmark52]

I'm running a T A  Schmid mill I've had for 4 years.  I wire brush any obvious dirt but I'm sure some remains.  I'm just a part-timer but have sawn a variety of logs and have never had such rapid blade wear, except maybe with hickory.  I have not tried 4 degree blades.  Maybe I'll order a couple to have on hand.

[taw6243]

Sometimes hardmaple dulls blades (1 per log) >:( Stellite tipped from woodmizer work very well on those problem logs, expensive tho
I know I've got 40 of them.

Tim

[Magicman]

I have no intentions of ever sawing Hickory again.   :-\   I know that it will happen, but it is not in my plans.

[ely]

hickory saws better for me if its green, saws even better if its green and peeled of bark... that bark peeling green hickory is a thread of its own though. :D

[dovetails]

I have no intentions of ever sawing Hickory again.   :-\   I know that it will happen, but it is not in my plans.

MM, whats so hard about sawing hickory?
I just came in from sawing some on my lt30 manual mill.
Cut down about a month ago after Irene came thru,and blew it over.
About 20 inches on small end,log about 12ft long.Bark and all, saw went
right threw it fine.I had more problem with some 2 year old oak I cut the other day.
The only problem I had at all was turning it,but solved that with my tractor and
chain with hook on it to roll it over.    does it get harder to cut with age (drying)

[Magicman]

  does it get harder to cut with age (drying) 

It just seems that every time someone has Hickory to saw, it's been down a year, and yes, it is rock hard.  It's so seldom that I do not keep any 4° blades.  I do now have three 7° blades and also a Stelite blade, so I'm prepared for next time.

MM, whats so hard about sawing hickory?

I never said that there was anything hard about sawing Hickory, I said  "I have no intentions of ever sawing Hickory again".  ;D   :D

[Chuck White]

does it get harder to cut with age (drying)

Ya, it gets very hard.

I had three 9-footers, about 14 inch diameter stored in the back of my garage since Spring clean-up following the January '98 Ice Storm.

I sawed them in '07 on my FIL's LT40G18 manual mill.

The only blades we had were 10°, and the sawdust from those logs looked a lot like gravel.

So, travel through the logs was very slow.

Now, on the other hand, I've sawn fresh cut Hickory and it sawed a lot like Poplar.

[T Welsh]

Its all in the blades, They have to be sharp! hard maple is a breeze with 7degree blades. as soon as the cut goes off so does the blade and on with a new one! Hickory used to give me fits,my all time least favorite logs to saw,I have sawn a lot of them over the years and the best plan of attack is a full box of blades. both these types of wood get worse with age,butt logs and knots or running in and out of the grain,will give you fits and some times even a sharp blade wont cut it! blade life is very poor! add dirt on the bark >:( (You now see why every one has problems with them) Tim

[stavebuyer]

Both Hard Maple and Hickory saw much easier when the logs are fresh and the sap stills up. Lots of water helps a bit.

[Magicman]

Actually, I guess all species saw better fresh.   ;D