iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Questions about the different degrees of bandsaw blades

Started by tomb, October 15, 2015, 09:09:23 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

tomb

I need help to understand what the different degrees of bandsaw blades are for.  There is a 4, 7, 9 and 10 degree available for my saw.  I received 10- 7 degree blades with the purchase of my mill.  They have been working great on the ambrosia maple I have been cutting.
I have a hickory I will be cutting soon and I would like to know if a 7 degree blade is the correct choice.
Thanks for your help.
Tom

Den-Den

I am sure more experienced sawyers will be chiming in.  My take is that the higher numbers are best with soft wood and adequate horse-power.  Harder woods and wide cuts are where the lower hook angles tend to be better.  Lots of different opinions about which is generally "best".
You may think that you can or may think you can't; either way, you are right.

Chuck White

Quote from: Den-Den on October 15, 2015, 09:24:09 PM
I am sure more experienced sawyers will be chiming in.  My take is that the higher numbers are best with soft wood and adequate horse-power.  Harder woods and wide cuts are where the lower hook angles tend to be better.  Lots of different opinions about which is generally "best".

I agree with Den Den!   ;)
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

WV Sawmiller

Tomb,

    A few weeks back I cut a large (30") hickory that had been cut for over a year. I started with a 7 degree blade but pretty soon I had to change to a 4 degree blade. I have some new turbo 7 blades I am going to try in a little while on some seasoned W/O and see how they perform there.

    I'd have both available and try with your mill and see what works best for your application and that particular log. Good luck.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

coppolajc10

Quote from: WV Sawmiller on October 15, 2015, 09:51:32 PM
I cut a large (30") hickory that had been cut for over a year. I started with a 7 degree blade but pretty soon I had to change to a 4 degree blade.

Sooooooo, did the 4° work well on that hickory or what? ???

Kingmt

I'm surprised no one has asked you what saw you have yet. That seems to make the biggest difference. I was informed that a 4 degree is the blade for every wood on my mill. More horse power is needed to run more degree.
Sawmill=Harbor Freight Item#62366
Chainsaws=MS180CBE(14"), MS290(18"), MS038(20"), MS660(20" & 36")
Staff=1Wife & 5 Kids :)
Please excuse my typing. I don't do well at catching auto correct.

JB Griffin

It would help greatly to know what hp mill you're runnin. I use Cook Super Sharps exclusively, they're 8°, cut mostly hardwood and can't gripe about at em at all. I think they're far superior to the 10° blades for my application. I run a 33hp diesel mill.
2000 LT40hyd remote 33hp Kubota with 6gpm hyd unit, 150 Prentice, WM bms250, Suffolk dual tooth setter

Over 3.5million bdft sawn with a Baker Dominator.

terrifictimbersllc

I have 42HP diesel, and use 1-1/4" 0.045 WM double hard blades.
I started with 10 and 9 degrees, but in last several years mostly use 7 and 4 now.
7s will handle about anything unless I am seeing wider cut widths in certain woods, or am resawing timbers.
So a 4 goes on automatically when larger (say 15" or bigger) hickory or ash logs go onto the mill. Or dry oak or pine timbers especially sappy ones.
Or when a wider cut in a hardwood is not perfectly flat, like when slabbing live edge logs with cuts up to 26" wide.

And if cut is not perfectly flat first things inspected are drive and feed belt tensions.

p.s. Also 4 degree for white oak. Last Spring I sawed 150 white oak logs for a timber frame house all with 4s, pretty much not a wave anywhere.
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

bandmiller2

I might be full-o-grits but its my understanding the first band saws were manually pushed with lower HP and the 10 degree aided the feeding, you didn't have to push as hard. Today with high HP power feed mills its not as important. Truth be known all the hook angles will cut everything if sharp and set correctly. The trend, and I agree, is  less hook I use 5 or 6 but haven't tried 4 yet. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

petefrom bearswamp

saw 98 percent Hemlock and have recently gone to 7x34 and 7x39  turbo blades.
The last 7x34 is still on the saw after about 1100 bd ft. and working well if i dont crowd it too much.
BUT I did find out that they dont work worth a hoot on the side supports (another story).
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

Magicman

Side supports leave WM with waaaay too much paint on them anyway.   ;D
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

WV Sawmiller

Coppo,

Quote from: coppolajc10 on October 15, 2015, 11:23:22 PM
Quote from: WV Sawmiller on October 15, 2015, 09:51:32 PM
I cut a large (30") hickory that had been cut for over a year. I started with a 7 degree blade but pretty soon I had to change to a 4 degree blade.

Sooooooo, did the 4° work well on that hickory or what? ???

Yes. They did fine.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Kbeitz

Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

dgdrls


tomb

First off, Thanks for all the replys!  Its exactly what I needed! 8)
I have a manual Turner mill with a 24 HP Honda engine and Im going to be cutting up an oak on Saturday and will see how the 7 degrees do with it.  Im thinking I might also get some 4 degrees as well.
Thanks again!
Tom

tomb

Quote from: dgdrls on October 16, 2015, 07:59:19 PM
http://www.suffolkmachinery.com/order-a-catalog.html

Grab the on-line catalog its loaded with great info on bands.

Dan

I use the Timberwolf blades on my shop bandsaw and they are great, thanks for the link!

Thank You Sponsors!