Bandsaw blades

[Mauser06]

I think I found a bandsaw.  12" Craftsman with a 3/4hp motor.  I think it'll do the job of sawing out blanks and slabbing off excess wood. We're talking a couple a year..tops lol.


It takes a 89 1/2" blade.

Was wondering what blade(s) you guys recommend for cutting out blanks?  Don't know if I need 2 different blades...one for slabbing and one for profiling. Blades aren't crazy expensive so if I need 2 different blades, that's fine. I rather set myself up for success with proper blades than use the wrong ones and smoke the plank.

[Gunnermike]

Bought blades from Highland Woodworking more than 10 years ago and they are still working fine: https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/123tpibandsawblades.aspx  and  https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/146tpibandsawblades.aspx

I have a small Ryobi 14 inch saw that would be comparable to your Craftsman.  I threw the blade away that came with the saw after using the Highland blade.   Mike

[Mauser06]

Thanks!   Looks like the 1/2"  3TPI for slabbing and 1/4" 6TPI for profiling?   


I've ran bandsaws in shop class...but can't remember the blades details lol. That seems to make good sense to me.

[TommyG]

That's what works for me.  I use a Grizzly 17".  1/2" - 3 TPI for slabbing, 1/4" - 6 TPI for profiling.  Set up correctly, I get dead square cuts.

[Mauser06]

Sounds good to me!   I will Definitely spend some time tuning it and trying to get a nice straight cut prior to putting a plank through.

[Jeff Durnell]

I have a 14", 1 1/2 hp Craftsman. I rarely trade out my 3/4" blades for anything smaller, but when I do, 1/2" is as small as I've needed to go.

More important than blade size or tpi, imo, is having your saw set up well, and especially the guides and backup bearings properly adjusted. I got the Carter bearing guides for my saw and it made an appreciable difference. Don't try to use a blade too long, when it gets dull, get it out of there.

Love my bandsaw. It was the first big power tool I bought, and would be the last one I'd ever get rid of.

[Craig Wilcox]

I have a 14" Craftsman like Jeff Durnell.  I generally keep an all-around 3/8" blade on it, switch to 1/4" for tight curves, 1/2" for  long straight stuff.
I did move the drive belt to the slower speed, seems to cut easiest.  And aligning those blade blocks and rollers is one of the best things you can do for consistent sawing.

When I was moving here to Ohio from Oklahoma last year, my daughter got a truck that was about half as big as needed.  But I was not about to leave my table saw or bandsaw apart.  One of my friends helping me asked if it would help if he took the base off, and I agreed.  Then went on with other things.

When I got here, and started unloading the truck, my "friend" had taken the bandsaw completely apart!  Anything bolted or screwed was apart!!  Took me a couple weeks to even find all the parts - some were even inside my gas range!  Good thing he was still in OK!

[Jeff Durnell]

Geeze, that's madness.... with friends like that....

I had to tear mine down pretty far once because I knocked it over one day when I was cutting up a big osage log into bow staves and the whole framework was knocked out of whack. Rebuilding it into proper alignment wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be.

3/4 is the biggest my saw will handle. I mainly use the bigger blades because they're sturdier for the rough thick work I do on logs and they stay cool and cut nice and straight when resawing too, but I also use them on the small stuff. They just won't cut a tight radius. If I was just cutting 2" thick maple stock blanks I could get away with lighter duty blades I suppose... but what tight radius is there on a stock?

[Iktomi]

I have a 14", 1 1/2 hp Grizzly. I use 3/8" blades for general work,  1/2" and sometimes 3/4" for heavier stuff. One thing I did early on is replace the roller guides with Cool Blocks. They do run cooler, and are super easy to adjust.

[Mauser06]

You prefer the cool blocks over bearing guides??  Seems lots of guys like bearing guides.  The saw I'm looking at actually has them.


I can use a bandsaw. But don't know the finer details and what improvements to make...

[P.W.Berkuta]

You prefer the cool blocks over bearing guides??  Seems lots of guys like bearing guides.  The saw I'm looking at actually has them.


I can use a bandsaw. But don't know the finer details and what improvements to make...

I have cool blocks on my 16" Grizzly but I wish it had roller bearings but I'm cheap so I'll leave the cool blocks where they are as they work fine for me. Get this book "Band Saw Handbook" by Mark Duginske it will help you set-up and maintaine the band saw.

[Mauser06]

Thank you!     That should be a good book to have around. 


I've made plenty of cuts on bandsaws...but nothing "important" and just used the saw...not MY saw.  I definitely want to learn about my saw and setting it up right and maintaining it. I am finding lots of info online and YouTube as well.

[Iktomi]

You prefer the cool blocks over bearing guides??  Seems lots of guys like bearing guides.  The saw I'm looking at actually has them.


I can use a bandsaw. But don't know the finer details and what improvements to make...

I have cool blocks on my 16" Grizzly but I wish it had roller bearings but I'm cheap so I'll leave the cool blocks where they are as they work fine for me. Get this book "Band Saw Handbook" by Mark Duginske it will help you set-up and maintaine the band saw.

 One of those YMMV things. I have roller guides for my saw, used them, but I prefer the cool blocks.

 Ditto on the book, I have it, and it covers most everything.