Bandsaw blade for green wood

[Shlumaan]

Hi guys, I am a hobbyist woodworker and a complete novice to working with freshly cut logs on my newly self-built 12" bandsaw with 2hp motor. My BS can probably take up to 5/8" wide blades but I generally so far only tried 1/2" blades and they've all become pretty useless after a short usage. They either become dull too quickly or start to drift quite badly and I can't get even slices from a log. I've resharpened the blades but the set must have also gone off as they never cut straight even with sharp teeth. I've used Starrett (screwfix) blades to keep running costs down, Tuff Saws sabre blades which are great at first and then lose their sharpening quite quickly. My questions are as follow: 1. Is wider blade generally better for straight ripping of fresh logs? 2. Some say go for the cheapest blade for ripping green wood and some talk about bi-metal expensive blades. Which approach is better? 3. I've only used 0.025" thick blades. Would 0.032" be better for my application? 

 

Can you recommend a good affordable blade for my BS size and for my purpose sold in the UK? Thanks a lot, Shlomi

[gobbypunk]

Can you not get bands made up the length you need ,Stephen Cull The Blade Master may be able to help as it goes I have 3 new bands that dont fit anything I have if you let me know how long you need them to be I will measure and if they will fit yours you can have them also try Davenport Saws Yeovil they may be able to help a mini ripper 37 if such a thing exists would be good for green timber sorry cant help any more than that

[trigger_andy]

On 23/11/2022 at 13:47, Shlumaan said:

12" bandsaw with 2hp motor.

Two HP? Are you cutting kindling? 

[ucoulddoit]

11 hours ago, trigger_andy said:

Two HP? Are you cutting kindling? 

 

Not sure if that’s a genuine question……? Anyway, as a fellow hobbyist in case you’re interested, attached are a few pics of ‘kindling’ I cut a few years ago. A plum tree bought from another Arbtalker, milled using a 2.2HP bandsaw with a 25mm blade. Now use a 25mm Ripper 37 blade, the smallest available, which is so much better for both green timber and resawing dried stuff.

 

Plum tree was about 16 inches max diameter, so first cut through the middle was done with an Alaskan mill, followed by sawing into planks on the bandsaw. Prior to getting the Alaskan, I’d freehand saw a trunk in half with a small chainsaw, so in conjunction with the 2.2HP bandsaw, it was possible with minimal extra outlay to mill decent timber to round about 20 inches diameter. Which coincidently, is the most I can manhandle. 

 

 

 

 

Some of the best ‘kindling’ I’ve ever had. Despite years of keeping an eye open, never found milled plum timber like this available elsewhere so very pleased to be able to do it with the tools I already have. But I’m well aware you’re able to mill much larger stuff.

Andrew

 

[trigger_andy]

7 minutes ago, ucoulddoit said:

 

Not sure if that’s a genuine question……? Anyway, as a fellow hobbyist in case you’re interested, attached are a few pics of ‘kindling’ I cut a few years ago. A plum tree bought from another Arbtalker, milled using a 2.2HP bandsaw with a 25mm blade. Now use a 25mm Ripper 37 blade, the smallest available, which is so much better for both green timber and resawing dried stuff.

 

Plum tree was about 16 inches max diameter, so first cut through the middle was done with an Alaskan mill, followed by sawing into planks on the bandsaw. Prior to getting the Alaskan, I’d freehand saw a trunk in half with a small chainsaw, so in conjunction with the 2.2HP bandsaw, it was possible with minimal extra outlay to mill decent timber to round about 20 inches diameter. Which coincidently, is the most I can manhandle. 

 

 

 

 

Some of the best ‘kindling’ I’ve ever had. Despite years of keeping an eye open, never found milled plum timber like this available elsewhere so very pleased to be able to do it with the tools I already have. But I’m well aware you’re able to mill much larger stuff.

Andrew

 

Always impressed to see your work. Well Im really surprised that 2HP can cut as well and as wide as that. 

[gobbypunk]

Hi I have some milled Plum Wood for sale PM me ,the bark is so bloody sharp it a nightmare ,but amazing colours