What is the true max blade width for a 14" bandsaw??

If it works it works no mystery the manufacturer tells you what the max is and that should be what works .

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture ,maker, woodworking school, heirloomwoodshop.com

I don’t know, but my guess would be the horsepower of the motor. I just got one, so I’ll be finding out. I intend to resaw with it.

-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.

Should we “laugh” at somebody else’s tools? Whatever gets the job done I say.

In answer to your question, it is probably the mass of the blade combined with the drag of the extra surface area of 3/4 vs 1/2. The motor can do it, but perhaps not as well or fast as a larger machine. Perhaps you would need to feed the material a bit slower.

-- John

That’s kind of what I was thinking Wood. It CAN do it but if I did heavy duty resawing with a 3/4” it might lead to a shorter motor life. That makes sense.

From a sales point of view I’m sure you want to push your product with as much versatility as possible but then subtly put out the word that you shouldn’t push it that hard all the time.

Interesting.

-- Behind the Bark is a lot of Heartwood----Charles, Centennial, CO

I have a 14” powermatic band saw and have frequently used a 3/4” blade to resaw 6” stock in such hardwood as oak, teak and cumaru. Went through these woods with no problem. I use timberwolf blades and have been very satisfied with them.

-- Each and Every step of any project should be considered your masterpiece if you want the finished product to reflect the quality of your work. Greg Little

Isn’t the point of a 3/4 blade to get truer resaws?

-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.

The motor nor the mass of the blade has anything to do with it.

I the main concern is the higher tension required for the 3/4” blade and the stress put on the frame and/or bearings of the saw.

A saw with the 6” riser would be even more of a concern.

That said, I have used a 3/4” Woodslicer on my Delta with the riser under full tension for years at a time. I have not noticed any problems at all.

Now that I have a Steel City saw also I put the 3/4” blade on it and use smaller blades on my Delta. I figured that since the Steel City has the quick tension release why not use it.

The wider the blade the straighter your cut.. Imagine cutting with a wire and how that would work.

Also a smaller blade will bow when too much pressure is used making a cut that is curved inside the stock

Imagine laying a full sized sheet of paper flat on a table. Lay one hand flat on each end of the sheet and try to stretch the paper with the heel of your hands the push it together with your finger tips. The paper will bow up between your finger tips. The narrower the sheet the easier it is to bow the paper. The same thing will happen to a smaller blade.
It will bow inside your cut and you won’t know it until you finish your cut.

Blade thickness is not really a factor either. For example the 1/2” and 3/4” woodslicer blade are both .022” thick.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Actually – it has little to do with the bandsaw… it’s more of a limitation of the blades on the market.

1/2” blades are usually in the 0.02x” thickness, while 3/4” blades are in the 0.03x”-0.04x”. now given the fact that a 14” wheel has a small diameter these blades have to go around (compared to 16”, 18”,20”) the thicker blade material has difficulties with that – compared to the thiner 1/2” material blades.

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Yep, the more width in back of the blade helps the front stay true instead of bending out of the way. You really have to crank on the tensioning knob to get it tight enough for the 3/4”!

-- Behind the Bark is a lot of Heartwood----Charles, Centennial, CO

Can you spring a band saw frame to where it is a problem?

-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.

Durnik150,
I used to have the same 14” Ridgid bandsaw. I had used 3/4” blades on it in the past trying to resaw as well. The feed rate had to be slowed as mentioned before, but I eventually got the limited resawing capacity done. You might want to try the 1/2” Wood slicer resaw blades from Highland Wood working. I guarantee they’ll do the best job of anything you can find and will probably allow you to maintain a much faster feed rate. That Ridgid caused me to find too many uses for the bandsaw and subsequently upgrade to a 21” Grizzly! Again the blade upgrade I mentioned ablove will do more for your ability to resaw and do it quickly and precisely than anything else you can try.

Sincerely,
Ken McGinnis

-- woodbutcher north carolina

Good point PurpLev. It makes sense that the thicker material may not bend as easily. Does that mean that the 3/4” balde would be more prone to breakage on a 14” saw?

-- Behind the Bark is a lot of Heartwood----Charles, Centennial, CO

Thanks Ken. I have noticed that the right blade can make all the difference in the world, no matter what the width.

Topa-I guess if I cranked down hard enough I could do damage to the wheel axles. And I’m pretty sure those would go before it got bad enough to that kind of damage. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t climb on top of the machine with a pair of channel locks saying “Come on you (&%^%## I need one more turn!!” Although it is an amusing mental picture!

-- Behind the Bark is a lot of Heartwood----Charles, Centennial, CO

I would think they would be tough enough to take any size blade they say can be used, but y’all know how some things are getting a bit different at the quality control divisions in some companies :-))

-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.

Exactly Topa. That’s why I asked. I’d hate to be standing there with a tensioning handle in my hand and a broken band saw on the floor. I’ve had nightmares like that. :)

-- Behind the Bark is a lot of Heartwood----Charles, Centennial, CO

I have a older 14 rockwell bandsaw with a six inch riser…I run a 3/4 timber wolf in it all the time with no problem.

-- Don S.E. OK

I’ve got a Delta 14” with the riser block and use 3/4” 3 or 4 TPI blades when resawing and I haven’t had any issues. I release the tension on the blade when not in use so that might be a factor. No pieces on the floor. Yet. ;) I would think that if the manual specifies it you’d be ok.

-- -Curt, Milwaukee, WI

People tend to say that the sharp turn radius of the 14” wheels shortens the life span of a 3/4” blade.

I would think that would only matter if it breaks before the blade dulls. Anyone have any real numbers on blade breaks/lifespans?

I think a 3/4” blade will do more accurate re-sawing,

& you’ll get longer blade life out of a 3/4” than a 1/2”.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

I have a 14” Grizzly G0555 with a 6” riser and run 3/4” blades on it all the time and haven’t had any problems at all.

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso