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



## Durnik150 (Apr 22, 2009)

This is a little question that has been bouncing around in my head for a while. I own a Ridgid 14" band saw (no laughing!). It has done a great job for me although the 6" cutting depth is a little limiting.

In the owner's manual it says that it can handle blades from 1/8" to 3/4". I've put a 3/4" blade on once or twice for resawing but usually just go with the 1/2" blade. When I bring up that the machine can utilize a 3/4" blade, most woodworkers get all gruff and say something like, "Awwww, it can handle a 3/4" blade but ya don't really wanna do that on a 14" saw. Stick with your 1/2". When asked why not a 3/4" blade I usually get told that the 14" saws really aren't tough enough to handle them.

Huh?

When my woodworking buddy (Maxx) got a new to him 14" band saw with a riser kit, he was told the same thing from the first owner. It seems like a trend.

But why? They advertise that the saws can handle a 3/4" blade. What is so different about the 3/4" blade that a 14" saw shouldn't use it, at least not for long?

Any suggestions?


----------



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

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


----------



## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

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.


----------



## woodspar (Mar 6, 2007)

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.


----------



## Durnik150 (Apr 22, 2009)

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.


----------



## longgone (May 5, 2009)

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.


----------



## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

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


----------



## GaryK (Jun 25, 2007)

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.


----------



## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

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.


----------



## Durnik150 (Apr 22, 2009)

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"!


----------



## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

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


----------



## woodbutcher (Dec 29, 2006)

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


----------



## Durnik150 (Apr 22, 2009)

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?


----------



## Durnik150 (Apr 22, 2009)

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!


----------



## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

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 )


----------



## Durnik150 (Apr 22, 2009)

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.


----------



## Ottis (Apr 17, 2009)

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.


----------



## BlankMan (Mar 21, 2009)

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.


----------



## marcb (May 5, 2008)

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?


----------



## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

*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".*


----------



## damianpenney (Jun 22, 2007)

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.


----------



## Belgrath04 (11 mo ago)

> This is a little question that has been bouncing around in my head for a while. I own a Ridgid 14" band saw (no laughing!). It has done a great job for me although the 6" cutting depth is a little limiting.
> 
> In the owner s manual it says that it can handle blades from 1/8" to 3/4". I ve put a 3/4" blade on once or twice for resawing but usually just go with the 1/2" blade. When I bring up that the machine can utilize a 3/4" blade, most woodworkers get all gruff and say something like, "Awwww, it can handle a 3/4" blade but ya don t really wanna do that on a 14" saw. Stick with your 1/2". When asked why not a 3/4" blade I usually get told that the 14" saws really aren t tough enough to handle them.
> 
> ...


Durnik150, I just got off the phone with Timberwolf, asking them this exact question. Their response on why they could not recommend a 1" blade for my 15" was the blade itself.
The 0.035 thickness just can't handle the stress from running over the smaller wheels on these vertical bandsaws with the tension required for that size blade. He did comment that he didn't see any problems if I could find someone who makes a 1" blade with thinner (more flexible) steel.
He also said feel free to try one and see how it works. It might work just fine or I might see stress induced cracking start showing up in the blade in which case I would know its just too thick.


----------



## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

Dredging up a 13 year old thread 

Problem is the 14" cast iron band saws all have a weak point - the upper wheel bracket. Overtension it, and you wind up with:









(See this thread: https://www.lumberjocks.com/topics/32164 )

3/4" is really pushing the limit of what that bracket can handle, and it is very easy to overtension the blade and cause damage to it. This site is littered with threads about the bracket going south and causing problems. If you are careful, you can do it… if you are a bit heavy handed on the tension knob, or try to push that blade too hard, you will get what you see above.

Cheers,
Brad


----------



## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

The more likely reason would be the adjustment limits on the blade guides. With the blade running properly on the wheels, the guides should be adjusted to lightly touch the blade. The side guides should be behind the gullets of the teeth; the thrust bearing not spinning until the cut is started. Is this possible with a 3/4" blade on your saw?


----------



## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

Pretty much is a mix of HP, Tooth Geometry, tension required, and a weak frame in regards to tension, throw in all of the other mentioned pieces like blade guides, their function, and geometry, crown of the wheels, and you end up with a saw that "MOST" people have better luck with a 1/2" blade as being the largest size they use, and get good consistent results.

This is a "problem" with all of the Delta clone 14" BS's, usually made much worse with a riser. It is why the makers are all leaving that model of cast frame saw behind, and going with steel frame saws that allow for much easier tensioning of the blade. You just rarely see this as a problem with the steel frame saws, using wider wheels, and generally a roller type blade guide, and most have little gimmies like blade tensioning release built in.


----------



## Kudzupatch (Feb 3, 2015)

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


DING! DING! DING! DING! DING! DING!

A couple of others hit on this too. It is simple a matter of most if not all 14" saws can not tension the blade to the RECOMMENDED tension. * Even so* it may work OK at a lower tension than recommended.

Some of the other answers were very entertaining too!


----------



## EdWeber (Jun 17, 2021)

For "most" 14" Asian imports and all other clones. 1/2" blade is the max.
Yes you can put a 3/4" blade on them and they will cut BUT the saw *can not* tension the blade properly.
Heavier tension springs can help but will not completely solve the problem. Quite simply, these saws were not designed for a blade that large.
JMO


----------



## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

I'd worry about the pot metal tension brackets that many of these saws have. Plenty of people here looking to replace broken ones.

going from 1/2" to 3/4" is 50% increase in required tension if the blades are the same thickness, although a wider blade can sometimes work well with a lower tension due to the increase in cross section.


----------



## xedos (Apr 25, 2020)

> *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".*
> 
> - Dick, & Barb Cain


FALSE !

well, you thinking it will be more accurate is not false - you said it. Doesn't make it fact

The wider blade lasting longer is rubbish.


----------

