# How large a bandsaw blade can I use with my new 17 inch Grizzly??



## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

*Hey LJ's*

Once again I'm asking a question about bandsaws.Have learned a lot from previous Forum posts. I've also learned a lot from Matthias Wendal of woodgears. ca ( about blade size and flex )

I now own a new GO 513 extreme Bandsaw. It has balanced steel wheels and a cast iron trunion with 2 hp and two speeds.

The lower speed is recommended for hardwoods. The manual that comes with this saw is much more informative than the manual for my GO555 that I sold to buy this saw. It recommends using a 3/4 3 tpi blade.

Have done a bit of mill work on the 14 inch saw and learned that 5/8 ths was the maximum due to the wheel size. And the GO555 was a bit under powered for rough mill work.

I also know that a carbide blade would be a valuable blade to have.

*My question is : Given the ruggedness of this saw can I use a larger blade for a more efficient milling on this saw?*

Thanks for your input and suggestions


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## papadan (Mar 6, 2009)

Doc, I am no bandsaw expert at all, but do know that 3/4 3TPI would be a nice resaw blade. I don't know the max blade width but your manual should tell you or at least measure the tire width on the wheels An Ideal resaw would be 1" 2-3TPI From there you work your way down in width as you go up in TPI all the way to 1/4" 12-16 TPI scroll blade.


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## CajunWoodArtist (Oct 27, 2015)

First….Congratulations on your new 17' bandsaw.
I have a 14" Powermatic bandsaw with a riser kit and the manual recommended a 5/8" max blade width but I did buy a 3/4" blade and used it with no problems. My thoughts at the time were that if it would not work I would just be out the cost of a blade and if it did work i would have a good upgrade.
Realsitically, I do not see a big difference with an 1/8" size increase over the 5/8.
What size increase were you considering?


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

I am pretty sure that the manual says 1" is the max (which I have never tried on mine) but 3/4" for milling green logs is big enough for me. Frankly after watching the Band Saw Clinic with Alex Snodgrass Youtube video, I think that putting a 1" blade on it would not work very well. If you watch the video, he recommends adjusting the tracking so that the deepest part of the gullet is centered on the wheel, rather than centering the blade on the wheel. With a 1" blade, that might put the back of blade even with or possibly even past the back of the wheel but that is just a guess since I haven't tried a 1" blade.

Some great information in that video BTW. Anyone with a band saw can get some go information from it.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Hey Nathan,

Thanks for the reminder. The video was very helpful when I was trying to figure out the GO555. Your milling green logs on your bandsaw. What brand saw?


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Greg,

Thanks! With the riser installed, how much height did you achieve? I purchased a timberwolf 3/4 inch blade. I had some amazon gift cards from my credit card points. I'd purchased and tried a 5/8ths timber wolf to use on my 14 inch GO555 and I got some even 1/4 inch veneer cuts on black walnut I'd dried. I videoed it and when I went back to look at it it took 8 minutes for an 8 inch long @ 7 inch high cut. I have a bunch of rough lumber to mill and that time line felt excessive when multiplied by all my logs? I'm guessing your saw has a 1.5 hp motor? My 14 inch had a 1 hp. Great saw and it sold to the first guy who came to my shop. LOL!

The information from the timberwolf blade indicated that it was not for green wood?

I'd thought about 7/8ths to 1 inch. Papadan's information gave me something to think about. RE: dimension of the wheels and tires.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Papadan,

Thanks for the suggestions! 14 to 16 for 1/4 inch? HMMM!


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

> Hey Nathan,
> 
> Thanks for the reminder. The video was very helpful when I was trying to figure out the GO555. Your milling green logs on your bandsaw. What brand saw?
> 
> - DocSavage45


I got the basic Grizzly G0513ANV about 2 years ago while it was $100 less that the non-anniversary version and also had free shipping. I made a crude sled to hold 2-3' logs to get straighter cuts. Since I have not made an in-feed or out-feed support, 3' is about the longest I can handle without getting someone to help. With the sled, the widest I have ever milled was about 10.5" in diameter. The worst part is having to clean the blades after every other log (soaking in Simple Green works great). I need to try sharpening my 3/4" blade. After the pecan I just milled up with the 2 year old blade, it definitely needs some attention.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Thanks, Watching the video. LOL!


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

I'm looking at this same saw in an auction right now. Grizzly site says it will use 1/8" up to 1" blades.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Bill,

Good luck!


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

Thanks, We'll see. I'm winning right now at $180. Lol. There's a lot of time left.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Bill,

It's usually down to the end. Just remember what the new ANV costs, with a warranty. I have made regretable "great deal" purchases. LOL!


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## Crickett (May 7, 2014)

Doc,
There is a good reason manufacturers have blade recommendations. There's more to it the just the capacity of what your bearings / guide blocks / euro-guides can handle. As you get in to larger blades which come with wider kerfs, you introduce higher tension requirements for the spine of the machine and the wheels. Grizzly makes a fine machine but they don't make the thickest & most sturdy spines on the market. You made a nice upgrade and congrats on that. I recommend staying within recommended sizes, make sure you use proper tension, and splurge for a carbide blade if it in the budget. A good carbide blade makes your saw work less and carbide blades also nearly eliminate drift. Food for thought…


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## AHuxley (Apr 22, 2009)

There are multiple restrictions that can determine the maximum blade size for a bandsaw, the wheel width, the path the blade must take to be placed on the saw and the guides are the main physical restrictions. The wheel and guides are fine on the 513 series up to 1" and the path though it gets tight for a 1" blade is still fine but requires some finesse.

The next issue is the amount of tension the saw can produce. This can't be simply expressed by blade width since it depends on the blade cross section so thickness (gauge) is just as big and issue. So a thin 1" blade may require less spring pressure than a 3/4" blade, so you have to know what you are dealing with. Further carbon and spring steel blades will operate optimally at 15,000-17,000 psi where carbide and bi-metal blades will need 25,000-30,000 psi to operate at their best. So it is not as simple as saying it will tension a 1" blade or a 3/4" blade.

The 513 is a light weight 17" saw and has limited tension ability so if you want a bi-metal or carbide blade then you want to stay at 3/4" and make sure it has a relatively thin gauge backer, preferably a .030 or thinner blade but those are hard to find, you may have to go with a .035" blade. A 3/4" carbide or bi-metal blade will need all the tension that saw can muster and still be on the low end in tension.


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## Crickett (May 7, 2014)

Well put AHuxley. This is the exact reason I bought a Minimax MM16 with a triple box beam spine. Since I use it nearly every single day, I don't even bother to release the tension overnight on my 1" Trimaster. Not to mention the 5hp (4.8 for those who want to fact check) motor eats everything I throw at it.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Thanks! Great information. Gonna require some thought to get a proper blade.


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## AHuxley (Apr 22, 2009)

> Thanks! Great information. Gonna require some thought to get a proper blade.
> 
> - DocSavage45


BTW forget the lower speed suggestion by the manual, it is bunk. I cut hardwood at twice the upper speed of the 513.

What type of cuts do you want to make and how much are you willing to spend, those two things will narrow blade selection down significantly.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Just my thoughts, but the biggest mistake on band saws is overloading the saw with a really wide blade.
I'm in the school that will use the smaller blade that will do the required work. That means that I will use the smaller width blade.
Regardless of what the specs might suggest, I've found that a 1/2" 3 tpi blade will do the most work unless you're cutting some really thick/wet wood.
17" saws might work with a 3/4" blade. Just be frugal and don't overload the saw.
Bill


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

This Timber Wolf Bandsaw Blade 3/4" X 131.5", 2-3 TPI has served me well for cutting 10" logs for 2 years now on my G0513ANN. I paid considerably less than it is currently listed for on Amazon. 
The saw has no problem tensioning the blade to achieve excellent results even as it got dull and I had to tension it more to prevent the blade from wondering but when it was new and sharp, simply using the flutter method was sufficient. I personally don't see a reason to go with a 1" blade. I would probably upgrade to a carbide blade before going to a 1" blade.


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## AHuxley (Apr 22, 2009)

> I personally don t see a reason to go with a 1" blade. I would probably upgrade to a carbide blade before going to a 1" blade.
> 
> - Lazyman


Tensioned to the same psi a blade with a larger cross section will have a higher beam strength which resists bending forces more and will result in a straighter cut (less barrelling) and allow for a faster feed rate (beam strength is far from the only metric that determines maximum feed rate). A properly tensioned carbide blade will (almost) always have a higher beam strength than a carbon steel blade of the same width and in most circumstances a 3/4" carbide blade will (properly tensioned) have more beam strength than a similar gauge 1" carbon blade. For resawing thick material one should choose the blade that produces the most beam strength a saw can generate.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

*AHuxly,*

You offer good advice. Youve shared your knowledge before which I used in finding some Lennox blades. I am looking for the cleanest cut possible. One for the dried Black walnut and less hard woods I have chainsaw milled. The other is for greener small logs.

At present I don't have the funds for a carbide blade. Maybe in the future.

*Nathan,*
I had a few gift cards and I did purchase that particular Timber Wolf Blade. Have not had time to really work with the saw yet.

From what I'm reading in the postings my saw may not have the tensioning ability for some blades?

The beam strength is the reason for my initial question as to blade size and for what type of wood.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

AHuxly,

What type of saw are you running? Blade sizes and motor capacity?


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

I'd considered the possibility of 7/8ths to 1 inch as having more beam strength and therefore a cleaner , possibly faster cutting.


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## AHuxley (Apr 22, 2009)

I have 6 saws from 14" to 28" and from 2hp to 10hp, hand fed and power fed. Basically a cross section of smaller saws.

For clean cut resawing in dry hardwood on that saw I suggest a Lenox Trimaster 3/4" x 3TPI and it will take all the tension the saw can give.

For green wood sawing are you resawing or are you cutting bowl blanks for turning?


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Greenwood resawing not turning.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Where do you put all your bandsaws? :<)


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## AHuxley (Apr 22, 2009)

> Greenwood resawing not turning.
> 
> - DocSavage45


For reswing, unless the wood is extremely stringy, the Tri-master will clear the swarf. I would try using the Tri-master (assuming you get it or similar blade) and if it gets too packed up look for a blade with a lot of set. Just be sure to keep the blade clean and not let too much pitch build up on it.

Bandsaws take up surprisingly little room if you place 4 together back to back in a circle (square?).


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## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

Hi Doc

I have the grizzly 17" cut 5 hp also and use up to 1 1/4 depending on what me and the other vets are doing. I would also suggest get several size blades to do the job you are wanting to do and it is not hard to change the blade.

I have the 1 1/4", 3/4", 1/2", 3/8" and 3/16" all for different things. If I had a 14" I would use it for the smaller blades.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Hey Arlan,

Thanks for your input. Hope all is well.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

AHuxley,

Thanks, Ill look into the trimaster blade from the place who provided my 14 inch machine blades.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

LOL! I think it may be awhile for the trimaster blade. Due to up front costs.

Do you have any places that might be inexpensive? @174 bucks plus shipping.


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## AHuxley (Apr 22, 2009)

IIRC the 513 takes a 11' blade, $175 for a 11' 3/4" Trimaster is actually a good price, if you get it cheaper it won't be by much.

You have two options if a carbide blade is out due to budget either keep the finish quality and get a 3/4" hardened spring steel blade like the Kerfmaster (Spectrum), Blade Runner (Iturra) or Woodslicer (Highland), listed in increasing price but they are all from the same blade stock. While you keep the high quality finish you get very little longevity. The other option is a 3/4" bi-metal blade here you get much more longevity (compared to carbon or spring steel but less than carbide) but give up the finish quality. A carbon blade would also work, similar in price to the hardened spring steel blades and cheaper than bi-metal, will outlast the spring steel blade but won't last nearly as long as a bi-metal blade and you get finish quality similar to the bi-metal blade. In the end there is no free lunch you just have to decide what metric you are willing to compromise on.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Kerfmaster by Spectrum is cost effective but it also says not for greenwood milling, which is probably due to the thinness of the blade?

Is the timberwolf in this category ? It also said not the preferred blade for greenwood milling.

Would the bimetal blade be problematic re: tensioning?


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## AHuxley (Apr 22, 2009)

> Kerfmaster by Spectrum is cost effective but it also says not for greenwood milling, which is probably due to the thinness of the blade?
> 
> Is the timberwolf in this category ? It also said not the preferred blade for greenwood milling.
> 
> ...


The trio of spring steel blades are definitely not for greenwood, mainly due to the lack of set. A Trimaster (and some other carbide blades) has the ability to cut green wood and leave excellent finish on dry hardwood resaws but few other blades share both characteristics, you are going to have to either get two blades or make some compromise on finish off the saw. A bimetal blade up to 3/4" will be fine with regards to tension on that saw.

Here is my budget suggestion, get a couple of Lenox Flexback 3/4" x 2 TPI for the green wood (as long as the cuts are at least 1 1/2" tall, you want a minimum of three teeth in the material). Then get a Kerfmaster or two for dry resawing where you want the best finish and if finish is not as important switch to the Flexback instead since it has a lower cost per cut than the spring steel blades. Then save up for the carbide blade. Even though it is more expensive up front it has a far lower cost per cut inch than any other wood cutting band. Bi-metal is second but you don't get the finish quality from a bi-metal blade.


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## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

I really like the Timberwolf bandsaw blades and several company's sell them including Grizzly. Check them out or if you give me the length of the blade I will look it up for you buddy. I also use a diamond bit in my drumel to sharpen them all the time and for others as well.

I just got out of the VA hospital after a few weeks and cut on 4 times due to the old issues from the bombing.


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

> Bi-metal is second but you don t get the finish quality from a bi-metal blade.
> 
> - AHuxley


When milling green wood, is cut quality really that important? You are most likely going to joint and plane it anyway after it it has dried and possibly warped so I would think that the main advantage you are looking for when milling logs is ease of cutting and durability the blade. While I would love to have a carbide blade, because of the cost I would probably want it mostly for resawing, especially veneer, where you don't want to remove much more wood to clean up the surface after making the cut.

I have read several people who say that the Timberwolf blades are junk but none of them have ever explained why they think so. My experience with them is good but I admittedly don't have experience with other blades yet to compare against. Even when I do buy another brand, I will probably be replacing a worn out blade so it may be hard for me to tell.


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

Doc:
I have owned the G0513X2BF for about four years now, and the biggest I have put in it is 3/4". The unit can certainly handle the width and the power it takes to get it rolling, but to be honest, it is just a bear to get it around the keeper plates on the lower bearing assembly. You come in through the slot on the table, and have to immediately make a 90' turn with the blade to get it into the plates that surround the rear bearing on the lower setup. You can back it up some, but it is still a hassle. I cannot imagine putting on a 1" blade, and to be honest, for what? 
Dull blades travel all over the place, no matter what the width. I do just as well with a 1/2" blade resawing up to 12" as I do with a 3/4", as long as the blades are sharp.

I usually do just fine resawing with a 1/2" blade.


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## AHuxley (Apr 22, 2009)

> Bi-metal is second but you don t get the finish quality from a bi-metal blade.
> 
> - AHuxley
> 
> ...


As far as cut quality in green wood I agree, I am just responding to the OP's question. A carbide blade will do both jobs well but you will have to balance cut quality with other metrics in cheaper blades.

TW has had periods of poor welds which have turned many people off, but most suppliers have the issue pop up once in a while but some are better catching it in QC. I personally have no real use for TW blades and I will explain why. The majority of TW blades are made from high silicon, so called Swedish steel. Swedish steels best use for bandsaw blades is for friction bands. This steel is rather soft (Rc 60 compared to standard carbon bands at Rc 64) so it dulls rather quickly and the price is usually above that of carbon. The one benefit it has it can be sharpened to a higher level so it is initially sharper than carbon blades. So what you have is a niche blade that is marketed as a standard use blade. If you need an inexpensive blade that is very sharp and leaves extremely good finish then the hardened spring steel blades make great sense. I just don't find the high silicon steel blades a good value in a standard use blade. If one understands their pros and cons and it fits their need that is fine but most are bought by people and used in a way a cheaper carbon blade would have been a better value for them. In the end I don't see them as junk just over-priced and short lived for the way most people use them.

@Tennessee regarding the why of wider blades it is simply beam strength. If you take a similar 3/4" and 1" blade and tension them both correctly the 1" blade will have a higher beam strength and the cut will have less barrelling it will also allow a faster feedrate up until one of the other factors like swarf clearing becomes the limitation. Wide blades indeed have their uses especially in tall resawing BUT it only works better if you have enough tension ability with ones saw and far too many people try to tension too large a blade on a given saw which results in worse results than they would have gotten with a more narrow blade on the same saw.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

*Nathan, Paul, AHuxley,*

*Thank You, Thank You, ThankYou!!!!!!*

This is exactly the great experience and individual knowledge discussion I was looking for.

You guys rock!


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

*Arlin*,

I don't know how to sharpen bandsaw blades…I wonder if I have the Patience for it?

Hope everything turned out well for you at the VA.

I already have a Timberwolf blade.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

*Paul,*

In setting up my new saw I attempted to adjust the bearings under the table. That was the first issue. Maybe why Grizzly only suggests a 3/4 inch blade in the manual?


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

> I really like the Timberwolf bandsaw blades and several company s sell them including Grizzly. Check them out or if you give me the length of the blade I will look it up for you buddy. I also use a diamond bit in my drumel to sharpen them all the time and for others as well.
> 
> I just got out of the VA hospital after a few weeks and cut on 4 times due to the old issues from the bombing.
> 
> - Arlin Eastman


I am about to try sharpening my 3/4" Timberwolf blade. Do you also sharpen the face of the tooth or just the top as I have seen several Youtubers do? Do you think a diamond bit is necessary or would one of the Dremel grinding stones work as well?


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Hey Nathan,

Good luck, Maybe someone who's checking in here can help? I'd sharpen my cheapest blade first. LOL! Because Murphy is my mentor.


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

LOL. I figure would have to buy another blade once it is too dull to use so why not give it a try.

I am hoping Arlin will chime in to share his technique.


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## magaoitin (Oct 20, 2015)

I have an older Grizzly 16" (G1538) with a 1 1/2 HP motor and I have never gone bigger than a 3/4" with a 0.032 kerf (as Huxley points out above) due to the blade tensioning abilities of the saw.

Since your saw is newer than mine, I would guess your blade tensioning is much improved and you could probably handle a 3/4" blade like the Laguna Resaw King that's 0.041 kerf (though your pocket book might not handle it)


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

*Jeff,*

Welcome to the discussion. A 16 inch Grizz? Could you modify the tensioning?


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Nathan ,

Good luck!


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## AHuxley (Apr 22, 2009)

> *Jeff,*
> 
> Welcome to the discussion. A 16 inch Grizz? Could you modify the tensioning?
> 
> - DocSavage45


Grizzly used to sell a 16" bandsaw IIRC it was the G1073, it was a cast saw built like a larger version of a Delta 14" saw.


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## MerylL (Aug 24, 2014)

watching


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## magaoitin (Oct 20, 2015)

AHuxley is correct that they had a G1073, but Grizzly also made the G1538 as 16" saw in the 90's. I don't know the particulars of the G1073, but the G1538 has 3 pulleys on the motor for 3 speeds. Mine is a 1991 or 1992 mfg. I sent photos to Grizzly parts department to identify my model when my blade guide and tensioning adjustment mechanism broke. Since I don't have any badges on my saw, they identified it as the G1538. I can't say enough great stuff about Grizzly's tech and parts department, those guys are fantastic. They also sent me a pdf version of the saw manual and parts guides.

Huxley is right that this is pretty much a beefier version of the delta 14" (which I also have), but the 2" extra in size makes all the difference in the size of logs I can resaw. The max thickness of material I can get in the Grizzly is 10 1/8", which is a huge step up from the 14" Detla that s only 6 1/4".

My wheels/tires are not crowned as well. I don't know if this is something the last owner did so that he could use a 1"+ blade. I have the surface area to install a 1 1/2" blade and allow it to track, it just wont adjust or cut worth a damn when I go over 3/4".

As far as I can tell, the tensioning on my 16" saw cannot be modified without replacing the whole assembly, and the cast iron upper wheel assembly due to how the tensioning mechanism is attached. If I tighten too much is just strips out the screws in teh cast body. I have heard a stiffer spring might help, but since this model has been discontinued, finding the right spring might be next to impossible.

Tensioning of the 16" Grizzly G1538










Tensioning on my 14" Delta 28-203


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## Ocelot (Mar 6, 2011)

I've used 1" blades on my Grizzley 17" saw.

I bought 4 cheap Lenox 1" blades for cutting green stuff. I ended up not doing a lot of that. Green stuff is very heavy and hard to manage.

I have 3 new 1" blades that I have never mounted.

-Paul


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## Ocelot (Mar 6, 2011)

Sharpening... Matthias Wandel.


> *Arlin*,
> 
> I don t know how to sharpen bandsaw blades…I wonder if I have the Patience for it?
> 
> ...


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Thanks for your input Purchased 2 bimetal Lennox blades after a conversation with the company rep. Waiting on the blades and to check how well they track and align. As AHuxley said different companies different welds. Theses folks replaced faulty welded blades before. We shall see???? LOL!


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