BS balde rpm

Keye

Keye
Corporate Member
I have a 14' Delta BS with 1HP, 1725 rpm motor. Anyone have any experience with increasing the rpm's without going to a bigger motor size. Lower torque is a given but overall do the pro's outweigh the con's. I am cutting 6" thick cherry with a 3/16" blade.
 

sawman101

Bruce Swanson
Corporate Member
Cherry burns very easily when cutting, I'd rather be using a blade being driven at 1725 than at a faster rate. 6" is very thick and your 3/16" blade would work best with the smallest number of teeth per inch (TPI). With a 3/16 blade your only option is 10 TPI but if you go up to 1/4" you can get 4 TPI blade which will remove saw dust from the cut more efficiently but in 6" cherry you'll need to go slow. An 1/2" 4 TPI blade is much better suited to cutting your stock--JMHO.
 

bob vaughan

Bob Vaughan
Senior User
I can only assume that the 3/16" blade is necessary for scrolling curves and not ripping boards into thinner stock. For curves with a 3/16" blade, modifying speed or torque will give you nothing. A 3/16" blade is flimsy to start with. Tooth configuration will have some impact on performance, but sharpness will have the most impact. A dull blade is not your friend.
 

pcooper

Phillip Cooper
Corporate Member
I have a Rikon band saw that on the instruction placard in the saw says that a steel wood cutting blade should not go faster than 3000 surface feet per minute. How to calculate that is motor RPM x Diameter in inches (of your saw wheel) x .262 = SFM. My saw has two speeds, one is 1445 SFM, and the other is 2950 SFM. I've always run resaw on the slower speed and as that is what I do most I rarely ever change it.
 

Keye

Keye
Corporate Member
Bob, as usual you are correct. I need to use the 3/16" blade. I think Bruce is also correct. I have only been able to find 10 tpi. I am going to use a 1/4" blade where I can and just accept changing blades. I have ordered what I hope will be higher quality blades which will stay sharp longer. Unfortunately some of the higher quality blade material is not available for a 3/16" blade.
 

Keye

Keye
Corporate Member
I can only assume that the 3/16" blade is necessary for scrolling curves and not ripping boards into thinner stock. For curves with a 3/16" blade, modifying speed or torque will give you nothing. A 3/16" blade is flimsy to start with. Tooth configuration will have some impact on performance, but sharpness will have the most impact. A dull blade is not your friend.

Are any of the blade lubricates worth using?
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
Have you gotten a copy of Louis Ittura's catalogue? He covers this in depth, including what pulley sizes to use to achieve best results. As for lubricant, the set in the teeth opens a kerf wider than the body of the blade, so lubricant isn't necessary. FYI, band saw blade speeds are measurd in feet per minute, not RPM's
 
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Pop Golden

New User
Pop
I use lubricant on the blade teeth when doing heavy cutting. What I use are old Christmas candles. There are always left overs after the holidays. I keep one at my saw and ever so often I apply it to the teeth. (both sides) I think it helps some.

Pop
 

Keye

Keye
Corporate Member
Have you gotten a copy of Louis Ittura's catalogue? He covers this in depth, including what pulley sizes to use to achieve best results. As for lubricant, the set in the teeth opens a kerf wider than the body of the blade, so lubricant isn't necessary. FYI, band saw blade speeds are measurd in feet per minute, not RPM's

I do have Mr. Ittura's catalogue. I have talked to him at length about this and other topics. He is really helpful and a nice guy. Guess I was looking for real experiences from NCWW members. Actually I do know how BS blade speed is measured. Should have paid more attention to what I was typing. Thanks for keeping me straight..
 

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