Bandsaw and Western Red Cedar

[BuckeyeDennis]

Well sir, you are a master, and I stand corrected (with some qualification )

What we (ranchers, cattlemen, hunters, etc) call Western Red Cedar grows very prolific on our "Mesas" in New Mexico. I have done some research and I have found that Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) is one of 13 junipers native to North America. It is similar to eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) but requires 2 years for seed maturity, compared to 1 year for its eastern relative. Other common names for the typical variety include Rocky Mountain redcedar, redcedar, western redcedar, river juniper, cedro rojo, and sabino. So I stand corrected. Apparently the Western Red Cedar of woodworking fame is a relatively large conifer that is like charlese said is a pretty soft wood. This "juniper/cedar" is harder than concrete, and it is why we use it for fence posts.

So, long story short, I guess I have been trying to cut a very hard juniper AKA Western Red Cedar, and that has been the problem.

So my hat is off to you sir, you nailed it!

Now, is there a band saw blade that will cut this stuff? (I know I am hard headed, but it is a beautiful wood .... )

Dick

One of these oughta do the trick. Unless that wood is even harder than bearing steel, that is.

Edit: Highland Woodworking carries this blade in the right size for a Shopsmith -- 72"x1/2". The price is $103.

[rjent]

One of these oughta do the trick. Unless that wood is even harder than bearing steel, that is.

Edit: Highland Woodworking carries this blade in the right size for a Shopsmith -- 72"x1/2". The price is $103.

Well hell, that thar has more teeth (and more carbide for that matter) than JPG's mouth.

I wonder at 103 dollars, how long the carbide teeth will stay sharp?

Thanks Dennis, have you ever used one?

Dick

[BuckeyeDennis]

Well hell, that thar has more teeth (and more carbide for that matter) than JPG's mouth.

I wonder at 103 dollars, how long the carbide teeth will stay sharp?

Thanks Dennis, have you ever used one?

Dick

No, I wasn't even 100% sure that anyone made carbide band saw blades. But your question made me curious, so I Googled it. As to longevity, they have some very impressive reviews. Like this one from the Lenox site:

"I first used the 1 1/4 2/3 in 2005 and finally replaced the first blade after 8 years of operation. This blade cut approximately 200,000 linear feet of up to 12" wide wood, with the majority being red oak. Balsa, various maples, pine, elm, you name it, it was cut. (The rail ties did require stopping to de-goo afterwards, the creosote really sticks.) On that note, we didn't remove the split preventers, this blade will go right through them. On occasion we also cut G10/12, phenolic sheet and tubes, random pieces of 6061 and 7075 aluminum sheet and stock. We did have a single piece of 3" titanium rod that we cut a wafer on, just because! It really did it! oh, and then came the 8 years of service. The blade was finally pulled after missing just 21 teeth. We had a string of 11 following the splice or else it would have kept going. 136" length running at 1100 or 2200fpm (usually 2200)."

And this one from Amazon:

"I bought this blade for a new powermatic bandsaw. I had gotten the best of a couple of steel blades early on for a huge job I was doing. I could not believe the smoothness of the cut from this blade down to 12" radius. It lasted through many,many feet of reclaimed hardwood and pine. I finally hit enough hardware to make it hard to track. I'm buying another to use for everything but scroll work. It will outlast many steel blades. If you do production work you have to have this blade."

Of course, that's all just hearsay. We can't wait to get a first-hand user review from you!

[rjent]

No, I wasn't even 100% sure that anyone made carbide band saw blades. But your question made me curious, so I Googled it. As to longevity, they have some very impressive reviews. Like this one from the Lenox site:

"I first used the 1 1/4 2/3 in 2005 and finally replaced the first blade after 8 years of operation. This blade cut approximately 200,000 linear feet of up to 12" wide wood, with the majority being red oak. Balsa, various maples, pine, elm, you name it, it was cut. (The rail ties did require stopping to de-goo afterwards, the creosote really sticks.) On that note, we didn't remove the split preventers, this blade will go right through them. On occasion we also cut G10/12, phenolic sheet and tubes, random pieces of 6061 and 7075 aluminum sheet and stock. We did have a single piece of 3" titanium rod that we cut a wafer on, just because! It really did it! oh, and then came the 8 years of service. The blade was finally pulled after missing just 21 teeth. We had a string of 11 following the splice or else it would have kept going. 136" length running at 1100 or 2200fpm (usually 2200)."

And this one from Amazon:

"I bought this blade for a new powermatic bandsaw. I had gotten the best of a couple of steel blades early on for a huge job I was doing. I could not believe the smoothness of the cut from this blade down to 12" radius. It lasted through many,many feet of reclaimed hardwood and pine. I finally hit enough hardware to make it hard to track. I'm buying another to use for everything but scroll work. It will outlast many steel blades. If you do production work you have to have this blade."

Of course, that's all just hearsay. We can't wait to get a first-hand user review from you!

LOL, OK!

Gotta find a planer first. I am making (playing with) some cabinet doors that I need to get right. When the cabinets are done, the Western Red Cedar/Juiper et al is dead meat ... so to speak ...

Dick