Shopsmith Forums

Yes there is such a thing. Used for makeing thing like bowl blanks. The bad? news it that they don't appear to have one in the shopsmith size or I would order one to try. If someone with a more traditional size bandsaw does get one I'd be interested to hear what you think. Of course you can give your opinion without haveing one 'cause that is how it works here.
https://www.axminstertools.com/us/axcal ... rrency=USD

So there you go, something new to think about while on the site.......

Ed

Ed,

Thanks. It is an interesting concept, but does it work? I tried doing a little research and couldn't find any discussion in US based woodturning forums for this special blade, so if these are popular amongst woodturners, they aren't talking online about them. Given this, I am just wondering if this is a marketing gimmick to sale this blade or if it really does help. Perhaps it is a UK novelty?

I wonder how that works with guide blocks/bearings and backup bearings. Either the back teeth or the bearings will get torn up. Probably both.

The video I found was June 1, 2018 so it is not blade new to the market. It is only from Axcaliber (axminster) so it is pretty much their market in GB. I would expect most US people are not aware of it, I know I wasn't.

Rounding the back of the blade is a common US thing to aid in cutting thicker materials such as bowl blanks and I have tried that. It helps I guess but not a whole lot. That is why I'm wondering how these "teeth" would work. According to their page "Will not damage the machine's thrust guides" leads me to believe that the teeth are not sharp points but only effectively side cutting. I don't know that for a fact. Even so the side guides will more then likely get chewed up to the extent of where the rear teeth are so figure on replacing them at some point or saving a set just for cutting with this blade.

I don't do much of this sort of cutting but people who are into turning this could be a more important subject.

Ed

It is interesting, but seems to be a very small niche. I read some of the reviews for it and one customer said that it was much more noisy than a regular blade, presumably because of the those back teeth hitting the rear guides. Damaging them?

I suppose it makes the blade more flexible at the back, but I don't understand why bowl blanks are a problem to start with.

edma194 wrote: Mon Mar 15, 2021 6:27 pm I suppose it makes the blade more flexible at the back, but I don't understand why bowl blanks are a problem to start with.

Bowl blanks are often much thicker than what one might typically cut on a bandsaw. I haven't seen any discussion of a "back tooth" blade being used in US based woodturning forums, but what is usually recommended is using as low of a TPI blade as you can get, i.e. larger gullets are an asset when cutting through thick stock like a bowl blank.

RFGuy wrote: Mon Mar 15, 2021 6:32 pm

edma194 wrote: Mon Mar 15, 2021 6:27 pm I suppose it makes the blade more flexible at the back, but I don't understand why bowl blanks are a problem to start with.

Bowl blanks are often much thicker than what one might typically cut on a bandsaw. I haven't seen any discussion of a "back tooth" blade being used in US based woodturning forums, but what is usually recommended is using as low of a TPI blade as you can get, i.e. larger gullets are an asset when cutting through thick stock like a bowl blank.

As in re-sawing. The same thing. For bowl blanks a narrower blade with less TPI for the curve. For re-sawing a wider blade with less TPI.

jsburger wrote: Mon Mar 15, 2021 6:53 pm

RFGuy wrote: Mon Mar 15, 2021 6:32 pm

edma194 wrote: Mon Mar 15, 2021 6:27 pm I suppose it makes the blade more flexible at the back, but I don't understand why bowl blanks are a problem to start with.

Bowl blanks are often much thicker than what one might typically cut on a bandsaw. I haven't seen any discussion of a "back tooth" blade being used in US based woodturning forums, but what is usually recommended is using as low of a TPI blade as you can get, i.e. larger gullets are an asset when cutting through thick stock like a bowl blank.

As in re-sawing. The same thing. For bowl blanks a narrower blade with less TPI for the curve. For re-sawing a wider blade with less TPI.

It makes sense for the front of the blade. I still don't see how those back teeth are helping, except to effectively reduce the blade width.

edma194 wrote: Mon Mar 15, 2021 7:00 pm It makes sense for the front of the blade. I still don't see how those back teeth are helping, except to effectively reduce the blade width.

From their website:

"The teeth on the rear of the blade are not sharp to handle but have the effect of clearing the back of the cut by widening the kerf, enabling a much tighter curve to be cut making them an ideal choice for preparing timber for the lathe."