Raleigh area bandsaw blade help

AndyBarnhart · 03-17-2008, 10:05 AM

I just bought an oddball 14" saw the other day. It's a "ThomCo" that is shorter than most 14" saws so it takes a slightly smaller blade. But the price was right and it turns out to have the same upper half casting as the Grizzly G1019 that was discontinued not long ago, so Grizzly is selling off the riser kits for about $40 with shipping. I ordered one. It will come with a 105" blade, which I won't be able to use. I will need 102 or 103. I supposed I could just sell the 105" and buy a 102 or 103 (and it's not like just one blade will be enough anyway) but if I could get it shortened for under $10, it would probably be worth it. Anyway, if there any place in the Raleigh/Cary area that does this? I could also try to work out a swap with someone that needs a 105, I guess. Oh yeah, a stealth gloat - I will end up with over 10" under guides and I haven't spent $150 yet.

Tarhead · 03-17-2008, 12:06 PM

Andy,
Call John at www.woodcraftbands.com 800-582-1328 (near Boone) and see what he can do. The blades that Grizzly gives you are not usually the best quality and probably not worth the time and effort to get them mounted. You will spend more getting it cut and re-welded than it's worth. His prices are hard to beat. Consider the bi-metal blades he has. They last, and last, and last....
Mark

DaveD · 03-17-2008, 12:54 PM

Give Raleigh Saw a call. They have a good reputation on this board.

I would think they could make you one whatever length you want for a competitive price. They might even modify yours that are too long. Brazing/welding them back together for someone that knows what they are doing is no big deal.

AndyBarnhart · 03-17-2008, 01:46 PM

Well, Grizzly just threw a wrench in the works. The kit is backordered. How the heck can something on clearance at the outlet be backordered?

toolferone · 03-17-2008, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by DaveD

Give Raleigh Saw a call. They have a good reputation on this board.

Yup, we do it. It is $5.00 per blade. The blade that comes with most riser blocks is a pretty basic blade. I am not sure it is worth the money to reweld it. Of course we do make up new baldes here too.

AndyBarnhart · 03-17-2008, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by toolferone

Yup, we do it. It is $5.00 per blade. The blade that comes with most riser blocks is a pretty basic blade. I am not sure it is worth the money to reweld it. Of course we do make up new baldes here too.

And quite reasonably priced. Since I got the backorder notice from Grizzly, I am going to bother you with one blade at a time orders until I get the riser (or unhappy news that it ain't coming). The prices are as good as I have found anywhere on the net, no shipping and not far from my office. Hopefully one day soon I will be ordering a bunch of 102.5" blades instead of 91" blades one at a time...

EDIT - hey; that reminds me... Why is it that the 6" risers make you need a blade that is 11.5" longer instead of 12" ?

Travis Porter · 03-17-2008, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by arbarnhart

EDIT - hey; that reminds me... Why is it that the 6" risers make you need a blade that is 11.5" longer instead of 12" ?

One guess is that it is a 5 3/4" riser and not a 6" riser. More likely, I bet it has to do with how much the blades stretch under tension.

McRabbet · 03-17-2008, 10:03 PM

Well, it depends on the saw and the blade size... I have a Grizzly G0555 14" bandsaw and I added the 6" Riser Kit. It uses 105" blades. If you look at the specs for the G0555 on their website, it says:

Blade size: 92 1/2 - 93-1/2" (1/8" to 3/4" wide)

So, you are right Travis -- a narrow blade needs to be shorter because it stretches more under tension than a wide one. And it averages out as a 105" - 93" = 12" difference.

AndyBarnhart · 03-17-2008, 10:58 PM

I didn't know the range; I just knew the standard stocked blades in the blister pack for 14" saws are 93.5" or 105" with a riser.

Travis Porter · 03-17-2008, 11:16 PM

I bet you can get a 105" blade to work.

Steve W · 03-18-2008, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by arbarnhart

Well, Grizzly just threw a wrench in the works. The kit is backordered. How the heck can something on clearance at the outlet be backordered?

Andy,

First I want to thank you on the heads-up with the clearance. I had been meaning to get the riser kit and this post got me off the dime.

I ordered the 6" riser kit yesterday and they just emailed me that they shipped it. If you're still on backorder, I would check with them again. I don't know why you would order before me and get backordered, while my order shipped immediately.

Steve

AndyBarnhart · 03-18-2008, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by Steve W

Andy,

First I want to thank you on the heads-up with the clearance. I had been meaning to get the riser kit and this post got me off the dime.

I ordered the 6" riser kit yesterday and they just emailed me that they shipped it. If you're still on backorder, I would check with them again. I don't know why you would order before me and get backordered, while my order shipped immediately.

Steve

Well, you are welcome. Even if you were to end up with the last riser kit, it's not your fault. I emailed and asked for an update and told them about your experience. If you go into "My Account" on their web site and click on your order, is it actually showing tracking info? Mine just says "no info available yet" and has no indication of status.

-Andy

AndyBarnhart · 03-18-2008, 01:56 PM

Originally Posted by Travis Porter

I bet you can get a 105" blade to work.

I doubt it. This is an oddball saw. 91" is the max length it takes without the riser kit.

-Andy

AndyBarnhart · 03-18-2008, 10:14 PM

OK, I followed up and it looks like I am getting some action (and maybe even some product), but they did figure out how to mess with me for whining...

I placed the order online. I followed up with email when they sent me the backorder notice and replied to that email via another email explaining that yours was shipping and asking about mine. They are shipping mine straight from WA. After the web order and all the emails, how did they decide to get this information to me? By calling my home phone during the day and letting my wife know. Well, I suffer from selective amnesia at times and purchasing a tool or accessory often seems to trigger an episode (I also suffer from male pattern deafness, but that's another story) so my wife was eager to help me fill in the gaps when I got home. "But you just got a bigger bandsaw last week!"
"Well, yes, but this isn't another one; I am just making the bigger bandsaw even bigger."
"And will you decide you need an even bigger one next week?"
Well, I don't know what will happen in the next week so I let her know that, but I was a little careful about word choice "This will be plenty for the forseeable future."

Anyway, I now hope to have it soon!

EDIT- an update - I have a tracking number! And UPS accepts that number and asys they have a box coming my way. That figures. I am still getting a blade today; it will be next week before the kit gets here and it could be a little while until it gets installed.

McRabbet · 03-18-2008, 11:17 PM

Andy, that's classic!!

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