Ask the Staff
Question:
Hi, I've heard really good things about your Woodslicer blades and after reading your info find
that I'm confused! I have a Jet, 18" bandsaw that calls for a 137" blade. In your PDF it seems
that the 1/2" blade would be as good and maybe even better than the 3/4". I'm currently using
another brand 3/4" but would you recommend the 1/2" for resawing?
Thanks in advance.
John G. Eugster
Answer:
John,
We've only sold the 3/4" wide Wood Slicer for the past few years. The 1/2" Wood Slicer has been
the blade our customers have used quite happily for close to 20 years. The 3/4" band became
available and we offer it as a choice to our customers with larger capacity saws who kept requesting
a wider Wood Slicer band for their machines. The 1/2" & 3/4" bands are identical in every respect
except for width.
Our tests on a Delta 14" saw with a riser kit showed that the 3/4" Wood Slicer performed exactly
the same as the 1/2" wide Wood Slicer. You can spend more money on the wider Wood Slicer, but you
may find the 1/2" works just as well as the 3/4". If the Wood Slicer is new to you, whether it is
the 1/2" or 3/4" wide blade, after you’ve used it and it comes time to replace it, you could
consider switching to the other width as a trial. You can then compare how your saw cut with the new
width blade, versus the history of previous width blade. This benchmark for your own saw will help
you determine which blade width to stick with. For those who haven’t yet purchased a Wood Slicer, you
may want to start with the 1/2" width blade (hey, it costs less) and once dull, splurge on the 3/4"
and note if the extra cost translates into a worthwhile increase in cutting performance on your
saw.
Regards,
Ed Scent
Highland Woodworking
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