I'm getting started on a project that involves cutting a lot of gently curved pieces from 1" thick hard maple using my 14" Grizzly bandsaw. I'm considering using a 1/2 inch blade but I'm unsure about the right TPI for this kind of work. I plan to use the bandsaw for rough cuts and then finish the pieces with a pattern-following router. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
4 Answers
For non-linear cuts, I often use a 3/8" blade with 8 TPI for curves that are around 100 mm or larger. If you're tackling tighter curves, a 1/4" blade with 18 TPI works great!
I’ve had great success with Timber Wolf bandsaw blades. They seem to give the best results for my projects.
I highly recommend the 1/2" Wood Slicer blade from Highland Woodworking. It’s a fantastic all-purpose blade for a 14" bandsaw with a variable TPI of 3-4. Honestly, I usually just stick with this blade even for curves, so I haven't even tried my smaller, dedicated curve blade yet!
Thanks - that is the info I am looking for!
When using a 1/2” blade for 8/4 cutting, just be sure your swing arm is aligned perfectly. That can really affect how smoothly the blade cuts.
Thanks!