Sawmill Won't Cut Straight | Fix Your Sawmill and Avoid Wavy Lumber

[@kenhart6330]

I'm not a sawyer but I am an engineer and as you were showing the waves in the wood I noticed that the waves were mostly coinciding with the knots in the wood. I say this as another person interested in all other professions/hobbies. As always you tell people in a way that everyone knows what you are talking about. Thank you.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks for that Ken. I believe the knots which are more dense than the rest of the wood causes the slight diving of the blade to be more obvious than other parts of the log when getting dull

[@winterfar2814]

I cut primarily white pine and they have those knot clusters about every 3-4’ I noticed that the cut is typically thicker in those areas. I did have an issue with leveling as well on mine, although I have the bushlander which isn’t as easy to level.

[@rockrabb]

As much as the blades may be dull, slowing when cutting through the knot clusters will help prevent the waviness you showed.

[@sawingwithsandy]

It will help some diving I agree. Knowing where all the knots are can be my challenge ge

[@gearhead9]

One other thing I found with wavy cuts ( on my HM130 Max ) is if I get too much gap in the blade guides with a dull blade it amplifies the issue. The blade guides do help to keep the blades from twisting and rising/diving. Great video.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Great points there

[@chuckiebrown1494]

I'm glad you made this video. Several sawyers need to know this. Thanks my Canadian cousin

[@sawingwithsandy]

Glad to have ya !

[@Grizz270]

Right on...if you look at the location of the waves it's usually at a knot... slowing down for the knots can help a little but like you said it's best to just change the blades

[@sawingwithsandy]

Great point there

[@wightj]

You express yourself very well and you demonstrate your work with ease. You are very good at your job and it shows. Thank you

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks for that Pierre. I appreciate that!

[@feelingold2995]

Good stuff there brother... Yea, we all tend to try to get every last board foot out of our blades more times than not. I darn near tore apart half my sawmill the 1st time this happened to me lol.. Live and learn.. Keep up the good work there Sandy..

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks Steve

[@pauljelen2330]

Thanks for sharing the remedy for the wavy cut mystery. It most certainly helps out many of us with sawmills. Also, great tip for unpacking the blades.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks for watching Paul!

[@xdude2x]

Starting to get some waves in my cuts after about 4 hours of use give or take. I have spare blades so I will try this to see if it helps. Some waves to me are ok depending on what I’m using the lumber for. Thanks for the tip

[@sawingwithsandy]

I’m with ya there. Sometimes I let it go and other times I don’t like it

[@steveg9939]

Been following your channel for over a year now. Just want to say I am loving your content lately. Great tips and ideas!

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks Steve that’s great to hear!

[@josephmartin8160]

Thanks for this video. That was some very helpful information. I really enjoy all your videos and I'm learning a lot. I just bought a sawmill a few months ago and these videos are teaching me a lot. Thanks for your help. (Joseph from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina USA)

[@sawingwithsandy]

Great to hear Joseph! Hope the sawing goes well for ya

[@josephmartin8160]

@@sawingwithsandy thanks

[@douglasroseveare7295]

Another great video Sandy. Keep up the good work. Some friends and I ordered a blade sharpener and can't wait for it to arrive. Dirt really dulls the blades bad and also harder wood does a number on the blades too.

[@sawingwithsandy]

I agree with ya there! Thanks for watching and I appreciate the nice comments

[@TerryC69]

Hi Sandy! Your talent for straight forward instruction is a valuable skill. Thanks for passing around the knowledge.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Always welcome Terry

[@genewileyopa]

I need to change mine around. Just keep thinking just one more log. Well I guess the time has come. Thanks for sharing.

[@sawingwithsandy]

I'm the same way Gene. I do that a lot and sometimes I shouldn't haha

[@crazyj712]

Thank you for the lesson,,,mine started to do wavy boards, changed the blade...perfect..

[@robertmuir4501]

I’m sure I will experience this once I get my sawmill. Thank you for the tips

[@sawingwithsandy]

Glad I could help

[@justdora440]

Sharp blades are key for everything. Sawing, surgery, cooking, etc. Most important kitchen tool I own is a knife sharpener. More cuts can be attributed to a dull blade. I did notice when you used old blade, even from a distance, how the sawdust was blowing out intermittently on the side, revealing the high spots in the board. Then when you changed blades, the sawdust blowout was consistent. It cut like it was butter. All the extra steps you take on everything, makes a big difference in the end. Kudos on another nice video Sandy.

[@sawingwithsandy]

I agree with ya there Dora

[@farnorthpicker56]

Another great video Sandy, thank you. First time cutting with my HM122 yesterday. Frustrating experience! I’m cutting tamarack and it pitch/gum builds up on the blade almost immediately! I’ve been told this is one of the worst woods for that problem? I also ran without blade coolant for the first hour as per Woodlands instructions. So new blade going on, and I’ll be cutting some birch next in hopes of getting some nice boards to eventually plane for live edge shelving. As a newbie sawyer, I sure appreciate your videos.

[@bruceaplin]

Excellent explanation Sandy. Thank You 💛

[@Jimmyfisher121]

Thank you Sandy for another very helpful video, entertaining and educational.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Always welcome Jim

[@mojo2633]

Thanks for all these videos ! I am learning how to use the 130 max and its great to see the tips and tricks you do. Also easy to watch as you don't put a person to sleep with too much useless info. Keep up the great vids !

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thank you for that! I appreciate all your support

[@sydneymcconnaughhay5947]

Hi Sandy your vids are awesome, I can tell you are passionate and knowable about the forest and the lumber .Thank you , your are a breath of Fresh Air.🥰

[@sawingwithsandy]

Always good to have ya on the channel Sydney

[@josephvladyka3221]

Thanks Sandy, that’s the problem we are having with our Norwood mill. Also we are getting a different measurement from the ends and the center. To try and correct that we’re going to check the bed to see if it’s off.

[@sawingwithsandy]

I think that would be my first check as well. Thanks for watching Joseph

[@richardlee2488]

The log will deflect as you release tension. If you cut a number of boards from each side before turning the problem gets more extreme. Either you need to allow for a truing cut later or turn after every cut is better but takes time. The conventional guides have also all but disappeared on commercial sawmills and are replaced by pressure guides which physically push the blade offline. The better mills and resaws are also fitted with blade deviation monitoring. The instant it happens its put right. A change of blade or feed speed through wild grain but it's just crazy to push on with a blade that's lost its edge.

[@alexkinna9591]

Yes, you can really see the waves as you were drawing the carriage back to the start position (at 5:50 in the video), while the blade hovers over the wood, the gap fluctuates like crazy. When I see that happening (outside of tolerance), I change my blade for sure. Thanks for the video! Cheers.

[@jasons.248]

I think the greatest factor in the waviness of a dull blade is going to be wood grain which is most apparent when you come to a knot. Also, I did notice your blade guide wasn't in close to the cant, is it non-adjustable? If it was closer, it might help a bit, but you're obviously right with your assessment that most of the issues stem from blade sharpness.

[@randypedersen2141]

I have a HM126 and was cutting a big maple log into slabs a week ago. I knew my blade was reaching the end but thought I could squeeze one more log out of it. Wrong answer, it looked like a roller coaster. I put a new blade on and it was back to arrow straight and also much easier to move through the log. I will be changing out my blade more frequently from now on. Thank you for the video and your other videos. As a relatively new sawyer still learning the ropes I am always watching this type of video. I am sure I have seen most of yours.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Always great to hear from like-minded folks like yourself. Happy Sawing Randy

[@jeffhuffman5433]

That was a good instructional video Sandy and you're a 100% on the blade dipping from being dull most of the time. I can tell you're really liking your new mill and that's a good thing see you on the next one

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks Jeff. Sure am happy with it

[@carlmclelland7624]

VERY interesting video, Sandy. You're actually dealing with Several different factors here that show up as waves in the cut lumber. I also saw in the video, the blade waving when it encountered a knot. This would indicate to me, a change of density in the wood fibers. Your blade, like any fluid, will travel the path of least resistance; as governed by the mechanical tension on the blade. If you could, please comment this, and list the distance between blade teeth, and the velocity of the blade in feet per second, or minute, whatever spec you might have. (I need this to run some calculations). I don't think heat would be a factor unless the blade gets extremely hot during cutting. The coefficient of expansion for (generic) steel is 0.0000065 inches for every degree Fahrenheit temperature change, or one one-hundredth of a foot in one-hundred-feet for a fifteen degree temperature change. (In other words, minuscule in this application). The only way I can think of to test for this is (one) measuring the blade temperature and (two) measuring the tension (torque) on the blade during cutting. Another way to test for this would be pushing your worn blade very slowly to prevent heating, and see what happens. A final way that 'might' work to test this theory. Make a cut with the worn blade at 25 foot-pounds torque on the blade, immediately increase the torque (say 35 pounds) and make another cut. Is the cut straight on the second cut with the same blade? Another factor on the worn blade would be the relative sharpness and pitch of the individual teeth. When you sharpen your blades and reset the tooth pitch, do you notice a difference between teeth that pitch 'UP', versus teeth that pitch 'DOWN.' If you could comment with that information, I'll run some calculations and see if I can find an answer. (If so, I'll email the results. They'll be far too lengthy and complicated than another comment post). THANKS for the challenge, buddy!

[@sawingwithsandy]

Hey Carl! Lots of great things to consider for sure. Unfortunately I don’t have a way to measure the speed of the blade. I can measure the distance between the teeth though next time I’m out and about at the sawmill. Appreciate all the thoughts though. Gets me thinking

[@johnramsey6604]

Carl, you have way too much time on your hands

[@garrysgarage1958]

Great job on the information , your sawmill building is looking good!

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks appreciate it

[@TheBeardedCarpenter]

Howdy Sandy- thank you so much for sharing the information. I watch the Facebook pages on the sawmills and your name will come up occasionally and it’s always from someone who admires you and that’s a good thing. It’s great to be able to get information from you guys who are willing to share. Keep up the good work my friend. God bless

[@sawingwithsandy]

I appreciate hearing that. Thank you

[@johanneslaxell6641]

The one thing I am hoping for is for someone to make a real comparison between regular blades, bi-metal blades and carbide-blades. I have seen some testing, but not a "How many blades to cut one truckload of hardwood?" or somethong like that.

[@sawingwithsandy]

I’ll have to keep that in mind Johannes

[@bryansaunter4124]

On my hm130max, waves, blade tension loose, dull blade, pushing to fast especially thru knots, log deck not perfect, portables mostly, blade guides adjusted properly to much gap allows blade to rise an fall. Drive belt an follower belt need replacement. Also more on portables use level on saw head mine would move after travelling. I used 6 inch torpedo level parallel to the uprights on saw head, adjust as needed tighten bolts up after .These problems tormented me before I rechecked everything after moving. Your channel is perfect for these mills keep up the great work.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks Bryan

[@lumberjill6598]

Such a great video had to watch twice! 👍Take care Sandy and I'll meet you for coffee Saturday morning! ✌

[@sawingwithsandy]

Sounds good to me!

[@earlrumble1692]

WOW! learned a lot from this vid! Keep up the great work in producing these vids as I really enjoy each and every one!

[@sawingwithsandy]

That’s great to hear Earl

[@allenandmain]

Thanks now I know for sure, I had a hunch ,next I’ll study on sharpening my own

[@sawingwithsandy]

It’s rewarding sharpening your own for sure

[@dennisbeamish9058]

Great tutorial Sandy! I get problems with my bandsaw from time to time and it occurs to me that you can have the exact same issues with a bandsaw except it is a vertical cut instead of horizontal.. Thanks for sharing. Regards Dennis

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks for watching Dennis

[@joesinakandid528]

So Sandy, If the heated blade changes tension through expansion then in my pea sized brain the real answer would be to rely less on final tension with the torque wrench and rather re-design for a final tension relying on a 'blade tensioner' using a spring. In our modern vehicles we all rely on proper tension for the serpentine belt being regulated with a 'belt tensioner' which compensates for varying belt conditions (ie belt length fluctuations due to temperature changes or even just some wear over time). All that Woodland Mills would have to do is spec-out a tensioner and use the existing system to get close to final belt tension before switching to the new belt tensioner. Just a thought, Sandy, just a thought. Something like that would seem to be well worth offering on any band saw blade mill as a useful option. Joe

[@sawingwithsandy]

I like the way ya think Joe

[@derekbueckert7428]

good stuff. I have been cutting lumber for a while but not on band saw until just this week I got my new hm 130 max Woodland mill assembled and am trying to comprehend what and how to work the band mill for best results. it does seem to be a bit more of a fine tuned operation than my Lucas swing blade saw mill. but for my kids to learn how to saw I feel this band mill will just be a lot safer than a circular saw because it cuts across from the side to side and will never spear you in the leg or throat with a 14 inch splinter

[@frankdrahos8569]

Good advice there Sandy. I really liked how you unpacked the new blades.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks Frank

[@megaloogy]

Yep. I try to get all the use out of a blade and wind up with wavy lumber. It's for my use only so I can live with it but would be embarrassed to sell it. BTW my hm122 has the same style of belt tensioner as yours. First time I used a tork wrench to set it and marked the position on the shaft and housing. After that I just tension to the mark . I have replaced several blades and never had to make a tracking adjustment. Also you can make fine tension adjustments to adjust the tracking of the blade if you need to without massing with the mechanical adjustments. Great channel. Keep up the good work!

[@sawingwithsandy]

Sounds like you’ve got it dialed in Donny. Nice saw that 122 is. I’m with ya as I don’t mind some waves but wouldn’t want to Sell them

[@lawriestewart6377]

Like your Videos. From an Engineering perspective, I think the adjustable blade guide should be much closer to the log than you have it set up. This way it has the potential to reduce the blade flex that my be created by blunt teeth or knots etc. Just my thoughts.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Good point. In the video the blade guide is as close to the log as possible. Although some manufacturers have blade guide rollers that contact the blade, in my case the blade guides are really close to the blade but don't actually touch the blade while cutting (at least they shouldn't unless the blade deflects a little bit)

[@lawriestewart6377]

@@sawingwithsandy Seems the length of that arm needs to be increased. Great idea to take to the manufacturers.

[@SuperRistopaha]

Hello Sandy, I have been sawing on the same model this summer. One more way you can notice that the blade is getting dull (can be seen in your video also) is the sawdust is finer and comes out of the opening in the blade compartment with more speed when the blade is sharp. As the blade gets duller the arc of sawdust is shorter and there is a tendency to get the opening clogged with longer (non cut) wood fibers. I imagined that the wavyness comes from the fact that the blade getting dull happens at the cutting points pointing up and down or away from the centerline of the blade. This basically causes the blade to not cut but rather rip the wood at the cutting edge of the blade and therefore it will not empty the kerf voluntarily. Now that is is doing that it will go the path of least resistance, that is to where the wood is softer or more easy to cut. After going off track for a little bit a lot of tension will be created forcing it back the other way, but because it is not freeing its own cutting path it will continute past the proper cutting line and dive into the other direction. Of course there is a bit of randomness in that you might be hitting hard or soft spots and changes in grain direction etc. during this. But I have pictured that this is the problem, the blade not clearing its own path properly and therefore wondering off it. These changes in tension due to waving up and down are probably a lot more than a bit of temperature change could cause, the wood and the water are cooling quite efficiently, I have not noticed the blade getting warm. Another great way to keep track of your blade wear is to follow the cut quality at the exiting point of the blade out of your lumber. It will pull fibres out if dull, if sharp you get a nice clean edge. Just my two cents! Greetings from Finland!

[@tomcrank8701]

You mentioned the Lennox blades. Where do you purchase them from and how would I find the blade thickness, kerf, and other specifics needed for a 2022 model 126? I cut mostly hardwood and was think of purchasing a carbide. Thanks again for another video well done!

[@larryjohnson7934]

Hi Sandy.....Great video as always. With a brand new blade about how many cuts can you make before you have to change out the blade. I know your answer is dependent on several things but approx number?? Thank you again for the excellent videos and information you provide.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Im guessing a little bit as I don't normally keep track but I'd say I cut around 200bf before I change out for a sharp one. Sooner if I get into some dirt on the log or something Similar.

[@wallacefrey6247]

I love the smell of the air after a good rain.

[@sawingwithsandy]

I hear ya there Wallace

[@john_the_miller]

Another great video. Wondering if you could do a deep dive video on saw milling scales. How to get perfect 2x / 4x lumber, dealing with the blade curf, and how it factories into the last cut on the mill. I can see how cutting a cant will be exact, but I’m struggling to understand how the boards cut from it won’t be smaller or you end up with a very thin board at the end. Hope that makes sense.

[@sawingwithsandy]

For sure. I’ll keep that in mind for future videos

[@heyyoubuddy6749]

Hey buddy how are ya? Great video!!! Yep wavy board are no Bueno!! I find that when my blade starts to get a little dull, my cut finish starts to get a lil shaggy before the rollercoaster starts. Change them out and start fresh. A blade that is still a lil sharp sharpens better, if that makes sense? Also less chance of it breaking in a cut. Thanks buddy for being our saw mill guru. God bless you and yours

[@sawingwithsandy]

Great point about changing sooner rather than later to make sharpening easier. I would say that is the case with me as well. Hope all is well with you! Good to hear from ya

[@chrisjohnston2449]

another very good video with great information. I was hoping at the end of your video that you would have place the 2 left sides of the lumber side by side and then the 2 right sides to see just how much better it would be. Keep up the great work

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks for watching Chris! Happy sawing

[@TheMonkdad]

I also run a HM130 Max but I cut large cherry, oak, maple and walnut. It seems that the larger diameter trees (+20") and knots cause this wavyness. I've had brand new blades do it on wide logs. I've resorted to cutting extra thick boards just because I have to run it through a flattener which sometimes takes off 1/4".

[@miguelmiranda8437]

You learn every day something new and makes perfect all.life is not easy.keeping your jobs you loved.used goggles must time’s to keeping eyes safety other parts in face.

[@martinparmer]

Same thing on my Norwood LM30. Once my blade gets dull, i'll start seeing the wavy cuts. Over time, I've learned to notice two things that tell me the blade is about to be dull enough to start doing this. 1 the head get's harder to push. 2, I'll start seeing cut lines across the cant as I do the cut. Once I notice these two things, I start looking for the wavy cut and once I see it, I change blades. Sometimes, I'll get 3 logs before this happens, sometimes it's on the 5th log. Many variables affect this. The type of wood. The size of the log. How long has the log been cut.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Greats tips there!

[@markholmes1346]

Great informative video Sandy, thank you Sir! ✌🏼❤️🙏🏼

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks Mark!

[@w1klmster]

Outstanding videos, all. Thank you for sharing, Sandy!

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks Kevin

[@wallaceviviansadventures2095]

Good day Sandy thanks for the video something i will keep in mind for sure. the part where you open the blades i had a wire snap on me cutting up my fingers about 10 cuts and a few deep ones. next blades i open i will also keep his in mine. take care and have a great day

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks for that Wallace

[@sawingwithsandy]

Hope your hand healed up wel

[@mojo2633]

Hi Sandy, I'm wondering how important it is to use the setter each time I sharpen....is it contributing to my wavy lumber at times ? Thanks again you are my go to page for milling with the 130max !

[@garytucker6485]

Always a joy to watch your videos! Thx for sharing ..cheers 🍻

[@sawingwithsandy]

Cheers Gary

[@kennkid9912]

We ask these questions. 1. What is the typical life of a blade before it is dull. 2 are your logs dirty? 3 Is one of these mills worth buying? You can buy alot of lumber for $7k. 4 Do you plan on selling it or just using it yourself? You can use anything. You cant sell everything. 5If you are building a house ,do you want to saw or do you want to build? you cant do both. I sawed lbr. for my outbuildings. I bought the lumber for my house. Remember your lumber is green,not dry.7 if dull the blade will waver on knots. Knots are harder. Spruce knots are very hard.

[@theshadow4292]

It can also be the heating under use which causes the blade to stretch during use, this happens with cheaply made blades which inferior metal was used in the manufacturing. Breaking can also become an issue with cheaply made blades when the blades are really cold from the weather and then the blade gets hot quickly under use.

[@jasonborn2598]

This is so crazy. I posted a comment this morning about sharpening a bandsaw blade, what did I find on my KZbin minutes ago. From 4 years ago JOSALJO WON has the video of him explaining how to sharpen blades. Titled "How to sharpen a woodmizer bandsaw mill blade on the mill, with a file." This is so spooky, that this would show up in my list of you tube selections.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Was meant to be haha

[@MannistoCay]

Good lesson Sandy, definitely a gloves on exercise with blade changes. Happy Sawing!🪵🚜🇨🇦👍🍻

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks! Hope you’re keeping well

[@Andrew_From_NB]

Wow I learned a lot on this one! Thanks for all your info on this topic! I’m definitely keeping all these things in mind going forward. One thing I noticed as you were sawing with the old blade vs the new Sandy, was the sawdust exiting the mill.. old blade had minimal dust flying way out and to the side.. it was basically from what it looked like, just falling out in clumps somewhat as you were going.. maybe this was due to something like rain on the log before hand but nevertheless it’s something I wanted to point out.. the fresh blade.. the sawdust was flying right out of it and way out to the side. Also, a thought that I had on the waves in lumber, I agree with all your points but to if the old blade is having a hard time keeping up, it may also be trying to go to the path of least resistance in the lumber so that could potentially appear as waves maybe along with what you said as well.. just wanted to throw out there.. but totally may not be that all.. anyways thanks again for having us over, cheers!

[@sawingwithsandy]

Interesting...I actually never saw that. Good to know. I wonder if the sawdust not moving out of th way of the next tooth had something to do with the poor wavy cuts

[@Andrew_From_NB]

@@sawingwithsandy hey yes that’s a good point to 👍. Just thinking, this could be a good topic perhaps sometime to take a look at a little further. I find these kinda thing’s interesting to try an figure out 💯👍

[@zlindauer5315]

do you compensate your feed rate as your saws dull? add some strain. debark logs is a tremendous help. offset on your return helps from making saws run in. keep pressure guides close. make sure mill is in alignment.

[@sawingwithsandy]

I find that as soon as I feel resistance when trying to cut I switch blades out

[@markbedard4484]

Thanks for your videos love watching them. I have a woodland also just got it this summer. Can you get the blades sharpened?. Keep up the videos can't wate until spring to get sawing again. Mark in Idaho

[@sawingwithsandy]

Hey Mark! The blades can be sharpened. I sharpen my own blades with the Woodland Mills sharpener. They work real good after several sharpens even.

[@saintaugustine1715]

Good morning Sandy what is it lately a lots of people are talking about wavy board your was pretty advance also .it was time for a new blade or at least a sharper one and you are right 90 to 95% of the time the blade is culprit very solder I let mine go that far also a nutty log makes it be wavy faster even if you slow down it not going to solve the problem so keep your blade at least semi sharp for better lumber

[@sawingwithsandy]

For sure

[@stephensimmons3007]

Hey Sandy thanks for this video! I just got my new HM130MAX set up and cutting. I’m only into my 3rd log and already starting to see some waves here and there. Is the blade life normally so short or am I doing something wrong maybe?

[@sawingwithsandy]

Hi Stephen, likely is ready to be sharpened I’d imagine

[@jackbaskin371]

Nice video as usual. Have a question to tell you. Have heard of guys switching to 1 1/2" blades from the 1 1/4" on a 130Max. Reasoning sounds good but am wondering (the question part) how it would work in the real world to help with correcting wavy cuts. I watched your Ripper 37 video and am about to order some but wanted to get your opinion on the wider blade. is it possible you could do a comparison of the two blades or have you already done one?

[@sawingwithsandy]

Hey Jack! Good questions. I haven't tried the 1.5" blades as my 1.25". blades have cut good and flat consistently. However, I wouldn't be opposed to 1.5" blade but my main question I have is whether it would be any better than the 1.25" since a 1.5" blade would leave more of the blade unsupported by the band wheel belts. It's certainly something I'd want to try in the future though to see if there's any difference

[@George32295]

First I watch all your videos. I have learned so much. (Proves you CAN teach an old dog new tricks) I do have a question, do you wipe your blades down before putting them on? My second and third blade flew off 10 sec after putting them on. I wiped the oil off the fourth one and all was well.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Hey Richard! I have not wiped down blades before putting them on before.

[@jayallen408]

Sandy I cut pine here in Florida and I got to ask with the new sawmill how do you like the loose belt on the follow pulley for the blade? Personally I think it's a horrible design after I cut two or three pine logs the belt starts to get a little bit sticky build up at the top and jump my blade off. It's fine when it jumps to the outside but I've lost three brand new blades because it jumped to the inside. Do you have any suggestions or did you ever have this problem with the older sawmill? PS: this is the only problem I'm having I love The sawmill.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Hey Jay! I don't mind the loose fit of the belt as it hasn't caused me any problems at this point. I didn't really have the blade jump off too too often with the old sawmill but when I did it often was when I was using a lot of water or water/soap mix. I ended up using next to no water to cut and haven't had my blades jumping off much at all

[@richards200]

Happens quite often, even with relatively new blades, I've found it's not as bad with the Ripper blades, much better steel and considerably cheaper than the woodland mills ones. If you look where the blade has risen up you will see it's happened on every Knott along the cut

[@brianwestveer9532]

Thanks Sandy

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks for watching Brian

[@johnramsey6604]

Great video! I have a question if you don't mind. Approximately how many passes do you think you are getting, before you have to change blades?

[@sawingwithsandy]

I'd say probably cutting about 200bf before I switch out the blades

[@johnramsey6604]

Wow that's surprisingly frequent. I am probably wrong in my estimation, that 200bf is appx 20 2×6s @ 16 ft.

[@tonygrimes13]

@@sawingwithsandy From a non sawyer BF is cubic (3D) so how does a 2D cut equate (W x L)? I may be missing something! Or does it mean 12" x 200' BY 2?

[@larrykluckoutdoors8227]

Great info on the blades

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks Larry. Hope you're keeping well

[@freezerburn04]

A great channel, thank you 🙏

[@sawingwithsandy]

Happy to have ya along for the ride!

[@harveymackenzie8328]

I solved my wave problem with my woodland mill ,,,bought a Norwood,,,waves could be more than a dull blade ,,bad band wheels ,,I put 7 on my mill in a yr and a half ,,clutch bearing could be bad ,,put 3 on my woodland ,,,if your planning on cutting a lot of wood theses are not the mill ,,

[@amerritt261]

Not trying to be nosey, but what do you do for a living? In my opinion and I'm sure many other opinions, you would be an excellent teacher.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks for that I appreciate it!

[@cliffdunning9296]

Hey Sandy, I think you may have your log posts in backwards. The top angle should be sloping to the inside thereby allowing the log to rotate against them without getting hung up. BTW great channel! I have been using an HM126 since the fall of 2014 and am very happy with it.

[@sawingwithsandy]

I rotate them around depending on whether I need log support or to roll the log

[@cliffdunning9296]

@@sawingwithsandy Didn't mean to be a Captain Obvious, God Bless!

[@roblalunaable]

Great stuff as usual! Do you have an estimate of amount of wood cut before the blade becomes dull enough to begin wave cutting? Can a slight increase in tension be helpful? Edit: What I should have asked is it helpful to recheck tension thinking that with a duller blade there’s more heat so there may be a reduction in tension.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Bit of a rough estimate but I’d say probably cut about 200bf then think about changing blade out for me

[@sawingwithsandy]

I don’t find that tension above 25 has helped but then again I haven’t felt the need to try it

[@lumberjill6598]

I have over tensioned my blade once and it's not good. Unless you like some serious wavy chatter. 😁

[@mikechristensen9744]

More blade tension generally equals more belt wear as well....this is one reason Woodland mills reduced their specs on blade tension(they have told me that now to use anywhere between 17 to 20 foot pounds; the least that works and have the blade stay put).

[@lumberjill6598]

@@mikechristensen9744 I've tried to reduce tension before but my blade tended to wander a little bit.

[@doylerabjohn3435]

Great advice

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks Doyle

[@mgbill793]

Looks like you need to build a longer movable blade guide so it will be closer to the cant. Also take the dull blade and roll it flat. I made my own roller to flatten band blades.Works perfectly. Watch the first reaction as the blade enters the log to know which side to roll.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks for that. I haven't heard of rolling it flat but now you got me thinking

[@Propsman416]

The harder wood surrounding the knots is causing the blade to deflect. It's like starting a cut into buttery pine and then suddenly hitting a patch of hard maple. A brand new blade can overcome this drastic change, although you will no doubt feel the cut speed slow, but no blade will remain sharp enough cutting through knot after knot. Additionally, the whole blade isn't going through all the knots for the same period of time, so the blade is dulling unevenly. Add to that the sloppy distance of the guide bearings from the work piece, and the blade ends up fluttering up and down giving you those waves. If that's as close as the guide bearings can get to that log then it is definitely a design problem that is compounding the waves. Also, as you mentioned, blades do stretch, so it's a good idea to recheck your tension once you've been cutting for a while.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks for your insight. I think if the blade were to be running against the blade guides blocks as is the case with blade guide rollers then I’d agree that having the blade guides able to move closer to the log would be ideal. However in this case since the blade guides don’t actually touch the blade I’m not sure if the more would be a noticeable difference

[@Propsman416]

@@sawingwithsandy With the guide blocks, as opposed to rollers, the blade still rides against the blocks, but only when it has been deflected into doing so. The guide blocks act as a "stop" limiting the abound the blade can get deflected in either direction. If the blade is properly tensioned it would, theoretically, bounce off the guide block and then once again find its equilibrium between the guide blocks and resume running true. But, if the space between the guide blocks is too great, the blade will wander too far back and forth and produce the waves. Similarly, if the guide blocks are set up too far away from where the blade is in the work piece, the blade will wander too far, as you are only limiting the flex way out past the piece of wood being cut rather than where the blade is doing the work. The 1/16th" of travel space between the guide blocks can end up allowing 3/16ths of an inch in flex in portion of the blade that is in the middle of the wood. A 6 inch open span of saw blade with 25ft lbs of tension is going to flex a lot less that a 20 inch open span of saw blade with that same 25ft lbs of tension. The blade is always going to follow the path of least resistance. What exactly that path is, is a result of how sharp the blade is, the character of the wood, the tension on the blade, and the amount of flex in the blade due to how much of it is supported vs unsupported inside and outside of the cut. The sharpness of the blade makes a huge difference, as you rightly point out, but the other factors still apply. If the blade is sharp enough and has tension on it the least resistance will be in cutting straight through the knot. As the blade dulls, it will be more likely to wander rather than cut straight through the knot. Increasing tension may help it run straight again, but that's because you would be changing the path of least resistance. Too much tension and you could see your wood burning, as well as put too much stress on your machine. Knotty wood will mess around with any blade, and you touched on the fact that the blades are likely unevenly sharp as a result of hitting knots. Anyway... I really enjoy your channel and appreciate all the videos and tips you provide us with. Please keep it up.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks Spencer. Will do and have a great start to your new year

[@jfig786]

I'm not sure but doesn't the blade guide have to be closer to the work when cutting to avoid waves or the blade needs to be tightened or too fast of a feed rate or all the above?

[@dutch1777real]

Besides the knots being denser, can you get more (straight) cuts from a blade by slowing down?

[@sawingwithsandy]

I think going a bit slower does help for sure Michael as the blade is less likely to wander in the dense wood

[@inspectr1949]

According to Matt Cremona he switched to carbide tip blades claiming they are 3x the cost but 10x better all then way around.

[@davidhrutfiord2537]

You have to think of the blade as a flag. On crowned wheels you run the blade slightly back, running more tension along the front and the back of the blade will follow. For sawmill wheels with the flat belts you run the blades centered as you are, but dull blades will heat up along the front edge and expand, then the blade is steered by the back of the blade and 'flaps'. If you have to run a dull blade then run more water to cool it.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Great points David

[@jamesbradley3291]

How would this differ between a band blade and a circular saw blade?

[@tomsommer54]

Ok so you need to bring the blade out a little forward on the band wheel on both sides. I will do that this morning. Thank you.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks for watching Tom

[@exotictones1054]

Good stuff buddy.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks for that!

[@mobiconsulting]

Hi Sandy. I'm from Canada also. Great job on your videos... Quick question. What is the website address where you order your lenox blades? Thanks.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Great to hear from ya neighbour. I order my blades from Woodland Mills

[@mobiconsulting]

@@sawingwithsandy thank so much for your quick. Keep up the great work...

[@buddyreed2623]

Hi Sandy. You did not show it, but did you cut the wavy side and get the correct dimension for your boards? Have good days!

[@sawingwithsandy]

Hey Buddy Reed! I did go back and trim the waves off

[@gregnelson5230]

I'm getting wavy boards with new blade that mill came with and also put in another brand new blade out of box from Woodland mills. Its a "General Purpose" blade. I am cutting Vergina Scrub Pine. Cuts are more than wavy, luber is firewood at best. I feel like this mill is the cheep. Also throttle cable comes loose all the time. Maybe its not getting high enough rpm? Throttle handle broke and they sent me a new one but all I have is a little set screw to hold throttle cable. So I am thinking possibly its not getting enough rpms?

[@sawingwithsandy]

Hi Greg. Hopefully you can get some flat sawing before long. How do you tension your blade? Have you tried increasing your blade tension?

[@gregnelson5230]

@@sawingwithsandy Thanks for taking the time I really appreciate! Been doing the "two and a half to three turns" method as I didn't have a tork wrench. Now I have one so when I am back in a few weeks will see what 25 ft lbs does. That's what I was thinking as well because its hard to believe new blades would be to dull to cut.

[@johndell8679]

I thought the adjustable blade guide was supposed to be as close to the cant as safely possible?

[@sawingwithsandy]

Hi John, the blade guide was pushed in as far as it could be here

[@m9ovich785]

@@sawingwithsandy Can you move the Log stops closer to the center of the Rails to get the log closer to the Blade Guide ? Thanks Sandy.. Mike M.

[@TheHypnotstCollector]

I'm milling Northern california black walnut. out of the yard. I have a 22" Woodland...I broke two blades by hand over torque..."Snug" to me is different than Woodland's "snug" pluse 3 turns...". I was 10lbs or so over torque. Now I only use a torque wrench. And now my blade is diving, more to the left.... Black walnut is too expensive for these issues! So I'm looking for "Blade Dives because..." videos.

[@delmanicke9228]

Hoping to see that saw dust catcher on action sometime .

[@sawingwithsandy]

Will be up real soon. Thanks for watching Del

[@johnbauby6612]

The blade is one of several possible issues that can cause inconsistencies in boards. Any knots, deformities or differing densities of the wood you are cutting will cause the blade to wander. The blade will always take the path of least resistance if it can. Blade tension and cutting speed are also important factors.

[@sawingwithsandy]

I've found that as long as your blade is sharp, it passes right through knots without any wandering

[@johnbauby6612]

I have the same saw and have found the opposite. Doesn't matter which saw, it is a bandsaw phenomenon. Path of least resistance.@@sawingwithsandy

[@jmwkart2]

Do you keep track of the hours you put on a blade ? I found with my fir logs I tend to change around every 5 hours .

[@sawingwithsandy]

I don’t keep track of hours too closely but I’m finding I change the blade about the same time frame as you with the pine , spruce and dirt

[@sawingwithsandy]

Fir

[@vikombucha]

waves are probably just not cutting the grain properly with too much resistance and folllowing the sens of the grain - if that makes sense.

[@richvail7551]

I’m getting better at catching it before the blade is wavy cut bad and I change it out so I can reuse it later to edge my other boards that still have bark on them. When I do this there’s less log on the mill and not as hard on the blade. I suppose that’s why I can get these edges cut straight with an old blade just cause there’s not as much friction heating up the blade. Reassured that this old blade will only last a short time but probably enough to edge 20 boards. So I’m watching after every cut to catch it early enough that I don’t ruin my lumber. This way I can use my new blades for cants and final cuts and get a bit more life out of every blade. Times are tuff so save money where you can.

[@sawingwithsandy]

I'm with ya there Rich. I try to make every blade last as they sure aren't getting any cheaper

[@alanluck5985]

How do you deal with sticky pine sawdust sticking to blade, roller guides and band wheels?

[@sawingwithsandy]

I don’t find it to be too bad with red pine

[@rickchapman3051]

I cut a western red cedar today. Last several cuts wandered. I should have changed the blade. Didn't not just the edge that's wavy. The face as well. Not the end of the world I have a 20 inch planer and a jointer.. just more steps.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Yeah I hear ya Rick. I would love a big planer to help clean up the lumber as well

[@stevenmitchell5435]

You also see the strings on the corner of the side with the bad blade, as opposed to the clean cuts on the new blade side.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks for sharing Steven. Happy Sawing