Question
I have a Belsaw mill powered by 226 cubic inch straight 6 continental engine. My current blade is a 5/6 gauge blade (5 on the inside, 6 on the outside), and is slightly dished. I was planning to have it hammered and replace the teeth and shanks, as they are worn. It appears that there aren't many options for a 5/6 blade. It looks like most manufacturers are only producing a full line of bits and shanks for thinner blades. My blade is a right hand, 500 RPM, type B teeth, and has 32 teeth. By the time I have it hammered, and replace the bits and shanks, I'll be putting at least $600 into it.

Given the fact that bits and shanks seem scarce for a blade this thick, I am contemplating just purchasing an entirely new insert tooth blade. Is this a good plan, or should I stick with my thicker blade, despite the larger kerf and the limited selection of teeth?

Also, if I were to buy a new one, what gauge should I go with? 7/8? 8/9? What teeth would folks recommend? B? F? 2-1/2?

I own 124 acres of timber land in the mountains of eastern Washington, with a mix of ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, larch, hemlock, and cedar. (My land has several distinct micro-climates, in case you are wondering how I got such a wide mix.) This is what I would be sawing. Most logs are between 10" and 24" in diameter. I do not have a debarker, though I do use a pressure washer before running them through the mill. Any advice?

Forum Responses
(Sawing and Drying Forum)
From Professor Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor:
The "F" or "2-1/2" style tooth is fairly popular. A 7/8 is probably best if you will be hitting knots, etc., but diameter is also a factor. If you use Lundstrum's book on circular sawmills, he has some procedures to estimate the best blade. Let me know if you have problems figuring his procedures.

Have you reviewed the related Knowledge Base areas below?

KnowledgeBase: Knowledge Base

KnowledgeBase: Primary Processing

KnowledgeBase: Primary Processing: Sawmilling



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