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Singing blade

Featured Replies

A few years ago I bought some cheap 10" carbide tip saw blades to use when I cut up junk wood for firewood. If they hit a nail or grit, I didn't care, no loss.............just toss. Recently I got one out, installed it and turned the saw on. That blade made a high pitched singing noise and it was very loud. I was puzzled and examined the blade. It seemed to be OK, all the teeth were there and I could see nothing out of the ordinary. I did saw some old wood and it did ok. But I got to thinking that maybe it was defective, so I got out another blade just like it and it sang too. I think I got them from HF


Any ideas what causes a blade to sing like that?

Ron, if your blades have heat release holes below the kerfs, those cause singing.




John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

The sound comes from the air turbulence as the teeth move through the air and/or through the vibrations of the metal as it flexes. Lower quality blades are not made with as close of tolerances as better quality blades. All blades will "sing" to some extent. I can tell the difference in pitch between my Forrest WWII and my Freud blade on the table saw as well as my dado set. So as long as it cuts and isn't wobbling causing a vibration in the saw or the teeth are coming off, just stomp your foot to get a good rhythm and sing along while you cut wood.




Allen Worsham
Corona, CA

allenworsham@earthlink.net

'Graze in every man's field, but always give your own milk' J. Vernon McGee

  • Author

 Maybe one of the reasons it sang so loud was that I recently got hearing aids. I usually do not wear them in my shop and wear ear plugs when operating loud machines. Maybe that day I did have them in and they were much louder than usual. As for singing along, well maybe hum or whistle along. I couldn't carry a tune in a shop vac bag.

Rip blades usually "sing" louder than others- but I don't know why.




Lew Kauffman-
Wood Turners Forum Host

Time traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!

When we got married, my wife owned an 11 year old Chevrolet. When some thing or other began to rattle, grind or clank, she just turned up the radio. 


Take out your hearing aids. You'll not be bothered with that blade singing.

Ron Altier said:


 Maybe one of the reasons it sang so loud was that I recently got hearing aids. I usually do not wear them in my shop and wear ear plugs when operating loud machines. Maybe that day I did have them in and they were much louder than usual. As for singing along, well maybe hum or whistle along. I couldn't carry a tune in a shop vac bag.



 


The blade must have something in contact that it should not touch. Check the setup again. 




Take the first step, it will lead you to the LAST.
www.bandsawblog.com

This is a good source for carbide tip blades with good quality: http://sawblade.com




Take the first step, it will lead you to the LAST.
www.bandsawblog.com

  • Author

I have good quality blades, as I said in my posting, I wanted cheap toss away blades for cutting junk wood. I will visit the site you posted, another source of good blades is always welcome

James Hisebert said:


This is a good source for carbide tip blades with good quality: http://sawblade.com




Take the first step, it will lead you to the LAST.
www.bandsawblog.com




No problem, Ron. 



Take the first step, it will lead you to the LAST.
www.bandsawblog.com

I'm not bashing Harbor Freight because some of the products they sell are adequate for the job they're intended for, but one thing I will not purchase from them are carbide tipped router bits & saw blades. The reason being is the brazing of the tips is at best sub par. I read an article a year ago that compared the different manufacturers / distributors. In the article the construction was examined and HF blades were rated as sub par due to the brazing quality. I've also read of instances where carbide tips have been thrown from the bit or blade body. That's a very dangerous problem and I'm not sure I'd trust my body or anyone else's to that possibility. You get what you pay for!




www.thepatriotwoodworker.com Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops

  • Author

Thanks for the info. I also wonder about other China made blades, most major companies are now making their saw products there and I hope that they are still using safety standards that we are used to. I seriously doubt it as there no over seeing on what they do and you must depend on their name for quality. However, I have not heard of any product defect causing injury. When I go to HF, I don't expect to get the name brands or quality. However I have found that some of their products are of good quality and sometimes surpass what I am used to seeing by things made here. They say that it is a world economy and that certainly is true. The other producers are learning from us and using cheap labor to take away jobs that used to be here. The big thing is product safety............try making a Chinese company responsible for a defective product and see how far you get.


 I think this posting has evolved into a reality show situation, of choices and changes. I don't know about you, but I  have a tough time with it all. You can buy an expensive saw blade made here for $100 or you can choose an American brand that now produced in China for one third of the cost. I once said that I would never buy any other quality saw blade, than the one I had. I liked the wood worker II so much that it was my blade of choice. However I had such a bad experience with that company when I sent it for sharpening it that I won't buy another one.

Mike Dillen said:


I'm not bashing Harbor Freight because some of the products they sell are adequate for the job they're intended for, but one thing I will not purchase from them are carbide tipped router bits & saw blades. The reason being is the brazing of the tips is at best sub par. I read an article a year ago that compared the different manufacturers / distributors. In the article the construction was examined and HF blades were rated as sub par due to the brazing quality. I've also read of instances where carbide tips have been thrown from the bit or blade body. That's a very dangerous problem and I'm not sure I'd trust my body or anyone else's to that possibility. You get what you pay for!




www.thepatriotwoodworker.com Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops




The noise  is from the design of the blade.   My Ghudo blades are ferociously noisy.  My Felder Silent power blades are  very quiet.


The gullet design, the back tooth design, the cut patterns and drilled holes in blades  all chop the air.  The chopping of the air is what gives you the noise.  It's just like an old fashioned siren  which is just a spinning  hunk of metal  with holes in it.



There is a  lot of money spent by engineers on making fans quieter.



On the up side you can try to find blades that have perfect pitch and just sing along.


LOL...The way I sing I may need to get a louder blade.


Cliff said:

The noise  is from the design of the blade.   My Ghudo blades are ferociously noisy.  My Felder Silent power blades are  very quiet.

The gullet design, the back tooth design, the cut patterns and drilled holes in blades  all chop the air.  The chopping of the air is what gives you the noise.  It's just like an old fashioned siren  which is just a spinning  hunk of metal  with holes in it.

There is a  lot of money spent by engineers on making fans quieter.

On the up side you can try to find blades that have perfect pitch and just sing along.

Ron, I just received the blades I ordered from the blade supplier I mentioned above. Tried them out immediately and they sure cut so great! I also asked them who manufactures their blades and they proudly told me that it is German engineered and American made. 

Ron Altier said:


Thanks for the info. I also wonder about other China made blades, most major companies are now making their saw products there and I hope that they are still using safety standards that we are used to. I seriously doubt it as there no over seeing on what they do and you must depend on their name for quality. However, I have not heard of any product defect causing injury. When I go to HF, I don't expect to get the name brands or quality. However I have found that some of their products are of good quality and sometimes surpass what I am used to seeing by things made here. They say that it is a world economy and that certainly is true. The other producers are learning from us and using cheap labor to take away jobs that used to be here. The big thing is product safety............try making a Chinese company responsible for a defective product and see how far you get.


 I think this posting has evolved into a reality show situation, of choices and changes. I don't know about you, but I  have a tough time with it all. You can buy an expensive saw blade made here for $100 or you can choose an American brand that now produced in China for one third of the cost. I once said that I would never buy any other quality saw blade, than the one I had. I liked the wood worker II so much that it was my blade of choice. However I had such a bad experience with that company when I sent it for sharpening it that I won't buy another one.

Mike Dillen said:




They appear to only make band saw blades. Do they also sell 10" table / cutoff saw blades? I didn't see any listed on their website.


I'll have to try out their band saw blades. James thanks for the link and info.

James Hisebert said:


Ron, I just received the blades I ordered from the blade supplier I mentioned above. Tried them out immediately and they sure cut so great! I also asked them who manufactures their blades and they proudly told me that it is German engineered and American made. 

Ron Altier said:






Take the first step, it will lead you to the LAST.
www.bandsawblog.com


 


Mike, I guess they don’t sell 10â€table / cutoff saw blades. Never tried asking them about that matter, though. They gave me their direct lines and if you want to give them a call so you can ask for blade recommendations, call them here: (201)450-9817, (201)450-9818.  




Take the first step, it will lead you to the LAST.
www.bandsawblog.com

Thanks James I'll give them a call.




www.thepatriotwoodworker.com Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops

No problem, Mike. 



Take the first step, it will lead you to the LAST.
www.bandsawblog.com

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