The old cord wood blade is not used much anymore but I was wondering if anyone on here knows the shaft speed for say a 30 inch blade or a 32 inch and a 36inch. I helped saw years ago and the saw that was spinning just sung but the wood cut like soft butter. a slower spinning saw and the wood cuts hard. Is there a chart somewhere that gives the RPM of certain size saws? I am currently spinning a 36 inch blade but am going down to a 32.
If you are talking about what we call here a "buzz saw", my first thought would be; what is the rpm of a model A in first gear at idle? In Eastern Washington an uncle had one to cut up apple trees he removed, primarily limbs not trunk. He used an old model A with the rear end jacked up and a pulley on the hub driving a flat belt. If my memory serves me correctly, he used first gear at an idle. I was a very tiny kid then, only old enough to carry and stack the wood.
Yes this is also called a buzz saw. The one I put together is powered by an in-line six Ford engine, way over powered. I was wanting to know the maximun safe speed that these blades can be ran. Blade producers put out information sheets that give suggested RPM's for various size saw blades, that is what I am looking for.
The rule of thumb that I have used is that the peripheral speed should be around 10,000 feet per minute. To calculate this is simple - saw diameter in inches divided by 12, now multiply this by 3.14159. You now have your peripheral measurement. divide this into 10,000 and you have your correct speed. For example, take a 32" saw. 32 divided by 12 = 2.667, multiply this by 3.14159 = 8.378 10,000 divided by 8.378 = 1193 rpm's Hope this helps.
Do you have hand feed into the saw or power?
Hi Orville, What Karl said is pretty much what I have been told, I picked up a mill from an old timer around here and was told to run it at about 600 RPM's with the 60 inch blade on it that would be 9424 feet per minute.
On a mill you are cutting with the grain and power fed. Mills will run 10 to 12 thousand feet per minute rim speed. On a buzz or cord wood blade you are cutting across the grain and hand fed. I was told that they run at a different speed but was never told how fast.
I have run these speeds across the grain with no hassles. I do know however that your teeth are sharpened to a different hook angle when cross cutting, (much less hook).
Yeah I wasn't thinking when I replied to your post... forgot which way I was cutting I also got a home made buzz saw that came with that mill for cutting the slabs for firewood I think it has about a 30 inch blade on it Iwill check tomorrow and see if I can figure out what speed it is set to run at as it is not currently in service(halfway disassembled)
I finally got a response from a saw manufacture rep. His response was it doesn't matter what the saw is used for, log saw, cut off saw, power feed, or hand feed. Maximun speed is a rim speed of 12,000 feet per minute. The 10,000 feet per minute as you suggested sounds the safest speed. Your explaniation of how to figure the speed was helpful. I did change down to the 32 inch blade without changing my shaft speed, and the wood cut just fine. One day I will post a picture of the saw when I get the guards on it. I posted a picture of it without guards on another site and got scolded pretty heavy. Thanks for your help
was told by an old timer that 1200 rpm was the "golden number" for a good running buzz saw. pigpen
1200 RPM works for the 30 and 32 inch saw but for a 36 inch saw you are over the maximun recomended RPM. The most common blade size out there is the 30 inch blade. A faster running saw cuts a lot easier, but don't go over the maximun RPM.