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This morning was going slow at work, so I decided to take the afternoon off and resaw the rest of that Macassar ebony I picked up a couple weeks ago.

Halfway through the first cut, my $225 Resaw King blade exploded in two places. Darn.

After a quick drive to Laguna Tools for a replacement, the replacement blade turns out to have some weird problem and goes crazy as I am slicing a side set. The blade is ruined, although the side should be OK. Laguna is nice enough to offer to replacement blade, but I can't get there until tomorrow.

So I look at one of the back pieces that I managed to cut before all this happened, and I notice that the wood is split in the lower middle. The split goes halfway through the billet, and will affect probably two back sets. I swallow hard and call those "mine."

I actually resaw pretty well, and I haven't had a problem in years. I guess I've been saving up on problems, and today was the day of reckoning.

I'll think hard before I take another afternoon off.

What do all of you think of using a back set that has a crack? (Obviously, I would repair the cracks if I use the sets.) These are the best looking pieces from the board, and I hate to see them go to waste.

Kelby, If Laguna gives you a chance at your money back on that blade, you might want to consider the Lenox Tri-Master.

I had a Tri-Master Carbide when I got my Laguna. It is absolutely the best blade cutting I ever have used. Then as the Laguna Rep said, it'll break in the flex backing. So I was off Lenox for the past three years.

When, just guessing, I thought Lenox had changed the backing. Sure enough they had, curing the problem I experienced. I'm following the footsteps of several other sawyers here on the OLF and going back to the Tri-Master.

I hope my blade shows tomorrow. I got some claro and redwood just a crying for a saw.

Hopefully you will get a good blade out of your ordeal. It's a Pain to get good wood in a bad sawblade. Sorry for the cracks. Maybe the zootman will hold classes for junior zootmen?

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Kelby, I'd glue it back together, repairing the crack.
Then, I'd probably use it for a personal guitar.
Then, if a buyer saw it and loved it, and was told the story and still wanted it, I'd sell it.
There's lots of guitars out there with repaired cracks holding up just fine.

SK

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Thanks for the adviced, guys!

Bruce, who do you get your TriMaster blades from?

www.cyberwoodworking.com Tell Don, that Bruce and Bob sent ya. Our 150 inch blade cost 153 bucks, but there is a pending price increase of 8 percent.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Thanks, Bruce!

I went down to Laguna today to exchange the blade. I want to tell everyone what a great experience I had with Laguna (which is consistent with the other experiences I have had with them) because I think they deserve it given the way they treated me.

Torben (the owner and president of Laguna Tools) was walking through the lobby when I was standing there, and he immediately checked the blade out. I don't just mean he looked at it --- he brought me into the back, put it on one of their saws, and spent about five minutes testing it. He carefully inspected the blade afterwards and showed me the various problems he noted with the blade. What a great guy. They replaced the blade at no charge. Torben tested the new blade while I was there to make sure there were no problems with it.

Torben made a few comments that (politely) suggested I may have run into something with the other blade, but they made no bones about replacing the blade for me anyway. (I don't believe I hit anything with the blade --- I checked the wood carefully yesterday when the problems developed. However, when I get home today I will check again and offer to cut them a check ($225 - ouch!) if it turns out I hit something.)

I may pick up a Lenox as well. However, they have re-designed the Resaw King a bit, and it made an extremely impressive cut when Torben ran it. I'm excited to try it out.

That's great news. It's hard to lay out the kind of cash a Laguna and a Carbide cost. But when you witness what they will do, it removes the argument. I always enjoyed Torben in the video presentations of their machines.

Congrats. My Tri-Master came in today from Lenox in MA and I'm ready to get after some claro with it.... Good luck with your slicing and dicing!

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

After reading this post I have made a life long decision: No afternoons off for me.....Not worth the risk
I'll either take off the whole day or have to settle for the morning!

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com