#1: How long do blades last on your mill before they are in need of sharpening?
All depends on what type of wood your cutting, widths of those cuts, debarker used or not and speed of your cut as in forward motion. In most cases with most hardwoods I will run about 3-500bf on a blade. 2-300bf with shagbark, Osage, Ash, and white oak.
#2: How long do blades last on your mill before they are in need of changing(no longer useable)?(board feet would be great)
I have been getting 6-8 sharpenings out of my blades before they finally break. It was less when I was using the old grinding system from WM but with the new CBN it does a much better job and ensures all the minor cracks are ground out of the gullet etc. So, between 1800 and 3000 bf on a blade. Keep in mind the width of cut and hardness of the wood play a huge role, as does you cutting speed. Before I learned anything I was going through lots of blades because I was going way to slow, meaning the blade was in the cut way to long and going round and round way more than it needed to.
#3: How many times could you sharpen a blade before it is just written off?
I sharpen until it breaks while cutting! Normally that will happend around the 8th sharpening, although I think the breakage I see is more from the fact the stress created of going around the band wheels breaks down the metal than it being sharpen to much.
#4: What name brand do you use(blades)?
I have used Munkforsager, Wood Mizer, Simonds, and Laguna carbide. I stick with the Wood Mizer as I think overall they have lasted the best.
#5: Lastly, what are you using to sharpen your blades?
I use the Wood Mizer CBN system.
http://www.woodmizerblades.com/maintenance/sharpenerSetter.aspx
