What sizes do bandsaw blades come in;
Useful tips on bandsaw blade use:
- Select the correct blade for what you are cutting
- Use the recommended width for your machine or the widest blade your machine can take
- Get the right pitch (straight or variable, bi-metal only)
- Teeth per inch is very important
GETTING LONG LIFE FROM A NEW BANDSAW BLADE
What is Blade Break-In?
A new band saw blade has razor sharp tooth tips as a result of the forming of the teeth. In order to withstand the cutting pressures used in band sawing, the tooth tip should be honed to form a micro-fine radius. Cutting with high pressure without performing this honing will cause microscopic damage to the tips of the teeth, resulting in loss of blade life.
Why Break-In a Band Saw Blade
The blade break-in process is often compared to taking the sharp point off a pencil. Leaving the sharp point and pushing too hard will cause the point to break. Starting the blade with less force allows the very sharp points to become honed and withstand the normal speeds and feeds rates. Completing a proper break-in on a new band saw blade will dramatically increase its blade life.
How To Break in a Blade
- Use the appropriate band speed for the material to be cut
- Reduce the feed rate/force control on the saw to achieve a cutting rate approximately 20% to 50% of the normal cutting rate. Mild steels require a larger reduction in cutting rate than more difficult to machine materials.
- Begin the first cut at the reduced rate, making sure that the teeth are forming a chip.
- Once the blade fully enters the work piece, the feed rate can be slightly increased.
- Make gradual increases in feed rate/force over several cuts until the normal cutting rate is established (cutting a total of 60 to 118 inches2 / 150 to 300 cm2)