[TheForge] Re: Bandsaw Blades

Wed Apr 2 15:25:01 2003

        Roger a basic rule of saw blades is to keep 3 teeth in the material
for the best cut.

SO, if your cutting a lot of thin wall tubing for example the 12-14 teeth
are a must.  When you use these fine tooth (12-14) blades in heavy stock
like the 2 1/2" square or a piece of 1" x 8 flat bar........the saw filings
tend to jamb in the teeth, stall the blade and pop it off it's track or snap
the blade by locking it in with the saw filings acting just like little
hammer wedges and binding it right up.
        Another option is to use the varipitch for those middle of the road
some thin, some heavy cuts.  Those would be like 6-8 or 8-10 or 8-12.
these go one set of teeth at 6 per inch, the next inch is 8 per
inch.......this allows the courser teeth to pick up the saw filings that the
finer teeth are making and not jamb.
        For small flatbar just about anything will cut well.  On saws that
cut lots of heavy structural stock with as few teeth as 4 per inch.   Thre
are also raker differences, but I've not seen the wonder of delving into
those yet.
        For a straight tooth blade for small flat bars I'd go with 10 or 12
teeth to the inch.  For the heavier stock I'd go to 6 or 8 teeth to the
inch.........the courser you make the number of teeth...........the more
your apt to break a tooth and ruin the blade if you throw in a piece of
thing wall tube, pipe, etc.
        Stick with the bimetal, you've already found those will not break as
quickly and stay sharp - so that is not worth changing.

        I order the blades for my saw thru McMaster Carr and they have a
pretty nice selection.  Some say they are a bit high priced.......but I
enjoy the fact that when I order something from them by 4:30 in the
afternoon.......the UPS man still rolls in the next day between 11:00 and
2:00 with my order (unless they don't have it in stock).  I know you won't
get that type of service in Oregon from them, but maybe there is some wise
business that will offer some good service to help you out in this respect.


Ralph


----- Original Message -----
From: "Roger Olsen" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 2:44 AM
Subject: [TheForge] Re: Bandsaw Blades


> Speaking of band saw blades________I saw a lot of   3/16, 1/4, 3/8, and
> 1/2 inch bar stock in varying widths,  I occaissionly saw thru something
> as large as 2&1/2" square.  I spose this is pretty typical for a lot of
> smiths.  Any consistent opinions out there on tooth count and or pitch?
> I am sold on bi-metal but every time I order blades I get out the guide
> and scratch my head.  I can't remember for sure without looking but I
> think I usually end up with 10 to 12 teeth per inch with a standard
> pitch.  Any thoughts with experiences courser or finer?
>
> Roger Olsen
> _____________
>
> Stephen McGehee wrote:
>
> > Dave Brown
> >
> >
> > There is a tool store in Louisville that will weld up blades in either
> > carbon or bi-metal stock, two different pitches.
> > I will do some digging and post some contact info.  The Lua'vl phone
> > book is in the house.
>
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