What blade do I need for my band saw?

Bandsaw Blade Education

How many teeth should my bandsaw blade have?

The general rule of thumb is: For wood and soft materials aim for 3 – 6 teeth in the workpiece. For metals and harder materials aim for 6 – 24 teeth in the workpiece.

Is it worth sharpening a bandsaw blade?

But the only way to ensure the functionality of your band saw and the quality of your final product is through using sharp band saw blades. It often makes sense to replace a dull blade with a new one, but you can sometimes get the best value out of merely sharpening an old blade instead of replacing it altogether.

What size blade does a Milwaukee Portaband take?

Milwaukee Standard / Deep Cut Portable Band Saw Blades are designed to maximize performance of any portable band saw that takes a 44-7/8″ blade.

Can I put a wider blade on my bandsaw?

An 18-inch diameter wheel can use a 0.032-inch thick blade that is 3/4 inch wide. In general, thicker and wider blades will be the choice when sawing dense wood and woods with hard knots. Such wood needs the extra strength of a thicker, wide blade to avoid breaking. Thicker blades also deflect less when resawing.

What size blade does a 14 bandsaw take?

Olson® All Pro™ band saw blades 93-1/2″ length fits most 14″ band saws (Delta, Jet, etc.), hard back and exclusive material, in skip, hook, or regular teeth.

What TPI is best for cutting wood?

TPI is the number of teeth the blade has per inch. If you’re looking to cut wood or other soft materials, you’ll need a blade with a TPI of 6 up to 20. For harder materials like metal, a TPI between 14 up to 36 is more suitable. The number of teeth can be found on the blade.

Is more TPI better?

Woodworkers quickly learn that the number of teeth-per-inch (TPI) on the blade has a big impact on the quality of a cut. The general rule of thumb is “the more TPI, the smoother the cut.” The true answer, however, is just a little more complicated than that, as you’ll learn once you understand how saw teeth work.

What is a standard bandsaw blade size?

For general wood cutting duties in typical 3/4″ material, use a 4 TPI blade for coarse, fast cutting and a 14 TPI blade for slower, smoother cutting. A blade in the 6 to 8 TPI range provides good general-purpose performance.

Is higher TPI better saw?

What TPI is used to cut trees?

Instructions: If you’re cutting wood, choose a 6-10 TPI blade.

Why do my bandsaw blades keep breaking?

Even the best blades can fail if there is something else wrong with your bandsaw, and even a small misalignment of bearings or guides can put a twist in the blade as it goes around. Resulting in tension being applied in all the wrong ways which will lead to early breakage.

How do you know when a bandsaw blade is dull?

How to tell when your bandsaw blade is nearing the end of its life

1. Teeth are starting to strip after a long period of use.
2. The blade becoming noisy and squeaky.
3. The blade doesn’t move consistently whilst cutting.
4. Hairline cracks appearing showing signs of stress and over use.

How long should a wood bandsaw blade last?

Some can last under six months, and some can last years! Some of the most important variables to consider are what you are cutting, the condition of the machine and blade, how long you are using the blade, and even how you are feeding the wood through your saw as well.

Does bandsaw blade length matter?

Try a blade of 114″ or 115″ length; it’s more than likely that either one will work just fine. Most bandsaws will accept a range of blade lengths, sometimes with as much as 2″ difference between the shortest and longest blades that the saw can use.

How thick can a band saw cut?

Band saws are the undisputed champ when it comes to cutting curves and slicing through thick material. Many small band saws can slice though lumber a full four inches thick, and bigger saws handle six-inch cuts.

What is band saw throat?

The throat is the distance from the blade to the vertical frame section of the body of the saw. This distance determines the width of cut that can be completed on the band saw. The throat on a free-standing cabinet band saw typically exceeds the 12 to 14-inch throat of smaller, bench-top models.

Why won’t my bandsaw cut metal?

Band saws are not suitable for cutting very thin sheet metal; a rule of thumb suggests the metal to be cut should be thicker than the depth of 3 band saw blade teeth, however they are excellent for cutting thin walled profiles such as box and angle.