Taking Care of Your Teeth: The Key to Longer Blade Life
All new bandsaw blades are manufactured with extremely sharp teeth, which need to be worn down slightly so they don’t fracture under the high cutting pressure used in bandsawing. Your blade will cut more consistently and last much longer if you hone the teeth to create a small radius on the tip. Here’s how to do it:
Use the band speed recommended for the material you are cutting
FOR EASY-TO-CUT MATERIALS like carbon steel and aluminum: reduce the feed pressure to 1/2 the normal rate for 50-100 square inches
FOR HARD-TO-CUT MATERIALS like nickel-based alloys, hardened steels, tool steels and stainless steels: reduce the feed pressure to 3/4 the normal rate for 25-75 square inches
GRADUALLY INCREASE to the normal cutting rate over the next few cuts, adjusting band speed slightly if necessary to avoid vibration Following these guidelines should increase the longevity of your blade.
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