Width: Wider blades are best for thicker wood and straight cuts because they ‘wander’ less than narrow blades. The square steel guide blocks found on many older saws are bad news: They can cause a blade to overheat, and they’ll quickly dull a blade if they come into contact with its teeth. Cut tighter curves, reduce blade vibration and increase blade life by truing the blade with a saw blade finishing stone.
The saw gets its name from its narrow steel blade and they range in size from 1/8″ to over 1 1/2″ in many larger saws. Hold a small square on the table with its blade against the saw blade. Drill holes through the shortened handle to bolt the brush in place inside your saw on the bottom wheel of the saw.
Supercharge your bandsaw with these tips and tricks that will help to prolong the life of the tires, reduce friction, reduce vibration and more. There are some easy ways to improve the performance of the Harbor Freight bandsaw and these easy solutions should help to improve the performance of just about any bandsaw. Here are the bandsaw tips and tricks I used to supercharge the performance of my Harbor Freight bandsaw.
Even an old band saw that has been properly operated and maintained can achieve a high-quality cut approaching that of a modern band saw. Your saw blade vendor can supply charts for materials, blade speeds, and cutting rates and has access to the blade manufacturer’s technical department for answers to specific questions. In most cases, crooked cuts can be traced back to improper saw operation such as too much downfeed pressure, too slow a blade speed, or the guide arms are too far away.
The LENOX Institute of Technology knows what it takes to get the best cut out of your operators and the best “Cost per cut” out of your blades. After switching from a 4/6 teeth per inch blade to a 3/4 TPI blade, the company went from getting only eight to 16 hours of cutting per blade to 72 hours per blade with continuous cutting. For more metal-cutting tips and tricks, you can download the complete white paper, Understanding the Cut: Factors that Affect the Cost of Cutting, here.
metal bandsaw tips and tricks Related Question:
What speed should I run my metal bandsaw?
Bandsaw: Speeds. A common speed for the bandsaw is about one thousand feet per minute. Wood can effectively be cut at much higher speeds, up to and over five thousand feet per minute, but you should keep it slower because it’s safer.
How tight should a metal bandsaw be?
Finding the right tension Most blade manufacturers recommend 15,000 psi to 20,000 psi for a common carbon-steel blade. However, bimetal, spring-steel, and carbide-tipped blades are much stronger than carbon-steel blades, so manufacturers recommend a much higher tension: 25,000 psi to 30,000 psi.
Why does my metal bandsaw not cut straight?
Blade is Running in the Wrong Direction Make sure the blade is running in the correct direction. On machines powered by three phases power so it is common to get the wiring reversed and have the blade running the wrong direction. On all vertical blade bandsaws the working portion of the blade should go down.
How much tension should a bandsaw blade be?
For carbon steel toothed blades (cutting blades) this is typically 15,000 to 25,000 PSI. Slitting type blades typically are tensioned in the range of 12,000 to 20,000 PSI. In general bandsaw blades are never tensioned past 35,000 psi.
How high can a bandsaw cut?
The resaw capacity is the maximum height (thickness) that can be cut. For the small shop furniture maker, go with 14″ as the minimum for a bandsaw, though 16″ is better. Those doing larger work might even want 18″ or 20″ machines. Just make sure you have a minimum resaw height of 12″ for versatility.
What causes bandsaw blade drift?
Drift is cause because the blade buckles under the load. You can see that by stretching a ribbon between 2 points and applying a pressure to one of the edges, it will turn sideway easily. A sharp blade and high blade speed will help a lot with that.
Why did my bandsaw blade snap?
Machine Defects 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 long should a bandsaw blade last?
On average your bandsaw blade should last 6 months to as long as a few years depending on what your cutting with it. Make sure to match your blade strength and quality to the project and material your cutting.
Why can’t I cut a straight line with my bandsaw?
Band Saw: Why won’t my band saw cut straight? When the band saw cuts crooked, a dull blade, improper feeding, loose blade tension or not using a work piece guide could be the cause. Use the rip fence or miter gauge to guide the work piece uniformly through the cutting blade to make straight cuts.
Why do bandsaws wander?
Tim Inman: Because band saw blades ride on crowned wheels, they always have a little “camber” angle relative to the vertical axis of the wheel. This causes the blade to tip a little and makes the cut “pull” to the side.
Can you put a wood blade on a metal bandsaw?
A metal cutting bandsaw is typically built more solidly than a saw designed for cutting wood, so there are no issues with the machine itself. As for the blade, the wood fibers could clog the metal blade’s teeth more quickly, and the blade will probably cut through the wood more slowly.
What is the best TPI for cutting metal?
Cutting thinner metals, including sheet metal, requires a finer cut. Use 18-24 TPI bi-metal blades. For thicker metals such as steel pipe, angle irons, or tubing, use 14-18 TPI bi-metal blades. For aluminum, an 8-10 TPI blade is best.
Can you cut metal with a regular band saw?
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.
Why does my bandsaw blade wobble?
The blade on a saw left idle for long periods of time can leave an impression in the rubber tire which might cause erratic tracking. Purchase and install aftermarket replacement tires. (Search for “bandsaw tire” at woodcraft.com.) If you still see a back-and-forth motion, the culprit is probably the wheel itself.
Can a band saw cut curves?
Whether it’s a tight curve or a closed opening, you can cut it on your band saw with a couple of easy tricks. Cutting on the band saw can be the same thing. The narrower the blade, the tighter the spots you can cut; in fact, some band saw blades rival a scroll saw for cutting tight curves.