Cutting welds

[square1]

Picked up a used bandsaw yesterday. The band on it id pretty fine toothed (14~18 TPI) and the seller said it was probably dull. Set it up and cut some 2" galvanized pipe with ~1/4" wall (standard house drain type stuff). It took several minutes, but did make a nice clean square cut.

The first project is to cut off several rods that are welded to 1/4" angle off through the weld. Made it a bout 1/2 way through the first cut and that's all she wrote. Ordered up some new blades (Cobalt and M42 Bi-metal) but am wondering if cutting through welds like this is going to destroy them. Thoughts?

 

[gsganzer]

I've found some welds to be really hard to saw. Why not use an abrasive cut off wheel in an angle grinder instead?

 

[square1]

The abrasive cut off is definitely the option I'll have to go to if bandsaw blades won't cut it (pun intended). The idea that a piece can be set up in the bandsaw and started, then I can do something else while the cut is being made is nice.

 

[yomax4]

The Bi-Metal blades should have no problem cutting welds. The issue may be brand. Not all are even close to equal. I use Lennox blades and get great life from them cutting, Welds, Rust., Stainless etc. 1/4" material might be out of the parameters for a 14/18 tpi. The chart would probably call for a 10/14 tpi blade.

 

[Shield Arc]

The issue may be brand. Not all are even close to equal.

Boy that is the truth! I got some port-a-band blade a while back, pure junk! :thumbdown::thumbdown::thumbdown::thumbdown:

 

[square1]

The Bi-Metal blades should have no problem cutting welds. The issue may be brand. Not all are even close to equal. I use Lennox blades and get great life from them cutting, Welds, Rust., Stainless etc. 1/4" material might be out of the parameters for a 14/18 tpi. The chart would probably call for a 10/14 tpi blade.

I don't know what brand was on it. The seller did say it was probably due to be replaced. Tne replacements on order are Disston 18 TPI (cobalt) and '...a name brand' 14TPI which listed Lennox along with 3 others (Simonds?, Disston, and one other).
If the hardening, metal changes, etc... from welding aren't known to be a problem I'll give it a go when the new blades arrive. Just didn't want to knowingly waste a blade.
Thanks!

 

[dfkrug]

My bi-metal blades last a long long time, and I cut mostly mild steel, sometimes with
welds. A sure killer of blades is cutting too-thin material, which will break off a tooth
or two.

As for welds, just make sure there is no remaining flux on the welds, as that is hard
ceramic material, which can even dull bi-metal.

 

[4570Man]

More of my blades get ruined by trying to cut too short of a piece. Short piece are prone to kicking out and kinking the blade. I can hammer a kink sorta straight but it's never as good as new.

 

[yomax4]

Biggest probs I have had are too many teeth per inch on the work. Or cutting thick material with too fine of teeth on the blade. The blade cuts the material and has to keep recutting the chips. Seems to plug the gullets and some how ruin the blade. Similar to what the OP found. Sometimes you have no option and have to risk it. If you read the charts from the manufacturers it's surprising how coarse of teeth they recommend. I always go one click finer than what they say..