Metal-cutting bandsaw blade getting stuck in kerf

[ericher69]

Yup. That's how I do it, if I can. With square stock, there's no way to avoid a flat cut. Likewise, if I'm mitering angle iron. But whenever I can, I try to put the narrow part of the piece parallel to the blade.

I have been using a 14-18 tpi blade, because that's all they have on the shelf at my local hardware store. But I think that I could easily go down to 12 TPI and be okay. As I understand it, you want at least 3 teeth in the blade. 12 tpi should then be okay down to 1/4" stock. I often deal with material as thin as 1/8", but I'd be happy to do 1/8" on the chop saw if I had to, and often I'm dealing with tubing or angle where, even though it's 1/8" thickness, there are two walls, so the total bite that the saw is taking is 1/4" or more.

I have switched to a Lenox 6/8 variable pitch blade and have had great results cutting 1/4 to solid 2" rod with very little deflection.

After talking with the Lenox Tech for about an hour he convinced me to try the 6/8 from my 18tpi and all I can say is wow! What a difference

He told me that the tooth should cut a chip drag it in the gullet and drop once out of the workpiece. I can see the chips now where I used to only see fine dust like particles.