Metal Cutting Bandsaw Blades

[GE222]

The brand isn't really important. Get a bi-metal blade. You also want to get the correct number of teeth. Too course of a blade will limit the blade to thick materials. Most manufactures have reference charts for specific materials and thicknesses.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

I use a Fastenal variable 14-18 TPI Bi Metal cuts straight & fast.

Fastenal = Lenox

Great blades....I use Fastenal/Lenox blades in my PortaBand....

 

[sal64]

get a bimetal blade lasts much longer .

 

[2manyrocks]

I get a better quality of cut and longer blade life after I switched to blades from Enco which you can order on line.

There is a wide variety of quality in the various 4x6 bandsaws. I don't know which one you ended up with, but you might use google to search some of the various opinions out there. Here is one site: 4x6 Bandsaw Mods

 

[Cami]

As for tooth count, a good rule is to have a minimum of two teeth on the work at any time.

 

[DeNiro]

The general rule that most blade manfg. suggest is three teeth in the work. That means if you are cutting a 1/4' piece of steel you should use a blade with 12th/in for max cutting speed. 12/4=3 1/8" material needs 24 tpi. 24/8=3

Bimetal blades are much better and do last a lot longer than the carbon steel blades; up to 10x or more in hard materials. The bi-metal blade is just what the name implies; two different metals that are welded together with a laser beam. If you look carefully at the blade you will see athin line just behind the teeth where the two are bonded. The teeth portion is a highspeedor cobalt type metal and the large rear section is carbon steel which is more fexible and provides some strength and it is probably cheaper to produce.

There are a lot more things to make the blade perfom better and last longer as well. There are variable tooth blades which have changing tooth patterns thought the length of the blade. For example the blade might change from 14 tpi to 18 tpi every few inches and this keeps the blade from find a non-cutting rhythm and makes it cut better in different materials.
All good manfg. made good and long lasting blades. Look for bi-metal and hi-speed blades from folks you have heard of and beware of cheap economy carbon blades that the one that came on the saw when you bought it. Cheap blades are a very false savings!!!

 

[2manyrocks]

Another vote for Enco because you can get them on line and don't have to run out to pick them up. Sometimes they will put them on sale.

 

[GT2]

Just a note about my experience.
I use my saw in the vertical position a lot. I hand cut goofy shapes and really twist and abuse the blade. I found under these conditions bi-metal dosent last any longer than cheap blades.
If I was using it mostly horizontal I might use the good blades, ... well maybe not
I buy my blades at Tool Town.

 

[wushaw]

I vote for Enco also. And the Northerntool 4X6 saw I have has been doing fine on the origional blade for almost a year now, I just feed it real slow.

 

[/pine]

I am getting ready to cut out my grapple tooth bars from 1/4 steel (may be harder than mild steel but it cut OK with a recipricating saw) with a band saw...

I have a lot of experience with the saw but not cutting steel...I bought a 1/2 bi-metal 18TPI blade to cut the bars...

my question is...should I tack the two pieces together and cut them out as one (1/2") going very slowly or should I cut one then use it as a pattern to cut the second one?

What if anything should I use as a lubricant/coolant?

This is an old 10" Rockwell stand up shop saw...