One of the great benefits of using band saw blades is that you can get them in virtually any size you need. You can get them cut and/or welded to any length that you desire. When you do decide to order band saw blades, you will usually have to provide the place you are ordering them from with specific information. Typically it will be the following, or a combination of:
- The material that you want your band saw blade made from. This varies from Hardback, Flexback, Bi-Metal, etc)
- The exact length of the blade. Estimates are not usually allowed.
- The exact width of the blade. Again, no estimates.
- The tooth pitch desired on the blade. This is how many teeth will be on the blade, measured by inch.
Typically the tooth pitch amount or style will affect the price of the band saw blade. The type of material, width and length of the blade usually does however.
The first thing you need to do is find out the exact dimensions that are required by the machine. You can find these in the manual that came with the machine, or any user records that are available from the machine. You will find them in the format of Length x Width X Thickness.
Then decide what you will actually be using, cutting, dealing with, as far as materials. This can determine what type of material you will need or want for your new band saw blade. The hardness, shape, size and grade of quality will all be factors. Also, if you are dealing with bundled or single material will make a big difference. For example, if you relay all your specs to the manufacturer but fail to mention you will be cutting multiple pieces of this material they might not make the band saw blade you actually need for such jobs.
Then figure out what you need as far as performance. Is the speed of the current job more important than that life of the band saw blade? Do you have time sensitive jobs that you need done immediately, or will this be cutting with the blades you can do off and on?
Figuring out the TPI, which stands for Teeth Per Inch is crucial. When you do make the decision on what TPI you need, there are certain things you will need to factor in. The shape, dimensions and material will all be factors. Don’t forget that material can also have a finish on it which may or may not make a difference in the cutting.
Remember a few important things regarding the teeth per inch.
- The finer the TPI is, the longer the blade will last.
- If you are going to be cutting bundles, you should select a coarser TPI than you would for single units of material.
- If you don’t pick the right TPI from the beginning, you will shorten the length of your blade’s life significantly.
- Using a finer TPI will give you an overall better finish on your blade.
If you follow these basic guidelines you should be able to find a good band saw blades for your needs. If you are unfamiliar with band saw blades, or if this is all new to you, you might want to have someone more familiar with this, or a professional to assist you in selecting the appropriate blade.