Band Saw Blades-Need your thoughts

[Janderso]

Hey all,
I cut some stainless steel the other day. It was 303-304? - 2 1/2" in diameter and it took about ten minutes.
I don't remember what brand this blade is but it's been on the saw for a couple years.
I use this saw for low carbon steel, alloy steels, aluminum and stainless steel.
I don't cut anything under .250" as a rule.
The blade I have been so happy with is 14 TPI, and It's one of those anti-vibration blades. Different sized teeth.

The blade specs in the manufacturer's manual calls for a: (Jet 7 x 12)
3/4" x .032" x 93"
Blade speeds, SFPM-86, 132, 178, 260

I checked online this morning. The prices run from $21 to $171.
The brands, to name a few,
Starrett
Olsen
Lenox
FoxBC
Supercut
Imachinist

My question----- What do you suggest? I just want the best blade, I don't care if I spend a little bit more if they last two years.

Thank you for your thoughts!!

Jeff

 

[Eddyde]

Is there a "Best"??? IMHO, I doubt any of the quality brands have any superiority over one another. Currently, I'm running a Lenox Die-Master in my vertical saw and it preforms beautifully, but the Starrett it replaced was also a great blade, can't say I could tell a deference.

 

[Jim F]

Running coolant helps with SS.

 

[mmcmdl]

I need a 6 pitch for wood on the vertical , thanks for reminding me . I used Lenox in the past with good results on the horizontal .

 

[woodchucker]

Hey Jeff, the teeth are not usually different sized, they are different tpi. It prevents harmonics.. It also allows different thickness without too much of an issue. Like @Eddyde said, there's not much of a diff. I like both Starrett and Lenox. Also when you get the blade, use mild steel to break it in. Light cuts.. Generally the tips are too sharp and need to be properly broken in. My opinion.

 

[mmcmdl]

they are different tpi.

Multiple pitch .

 

[Aukai]

I did not know this before, just putting it out there.

Breaking-In the Blade Process​

New bandsaw blades have razor sharp edges on the teeth. While that might sound like a good thing, these ultra-sharp teeth can be easily broken off or chipped if you skip the break-in process.

Think of it this way. What happens when you sharpen a pencil to an ultra-fine point and then try to write with it? The lead snaps almost immediately.

However, it doesn’t break off from the wooden section of the pencil. It breaks on the tip and leaves a jagged edge that will give you funny looking letters if you try to write with it. At this point, you need to rub the jagged end of the pencil on some paper to smooth it. Then, you can use it to write until it needs to be sharpened again.

The same basic principle applies to bandsaw blades. Instead of jumping to using it, you need to gradually break it in by slowly increasing the feed pressure to smooth the teeth over without snapping the points off. This will result in a fine, evenly honed radius on the leading edge of each tooth.

Once the blade is broken in, you will be able to cut metal materials easily by offering the proper support to the teeth. Cutting metal is hard work. Be nice to your machines, and they will work more efficiently for you.

 

[SWIGIN]

I get long life out of Morse blades.

 

[mksj]

Might look at the Bahco 3851 Cobra M42 powdered metal bandsaw blades, I have one as a backup, same size 93" x 3/4" 10-14 variable pitch. I have been using the Lenox Bi-Metal in a 10-14 pitch that has lasted several years. I cut a wide range of metals without any issues, SS mostly 303 which does not work harden. That diameter 304 may be an issue with work hardening. I use to use flood coolant which improves the cutting time and blade longevity, but these days I drip cutting oil on the blade because I use the bandsaw infrequently.

3851 - Sandflex Cobra - THE NEW STANDARD IN BI-METAL Bandsaw Blades

 

[projectnut]

The rule of thumb for bandsaw blades is no less than 3 teeth in the material at one time and no more than 24. If you have less than 3 teeth engaged it's likely a tooth will get snagged and broken off. If more than 24 teeth are engaged the gullets will fill with swarf and cause excessive friction. Possibly resulting in the blade being jammed in the kerf and breaking. Using those guidelines, I would use a blade with a maximum of 10 TPI.

Personally, I would use either a 5/8 variable tooth or a 6/10 variable tooth bimetal blade. I'm not sure the manufacturer will make that much difference. I use similar size (3/4"x .035"x 96 1/2") blades on my Startrite H175 horizontal saw. I have them made by the Ellis Manufacturing Co. (Ellis bandsaws) just a few miles down the road. I have no idea what brand stock they use, but the blades usually run $45.00 a copy and last several years.

As an FYI the saw has coolant capacity, but I've never used it in 20+ years. I also use the slowest speed of 60 fpm when cutting stainless. Most of the stainless I cut is 316. Here's a link to some blade selection information from their website.

Band Saw Blades - Ellis Mfg, Inc.

Ellis welds quality blades for our band saws and other manufacturers. Our General Purpose Blade is an excellent blade when cutting a variety of materials.

ellissaw.com

On edit: Another thing that will help to extend blade life, and get straight, timely cuts is proper down feed pressure on the blade. Startrite recommends 6 psi blade pressure for best performance and longevity.