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Tip
#31
Band
Sawing Versatility (continued)
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Pg. 1-3, Pg
4-6, Pg 7-9, Pg
10-12, Pg 13-15,
Pg 16-18
Bandsaw
Blades
Your bandsaw
will accept any blade 1/16" to 5/8" wide and 72" long (within
1/2"). Choosing the right blade for the job will depend on:
- the
kind of material you're about to cut
- the
thickness of the stock
- the
bandsaw operation you're about to perform
- the
intricacy of the design
Wider
blades are stiffer, so the cut is straighter. Larger teeth
and deeper gullets help clear the sawdust in a deep cut. Wider
blades are the best choice for heavy resawing or sawing thick
stock. Narrower blades are better suited for intricate work.
The narrower the blade is, the tighter the radius it will
cut. Choose narrow blades when you need to cut complex designs.
To help select the blade that will work best for any given
operation, refer to Table 14-1.
| Table
14-1: Bandsaw Blades and Speeds |
| Characteristics |
Recommended
Use |
Recommended
Speed** |
| 1/16"
Woodcutting Blade* - 24 teeth per inch, 1/32"
minimum turning radius |
For
extretmly fine detail work only. Use for wood and plywood
up to 3" thick. Not for heavy-duty cuts or resawing.
Note: Set the tension scale at 1/8" setting. |
A
(750 RPM, 2160 FPR) for hardwood. B (850 RPM, 2450 FPM)
for softwood. |
| 1/8"
Woodcutting Blade - 7.5 teeth per inch, 1/4"
minimum turning radius |
For
very fine detail work only. Use for wood and plywood up
to 3" thick. Not for heavy-duty cuts or resawing. |
C
(950 RPM, 2750 FPM) for hardwood. D (1050 RPM, 3000 FPM)
for softwood |
| 1/4"
Combination Blade - 6 teeth per inch, 3/4" minimum
turning radius |
A
good general purpose blade for wood, plywood, plastics,
particle board, and soft non-ferrous metals. Limit resawing
to stock 4" thick, metalwork to stock 1/4" thick.
This is the blade that comes with your bandsaw. |
B
(850 RPM, 2450 FPM) for hardwood. C (950 RPM, 2750 FPM)
for softwood. Slow (700 RPM, 2000 FPM) for other materials. |
| 1/2"
Combination Blade - 4 teeth per inch, 2" minimum
turning radius |
For
heavy-duty cutting fo wood, plywood, plastics, particle
board, and soft, non-ferrous metals. Suitable for resawing
stock up to 6" thick, and metalwork in stock up to
1/2" thick. |
Slow
(700 RPM, 2000 FPM) for hardwood, softwood, and other
materials. |
| 5/8"
Woodcutting Blade - 3 teeth per inch |
For
heavy-duty resawing. Efficiently handles wood up to 6"
thick. Straight cuts only. Note: Set the tension scale
at the 1/2" setting. |
Slow
(700 RPM, 2000 FPM) for hardwood and softwood |
|
Several
blade manufacturers make bandsaw blade stock for a variety
of special purposes -- intricate scrollwork, cutting
iron pipe, etc. If you need a special blade, you can
have it made at a well-equipped commercial saw shop.
Use only high-quality blade stock 1/16" - 1/2"
wide. Be sure that the finished blade is 72" long,
plus or minus 1/2" and that the weld is ground
perfectly smooth.
*Caution:
Do not use 1/16" blade without special guide blocks.
Failure to use special guide blocks will ruin the blade
and damage the standard guide blocks. **Note: these
speeds are for 60 hz. operations.
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