504

Well-known Member
I need a suggestion for band saw blades, 64 1/2 bi metal. The tool supply in town closed and HF blades last less time than it takes to drive there. I was cutting a 2x2 tubing the other day, and it cut fine till the blade hit the seam on the inside and took the teeth right off.
 
I operate 4 metal cutting band saws that are used by abusive students. (they know no better Yikes) Lenox seem to be the most robust blades. The welded seam in tubing is often a heat affected quench hardened piece of a scrap buick revisiting our shores. Using an abrasive cutoff saw may be a reality on those pipes. Jim
Lenox
 
Lenox is good, Starett is good as well. Besides what Janicholson mentioned, another difficulty on tubing is that it's often thin enough to not be able to keep 3 teeth in the work at once, which is typically considered the rule of thumb for proper cutting. Add that to a hard spot in the welded seam and it's easy to take a tooth off, which will usually lead to more teeth breaking off, and quickly ruin the blade. If you're cutting enough tubing to be worth it, you may need to buy a blade with more teeth per inch.
 
What kind of speed are you running?

A very common mistake is trying to use a wood saw for cutting metal. It runs way too fast and burns the blade.

Thin wall tubing requires a fine tooth blade, even then it is real easy to strip the teeth when the wall breaks through to the sides.

Name brand blades do make a difference, but it still requires the proper speed, feed, and cutting pressure.

Like Jim said, a chop saw might suit you better than a band saw for cutting tubing.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. The saw is a made in China Buffalo brand, and I run it as slow as it will go. I like to use it when I am trying to save material and I am not in a hurry. I have other ways to cut, chop saw, touch and plasma cutter,everything has its place. Thanks again,Amazon here I come.
 
When I had my shop we cut a lot of square tubing. We learned if possible turn the tube so the seam was on top. The teeth did not catch on the weld. Second choice was seam facing forward.
Jim
 
I buy my blades from Orscheln's and have not run into any problems. Also helps if you put the seam side up
 
(quoted from post at 02:45:05 01/12/20) I operate 4 metal cutting band saws that are used by abusive students.

Janicholson , you make me laugh :)
I suspect that your definition of '' Abusive '' students is very different from mine .
Prof.Charles [ PhD]
 
Hard steel will remove the teeth from most good bandsaw if not broke in properly. When my plant was running 24 hours day a week. a nobody did it, would take the teeth off a blade trying to cut core pin then put a new blade on and remove the teeth from a new blade.
 
(quoted from post at 02:29:42 01/12/20) I need a suggestion for band saw blades, 64 1/2 bi metal. The tool supply in town closed and HF blades last less time than it takes to drive there. I was cutting a 2x2 tubing the other day, and it cut fine till the blade hit the seam on the inside and took the teeth right off.
I've had very good luck buying band saw blades on ebay. 64.5 is a common size and you can get just about anything you want.
 
I'd retire the band saw and buy an EVOLUTION RAGE 2 carbide metal cutting saw. Looks like a wood cutting miter saw but cuts steel like most miter saws cut soft pine. Blade lasts around 1000 cuts. Sharp corners, accurate angle burr-free weld ready cuts every time. I'd predict a 2x2x1/8" wall tube would take 2-3 seconds to cut. I'm NOT talking about an abrasive saw that throws sparks all over. They are not accurate.
This Evolution saw cuts zero to 45 degrees accurately. Also cuts wood, plastic, and they make a different blade for stainless steel. New blades are $70-$80. Their US office is in Davenport, Iowa. Menards has them for $199.95. I had a 4x6 imported bandsaw, used the same 64-1/2" blade, never cut square. Haven't touched it since I got the Rage. Just make sure you wear safety glasses AND full face shield AND ear muffs, it's not loud, but razor sharp steel slivers can hurt when in your ears.
 
Harden steel will damage my blades in a heartbeat
My blades are 120 inches and about $65.
It will cut soft steel for a very long time.
 
After the better blades are broke in I/we have cut a lot machinable P20 prehard up to Viscount 44 Rockwell for mold inserts. If we didn't have mild steel to cut we held the heavy pressure off the steel by hand a few cuts to let the teeth to work harden.
 
I would never go back to steel cut chop saw run ellis dry cut bandsaw love it, yes you need to always watch where steel seams are regardless of saw.
 
EVOLUTION makes good stuff(Out of Davenport IA)more cutting tools are not in the budget right now. BTW if anyone is looking for a mag drill look at EVOLUTION brands.
 
I found the trick to blade life is not to push it too hard. Let the teeth cut and clear the chips and you'll be ruined blades and time ahead. And use the correct pitch for the thickness. Cutting round or square tubing you go longer to shorter length of cut. No way around that.
 
Got to agree on the Lenox Die master II. We usr the 10/14 variable tooth, and get it in 100 foot rolls and make our own, but there is always a short end left, so it gets made into 64 1/2 and also 10 and 12 inch hacksaw blades. I use that for cutting stock that I use in playing with my forge.
 

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