Am I popping bandsaw blades faster than normal?

Fletch Helical

Fletch Helical

Joined
Sep 29, 2009
Messages
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When I got my HF 4x6 I left the original blade on to just use until it became totally useless. Surprisingly I got more blanks out of it than I thought, I think I cut out maybe 4 or 5 blanks. Then while in the middle of doing one, BANG the blade snapped. No problem I have a good one I got from Tracy right after getting the saw, just waiting for some use. While cutting out my 4th blank tonight BANG there goes the next one :mad:. So my question here is: Am I eating up more blades than the average bear here or is it pretty normal to only get a few blanks out of a blade?

The one from Tracy was still cutting like butter but for whatever reason I'm not seeming to get a ton of life out of a blade.... Unless 3-5 blanks is considered average lifespan.
 
It sounds like your tension on the saw is to tight. My blades wear out before they break. I've had the same blade on my horizontal for the last 6-8 months.
 
I use a different type of bandsaw, but I think you should expect longer blade life then that. Are the blades breaking at the weld? You should learn to silver braze the blades, so that you can repair blades that break prematurely.

~Alden
 
I got about 12 or 14 blanks out of my original blade. It lost some teeth and I put on a new blade. The new blade was terrible so I put the old one back on. I over tightened it and bang it broke on the first blade.

I got a new one from Tracy and I'm letting up on the tension a little bit. I watch the blade roll on the wheels while I tighten it. When it is centered on the wheels and tracking well I quit cranking on that tighten knob...
 
Mike Quesenberry said:
It sounds like your tension on the saw is to tight. My blades wear out before they break. I've had the same blade on my horizontal for the last 6-8 months.
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I'll second this and also add that you need to make sure you're making pretty straight cuts.

These kind of saws don't have the ability to cut radiuses. Hardly any. Think basically straight cuts. I've flexed the blades in the past trying to cut a slight curve and had them pop like that too.
 
Everyone always said to make sure the tension on the HF is tight...So yeah I crank it pretty damn snug. Yes I'm trying to cut some mild radiuses and yes this one seemed to pop at the weld.. I have no idea on how to learn how to silver braze.

I mean there are a ton of makers on here who have been cutting blanks on HF 4x6's for years and they're not making square knives from what I can tell.
 
If you watch the blade track on the wheels when you turn the tighten knob you can see it track just like a grinder belt. When you over tighten it starts moving back toward the front of the wheels. I'm using the same HF saw and you can snap blades by over tightening...
 
A long time ago I read where tyhe tension on the blade should be so high I could never tighten it that much. I have run the sawblade tightened very much . Could it be you are trying to take too tight corners or curves? Frank
 
I find the opposit, i tighten my blades with a big set of pliers, way tighter then i can get by hand. i've been using the same blade and have cut 8 square feet of 3/16 6al4v into 1/2" strips. it's getting dull but never snapped. use lennox die master 2 blades and tighten them down.

i've used bargain blades as well, every one snapped with in a few cuts.
 
I have worn out numerous blades on my Porter Cable portaband, I don't think I have ever had one break. Sound like too much tension to me.
 
Fletch Helical said:
Everyone always said to make sure the tension on the HF is tight...So yeah I crank it pretty damn snug. Yes I'm trying to cut some mild radiuses

I mean there are a ton of makers on here who have been cutting blanks on HF 4x6's for years and they're not making square knives from what I can tell.
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That's not what I meant. I use it when cutting a radius too but you have to do it in a series of straight lines, more or less. It's not like a wood band saw that you can twist the blade to cut a continuous curve. Those blades won't take much twisting at all. So you just have to cut straight till you get to the curve, then pull out, cut that chunk out from the side so you can get at more of the curve and so on. Curves take a little time because they have to be cut in a series of straight cuts.
 
Frank Niro said:
A long time ago I read where tyhe tension on the blade should be so high I could never tighten it that much. I have run the sawblade tightened very much . Could it be you are trying to take too tight corners or curves? Frank
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Oh I have done worse that what I attempted tonight. Mostly with finger groves or a guard. But this was barely a curve. It was just cutting a SLIGHT curve in the spine.

Guess I'll have to order another two blades and try less spring tension and not try to make less work for myself with the cuts and plan on using more files to get my profiles. I guess I thought I could get away with more on the bandsaw that I actually can.
 
I've been having a similar problem with only getting 4 or so blanks out of a blade, only difference, I wasn't breaking the blades, I was losing the teeth. I figure I just need to switch to a blade with more TPI, like 24 versus the 14 that I have been using. I have never actually broke a blade in half though...even the cheap carbon steel blades. I am using the matrix bi-metal blades now though. I think if you are going around a tight spot with perhaps too much tension and you run through the part where the bandsaw blade is joined, it might be enough to snap it in half though... I would say that is probably the weakest link in the chain so to speak.
 
14 is more like a wood cutting blade, 18 or 24 will last much longer.
You should try and have three teeth in contact at all times or you will loose a few teeth. Bi metal blades are the best option, we use ours a lot at work cutting light gage steel like 4130/4140 and Aluminium up to 2" thick the same blade last for months if you change to the the appropriate speed.

Richard
 
Or you can just get rid of the 4X6 and get a Dewalt portaband. That's what I did and I am sooooo happy. Well I haven't got rid of the 4X6 yet, I am still working on a apocalyptic way to destroy the evil thing. ;)
 
Yes Fletch I did like mine at first too. But things got worse not better. Of course I am not so good at fixing mechanical things so maybe it was my fault. Some people on here use their 4X6 for eons and they work great.

Good luck with yours.
 
Fletch, I don't believe a blade should break at the weld. If it does, it is a problem with the weld, and not with your technique. I would offer two suggestions; use a narrow blade if you are doing a lot of tight radii (1/4" width possibly). Also take a piece of rather thick steel (maybe 3/8") and around 3"x3", cut into this piece 1/2" or so, stop, shut off the saw and superglue this into place on the saw table. This will do 3 things or more for you; it will help act as an additional blade guide to support the blade, it will act as a zero clearance throat plate to prevent stuff from being pulled down into the throat plate, and it will allow you to work up off the table, which you may find beneficial.
If you want to learn to splice your own blades, just do a search on the web and you will find a few articles on this. If you can make knives, you can weld bandsaw blades.
I do not profile blades on the bandsaw, but when I cut things to shape on it I find it easier and quicker, sometimes, to hack out a rectangle and then profile on the belt grinder.
As far as someone mentioning breaking a blade in 2, that would be quite a trick.:)
Good luck.:thumbup:
Alden
 
Just 2 cents. I switched to Starret blades from noname and "generic". Lasts longer, cuts faster, saves time and money. I use bimetal 18-24tpi
 
Also you should break in your blades before use,put them on the saw and tighen down and then let the saw run for about 20 min before cutting anything.Helps work the kinkss out of the blade before putting them under a load.
Stan
 
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