Metalcutting bandsaw blade question (again)

J. Neilson

J. Neilson

Joined
Feb 6, 2001
Messages
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I know this subject has been brought up before but, what' a good source or brand of bandsaw blade. I've been using the one's from Grizzly, bi-metal, 10-14 TPI. They are pretty decent blades but, still can go through one in a month or two. Is this normal wear, I am doing qiute a few knives? Are there some longer lasting blades out there, well, last long with alot of use?
 
I've been using Lennox bimetal blades, both TKS and K&G have them for about $30. My first one lasted about a year, but then you work a whole lot harder than I do. :D
 
J,
On Monday give a call to Industrial Distribution Group (used to be E.C. Blackstone). I've been getting bandsaw blades from them for years. Both Matrix II and Diemaster bimetal. They have up to 24 tpi (great for thinner titanium and fine cutting pearl, etc).
1-800-866-6241. Their prices are hard to beat. I pay $28 for a 120" blade.
 
As Dave said, try the Lennox if you can find a source. Thats all we use at work and we cut incredidle amounts of steel. We actually buy bulk blade stock from Lennox and make our own blades so I'm not sure who retails them. Tuck
 
Just incase.
Have you got a variable pulley selection in the cover of your band saw .

I found 2 problems that cost me some blades. One was I did not know that under the cover of my drive belts was a range of 3 speed pulleys to allow for wood or metal cutting speeds.

The second was cutting damascus billets with the fire scale still on.

I also cut length ways down some rusty wrought iron square section. That seemed to blunt them quick as well. When I say wrought iron I mean the 80 to 100 year old stuff.

Good luck with your new suppliers
 
J.- I'm amazed that you have them last a month. :confused: We use a bimetal blade to cut up aluminum wheels when we're doing destructive testing, and our blades seldom last two weeks. Granted, the pieces we cut are irregular, and I'm sure that stresses the blade. Although the aluminum is heat treated, I would think it's much softer and/or thinner than the stuff you're cutting. (I don't remember the conversion to Rockwell, but it Brinells at about 50.) Maybe our problem is just that the company is embarassingly cheap! :p Penny wise, pound foolish. :rolleyes:

Don't strain your brain to satisfy my idle curiosity, but could you guess how many square inches of material you cut per bandsaw blade? I know there are a lot of variables, but there's gotta be a way to quantify a blade's useful life somehow.
 
Bimetal Blades Dimaster by Lenox
http://www.woodcraftbands.com/Pricing page.htm
J you got to use the knife making site.. ;)

Bimetal Blades (Dimaster by Lenox)
Thickness & Width Teeth Per Inch Price Per Ft. Thickness & Width Teeth Per Inch Price Per Ft.
1/4" X .025 10/14 $2.25 1/2” X .025 3H $2.25
1/4" X .025 14/18 $2.25 3/4" X .035 10/14 $2.75
1/4" X .025 4H $2.25 3/4" X .035 8/12 $2.75
3/8 X .025 10/14 $2.25 3/4" X .035 3H $2.75
3/8 X .025 14/18 $2.25 1" X.035 10/14 $3.25
3/8 X .025 4H $2.25 1" X.035 8/12 $3.25
1/2 X .025 10/14 $2.25 1" X.035 4/6 $3.25
 
Machete. OW! that does hurt. I really couldn't say. I use the same blade to cut steel stock, brass, nickle, copper, etc., etc. I know aluminum and copper are a real killer on the saw blades. They gum up and heat up the blades terribly. I rough (very rough) guess would be that I use a blade for every... say... 20 knives?
 
J. Neilson said:
Machete. OW! that does hurt.
Click to expand...

:eek: :D :eek: Sorry.

Is aluminum really harder on bandsaws than steel? I can see where the soft stuff would gum up the teeth, but I always get a very fine powder from the heat-treated wheels I cut. I almost never have to cut a 'soft' wheel. :confused:

Do your used bandsaw blades end up in your damascus? (Reduce! Recycle! Re-use!) ;)
 
Sometimes. Though I'm starting to use 15N20 in place of bandsaw steel since it "supposedly" (I can't tell for sure yet) welds more easily than L6.
 
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