Replacement Blade for Metal Band Saw

[YYCHM]

Well.... the blade on my band saw decided to pack it in today. As this is the first time I've had to replace the blade I'm looking for some advise.

The blade measures 64 1/2" long, 1/2" wide, 0.025" thick with 14 TPI alternating large tooth small tooth. PA and BB both carry blades that meet the size requirements with prices ranging from $10 to $30. I use the saw to cut carbon steel and aluminum for the most part and occasionally wood and plastic. I'm seeing terms like bi-metal, HSS and others?

What should I avoid, what should I look for and what should I expect to pay?

Thanks

 

[DavidR8]

I have a bi-metal blade on my saw and it works amazingly well, went through 1.25" of 10L14 in about 30 seconds or so.

 

[Tom Kitta]

It is worth paying a bit more for bi-metal as they last a lot longer. You also have to consider tooth count so that it fits most material you cut - for hobbyist probably more teeth as you can leave with slower cut time of thicker material. You can get new blade from BB, KMS and PA. Also online.

 

[CalgaryPT]

Definitely bi-metal. Don't buy too cheap; some of the really questionable ones aren't brazed properly.

 

[Marc Moreau]

http://www.powermatic.com/us/en/p/pm2800b-drill-press-1hp-1ph-115-230v/1792800B

 

[Marc Moreau]

This is the press drill I was talking about. I don't know if it's good ?

 

[Tom Kitta]

Umm wrong thread... we are here on a band saw.

As for DP - I need to review it more - it seems to have same identical spindle to Nova (same factory in China). It is also cheaper but has less powerful motor and less speed control. It does come with 2 lights, laser and a nice key less chuck (no POS).

Wow it has same speed adjustment as my mill/ band saw - mechanical variable speed control via belts. Cool. Will easily outlast NOVA and that is why it has 5 year warranty vs. 2. It has speed display via just numbers. It was also introduced like 6 or 7 years ago.

On the negative side it does not seem to be too heavy duty. It initial models also had some quality issues - they are probably trying to put these out for as cheap as they can. If executed correctly VAR via belts is a very good reliable solution but at least in 2013 Powermatic did not do it right and had issues.

So is it good? How much is the price - I have not seen other then listed price of a 1400 USD vs list for Nova at 1700 USD. For wood working alone I think both would do well and I would think that if Powermatic fixed quality issues the lower price and extra accessories make it better. But for metal Powermatic is too fast - 400 rpm is fast for larger drill bits.

If Powermatic added a back gear and increased its top speed while keeping low speed down to say 100 rpm and kept price at 1400 with maybe a beefier motor at 1.5hp and maybe a bit more metal on the frame it would be a better option then Nova for metal due to great capabilities at lower price point with promise of very long service life.

 

[Dabbler]

On the bandsaw blade question, you can get a good blade (Sandvik or Lennox) from AllBlades, in SE Calgary. They have found me very unusual blades at very reasonable prices. A good blade will last much longer per dollar than any cheap blade.

 

[trlvn]

Another option is to buy online. I like R&D Bandsaws. They've been around for eons and are very knowledgeable. They will do any length of blade; price is per inch.

https://tufftooth.com

They are based in Brampton, ON.

Craig

 

[historicalarms]

I have used the 64.5" saw blades since 97'...lots of them and the boys are right, Bi-metal will outlast HSS considerably ( I would say on average 3-4 time over) especialy cutting any higher carbon steel. HSS will cut a lot of mild steel if it isn't too thick, thicker steel wears much faster...duhh of course it does more steel eh... but also because the schips are carried by the teeth a longer distance and creates a friction wear on the tooth side rake...at least that's my theory.
I have also found that it doesn't matter what blade you buy, HSS or bi-metal, some blades will cut dead straight and some just don't, when you leave the store you just don't know what you've got until you cut with it . If I get a blade that cuts perfectly straight, I save it and only use it when accuracy is needed, otherwise I use a blade that still cuts ok but might be a bit of a sloped cut.

 

[Dabbler]

Here's a fix for the problem with the gullet clogging up on wide cuts, and also results in faster cut times!:

 

[YYCHM]

OK..... What's going on here?



I picked up a new bi-metal blade at 14 tpi. It appears to work fine on steel but twice now the blade has come off the drive wheels while attempting to cut aluminium????



I'm running the saw at 120 FPM. The old blade never did this?

 

[Tom Kitta]

Your blade is too loose. It will come off and / or cut not too straight.

Alternatively your pressure is too high.

Blade tightness needs to be set to the feed down - tighter the blade more down-feed pressure can go. Up to the limit of the blade / machine.

 

[YYCHM]

This is the third time now. I tightened the blade as tight as I could get it without resorting to a wrench and controlled the down feed by hand. No sign of trouble and then poof she jumps off the wheels. Happens at about the same depth of cut every time. Doesn't do it with steel???? Kind of a mystery and frustrating. Surprised I haven't broken the blade yet.

 

[DavidR8]

I just bought a used Brico version of one of these saws. Is there a blade tracking adjustment?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tom Kitta]

I assume you are cutting this nice piece of aluminium not some thin stuff with a few teeth per inch blade? I.e. the teeth count and the material are well matched?

Did you run it for a bit without trying to cut anything to see how the blade behaves? Anything moving around - i.e. tracking is off?

Did you try to cut something else?

 

[YYCHM]

I assume you are cutting this nice piece of aluminium not some thin stuff with a few teeth per inch blade? I.e. the teeth count and the material are well matched?

Did you run it for a bit without trying to cut anything to see how the blade behaves? Anything moving around - i.e. tracking is off?

Did you try to cut something else?

The cut I'm trying to make is 2.5" long and 1" deep.

Each time I've reset the blade I have run it for a minute or two looking for any trend, then performed a test cut a piece of mild steel which always goes ok.

Attempt the aluminium and bang she jumps off.

I've just noticed that the tensioning wheel has quite a bit of play and wobble to it when not under tension. I'll see if I can eliminate that.

Craig

 

[Dabbler]

Good find. the tension adjustment has to be tight - like it grew on the saw's casting.

 

[CalgaryPT]

OK..... What's going on here?

View attachment 7985

I picked up a new bi-metal blade at 14 tpi. It appears to work fine on steel but twice now the blade has come off the drive wheels while attempting to cut aluminium????

View attachment 7986

I'm running the saw at 120 FPM. The old blade never did this?

Practical Machinist has a whole thread on this issue: https://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/band-saw-blade-keeps-coming-off-347486/

I had the same problem once on a 7x12. Turned out to be shavings fused to the drive wheel. Worked fine with the old blade because it has gradually aligned itself to balance. But the new blade kept jumping off. A good cleaning and some fiddling with tension solved the issue. Good luck; please post your results.

 

[CalgaryPT]

OK..... What's going on here?

I'm running the saw at 120 FPM. The old blade never did this?

Just remembered something else to try. I don't do AL, but remember hearing that when cutting it with a new blade to reduce your downfeed pressure if you can for the first little bit, especially with bearclaw blades or variable teeth. Apparently the sharpness of the set combined with AL can cause your issue for the first few cuts, then it resolves itself and you can proceed as normal. Cutting AL out of the gate before the teeth dull slightly can cause this.