How to optimise the performance of your Bandsaw Blade

Maintaining the integrity and quality of your bandsaw blades may sometimes seem like a fairly menial, but by following just a few easy steps, you can look to extend the lifespan of your bandsaw blade by up to around 30%. By implementing these simple recommendations into the use of your saw blade, you can work to drastically impact its performance, helping the blade in question to maintain its quality for a much longer time by comparison.

Blade Break In

Proper break in of a bandsaw blade can help to greatly improve its lifespan overall, so it is an important step to take; however, the process of breaking in your blade can differ depending on saw blade type and the materials you intend to use within your cutting application. For blades used within metal cutting applications, such as the M42 Bi-Metal Bandsaw Blade, it is recommended that the band speed is set to the suggested surface feet per minute (SFPM) for the material to be cut. Initially, the feed rate should preferably be set to around 50% of the normal cutting rate for your particular application and the feed rate be gradually increased to the normal recommended rate. It is vital that the saw blade always produces small chips during the break in process as to avoid making the tooth tips of the bandsaw dull. The feed rate should be increased as necessary to ensure the blade continues to make chips.

When looking to break in a bandsaw blade intended for use within wood cutting applications, such as Carbon Flexiback Bandsaw Blades, the surface feet per minute speed should not be gradually increased to its normal rate but instead set to the normal recommended SFPM straight away. However, the cutting process should not be started immediately, but the blade should be left to run alone for around 5 minutes before any material is cut.

Machine Setup

It is essential that any and all machine guides, including pressure guides, fixed guides, and roller guides, specified for your bandsaw machine are set correctly and replaced when damaged or excessively worn down as to avoid a shortened blade life, leading to saw blades needing to be replaced on a more regular basis.
The proper alignment of the wheels on your sawing machine is vital to the performance of your blade, helping to assure high-quality results. It should be assured that the wheel bearings are not worn down and that the wheel flange does not rub the blade back, as these are both issues that can lead to premature cracks forming on your bandsaw blade, hindering both its quality and performance.
Correct blade tension is also crucial to maintaining the integrity of your bandsaw blade, preventing it from bending, and potentially breaking, during your cutting application.

Overall, by ensuring that your bandsaw blade is cared for properly and any given recommendations for both your blade and your bandsaw machine are followed correctly, you can work to drastically improve the life of your saw blade; helping to maintain its integrity and the quality of its performance overall. For more advice on what you can do to make the quality of your bandsaw blade last for longer, get in touch with our experts and discover what our Sawcraft team can do to help you with your cutting application.