Choosing A Band-Saw Blade

Never bought a bandsaw blade before, now I know what to look for.

received_10155228058878003573369843.jpeg
Bandsaw I bought used for quite a good deal.

Hey everyone, I’ve been having issues with my band-saw not tracking and decided to look into it. Since researching I’ve managed to find 2 things I should be trying; the first is to get my settings correct on the band-saw – blade location, guides properly tuned, tension set properly. The second is possibly needing a new blade.

I’m offshore at the moment so I decided to research into what I can control now – buying a proper blade. I’ve never bought a band-saw blade before so I couldn’t just go out and purchase straight away. HOWEVER, now I have done quite a bit of looking up and made the tables you see below. It actually seems to be quite straightforward for a hobbyist such as myself.

If you would like much more in-depth knowledge, the best I have found all in one place was at Saw Mill Creek forum.

Take a look at the information below to determine the best blade for you. For those of you that can fill me in on anything missing please leave a comment or drop me an email.


Teeth Per Inch (TPI)

From the table below, find material thickness then use the corresponding TPI value or greater by up to around 2 “levels”. Table was determined based off the need for a minimum of 3 teeth in the material at any time.

Lower TPI = Faster, rougher cut

Higher TPI = Slower, smoother cut

TPI

Minimum Material thickness

32

3/32”

24

1/8”

18

5/32”

14

¼”

10

5/16”

8

3/8”

6

½”

4

¾”

3

1”

2

1-1/2”

Blade Width

Determine the radius you will be cutting to find the maximum blade width. You should used the widest blade you can keeping in mind the limitations of your saw by consulting your owner’s manual.

Blade Width (Inches)

Minimum Radius (inches)

1

7

¾

5-1/2

5/8

4

½

2-1/2

3/8

1-1/2

¼

5/8

3/16

5/16

1/8

3/16

Tooth Shape

Shape Style

Description

Best for

Regular tooth

Most commonly used

All purpose, Best for fine cuts

Skip Tooth

Widely spaced teeth to prevent clogging

Soft, non-ferrous metal, plastic, and wood

Hook tooth

Positive rake to cut faster

Long cuts in thicker materials – Aggressive

Tooth Set

Tooth Set

Description

Best for

Raker Set

One left, one right, one center

Contour cutting and re-sawing

Alternate
Set

Left, right, left, right – No teeth center aligned

Fast smooth cuts in wood

Wavy Set

Multiple set left, No set, Multiple set right, no set. Primarily small teeth

Thin sections: tubes, pipe, thin sheets

Blade Material

Below are the most widely recommended blade materials for woodworking. More materials are available but these should cover you.

Material

Recommended for

Notes

Carbon Steel

Blade configurations not used often

Most common

Bi-Metal

If you frequently use your band-saw or blades you will use frequently

Requires more tension than carbon steel

Carbide Tipped

Re-saw work or LOTS of ripping

Requires more tension than carbon steel

If this helped you at all or you know someone it might help please press the like and share buttons.

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Author: Unleveled Designs

Small town guy living in a big city. Enjoy reading about finance and working in the garage turned woodshop. Trying to figure out how the blogging thing all works.

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