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Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
ronpriest
 
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Default Metal cutting bandsaw blades


Ned Simmons wrote:
In article . com,
says...
Yes Dave the nominal blade size is 1700mm I can get 1715mm for wood
from most
anywhere its quite a common size but cant seem to find any metal
cutting blades this size
Ive a job to do which involves cutting some 1/2 alum plate been advised
to try 6-10 TPI wood blades however I tried a brand new 14 TPI wood
blade last night this lasted for 3 or 4 straight cuts then the cut was
like spagetti junction.So i would rather get the tool for the job .


The problem is with the blade pitch, not the fact that the blade was a
wood blade. If you look at one of the blade mfrs (Lenox, Starrett,
DoAll, etc.) literature on carbon steel blades, you may find
recommendations for sawing different materials based on a blade's tooth
form and pitch, but you won't find "wood blades" or "metal blades". It
just so happens that the same hook tooth blades that work so well on
wood are also very good for aluminum. I use those same 6TPI hook tooth
blades for sawing mild steel over 3/4" or so, but at much slower speeds,
of course.

14TPI is *way* too fine for 1/2" aluminum. Trevor's remarks are right on
the money. If you're running at wood sawing speeds, a 4TPI skip tooth
will also work very nicely.

Ned Simmons