SteveB wrote:

I got one of those cheap-o HF band saws. The horizontal one. I think it is
called a 4". Their $149 special.

I got some 14tpi blades for cutting .065 tubing. Occasionally, I will cut
some stouter stuff, but mainly tubing.

I noticed that this is eating blades a little faster than I think it should.
(I think they should last for 5-7 years.) But, I have been using it quite a
bit, and have gone through two blades already.

I was looking at the directions on the new blade, and noticed that there is
a 10tpi that is recommended for metal cutting. These are the Home Depot
variety blades, I believe Ridgid.

Should I go to a 10tpi, or is this just what they do?


You probably have a 3-speed belt pulley arrangement. You get speeds from
about 100 to 200 SFPM with that, I think. For aluminum, use the higher
speed, for steel, use the lowest speed.

..065 tubing probably needs a FINER blade tooth pitch! You normally want 3
teeth in the material. 3 x 1/.065 = needs about a 46 tooth blade, by
that rule.
You won't find one that fine, of course.

Be glad you weren't using a $50 Starrett bimetal blade with your tubing, it
would have stripped all the teeth in one rotation of the blade!

Don't you notice the 14 TPI blade grabs and tears the heck out of the tubing
as it is cutting half-way through the tube? The 14 TPI teeth would be
expected to fall into the edge of the metal and take a full-depth bite,
which
is very hard on the blade. Maybe you are controlling the feed manually when
you do this.

Are you serious about the 5 - 7 years? I don't think metal (horizontal) saw
blades last that long under ANY circumstances due to the twist applied
to the
blade. That added flexing of the blade fatigues the metal. If I get a
couple
hundred cuts out of my el-cheapo blades that come in 100' rolls, I'm pretty
happy. Sometimes, I even wear out the teeth before the blade itself is
starting to wear out. Usually it breaks a couple of times at the joint,
because
my crappy blade welder is not really set quite right.

Jon