Getting long life from a New Band Saw blade.
What is Blade Break-In?
A new band saw blade has razor sharp tooth tips. In order to withstand the cutting pressures used in band sawing, tooth tips should be honed to form a micro-fine radius. Failure to perform this honing will cause microscopic damage to the tips of the teeth, resulting in reduced blade life.
Why Break-In a Band Saw Blade?
Completing a proper break-in on a new band saw blade will dramatically increase its life.
How to break in a blade
- Select the proper band speed for the material to be cut
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Reduce the feed force/rate to achieve a cutting rate 20% to 50% of normal (soft materials require a larger feed rate reduction than harder materials).
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Begin the first cut at the reduced rate. Make sure the teeth are forming a chip. Small adjustments to the band speed may be made in the event of excessive noise/vibration.
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During the first cut, increase feed rate/force slightly once the blade fully enters the workpiece. With each following cut, gradually increase feed rate/force until normal cutting rate is reached. (150 tot 300 cm2) (C).
