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Anyone that owns a bandsaw will tell you that properly used and maintained, a bandsaw is the perfect addition to any workshop. A bandsaw will quickly take center stage, and do the tasks of many of your other power tools. As is such, being able to recognize and understand various types of bandsaw blades is as important to your workshop as a good bandsaw itself.
With a good and proper bandsaw blade, you get a cleaner, better cut. In addition, the task is done in a safer and healthier environment for both you and your property. Having the proper bandsaw blades also means that the cut will be a lot easier.
Types of Blades
There are three major types of blades. Each blade offers a cut that is perfect for various materials being cut. Using the proper type of bandsaw blade is an essential part of any bandsaw project.
(a) Regular Tooth – These are the perfect bandsaw blades for those finer cuts you need to make in the material. The teeth are extremely fine and make for an extremely smooth cut. It is not suggested that you do a resawing project with a regular tooth blade. This can be dangerous to you and your property. Instead, use one of the other blades mentioned below.
(b) Hook Tooth – These are the perfect blades for difficult and hard materials. This is an extremely aggressive blade and should not be used by novices. The hook tooth blade cuts a 10º rake angle that is highly priced by bandsaw users around the world.
(c) Skip Tooth – These are the perfect blades for softer and easier types of materials. This is considered a perfect all-purpose blade. This is also highly prized because it is an excellent blade for resawing. This skip tooth blade cuts a 0º rake angle making it perfect for the average user. These blades are probably the most used by bandsaw users.
What It All Means
The more teeth your blade has per inch, the smoother the cut by the blade you will get. However, the smoother the cut, the slower the operation actually takes. Most bandsaw users recommend having at least 3 teeth in your material at every turn of the blade. This gives added security to your project, keeping you safe from harm. If you want to resaw a piece of material, you need an aggressive blade. The wider a blade width is, the more stability you will get and the more straight the cut will be. A more narrow blade will give a tighter cut that is perfect for a more detailed project. As a rule of thumb, use the widest blade your project can handle. This adds safety to your project.
As is obvious, safety should always be your first concern. While you want a good and proper job to be done, you also need to make sure you use the proper bandsaw blade. Only with the proper bandsaw blade can you be assured of your safety, but also the more proper a bandsaw blade is for the task at hand, the better the cut.
Johnathon is a professional carpenter for over 20 years and has experience in helping customers renovate their homes. Johnathon is woodwork enthusiast who works with jigsaws, table saws, circular saws and many other varieties of saws. Visit his specialty site on saws at www.szaws.com for table saw reviews. |
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