Tubes versus Pipes

The terms tubes and pipes are often used interchangeably, but in the manufacturing industry, they are distinct. Tubes are usually used as a structural element whereas pipes are more often used to transport liquids.

As such, careful consideration must be taken towards a tube’s wall thickness and exact diameter to ensure it has enough strength and hardness for support.

Due to these considerations, tubing is often made out of materials such as steel, aluminium, copper and other metals.

That’s why machines are a perfect fit to cut them into usable products. In particular, one may often see manufacturers uses bandsaw blades to cut thin wall tubing.

The Right Bandsaw Blade to Cut Thin Wall Tubing

But how does someone choose the right blade for the job? One of the first considerations that must be made is the blade pitch or teeth per inch.

Great care must be taken when cutting hollow workpieces such as tubing. This is because of the friction and vibrations that may be caused when the blade comes into contact with the piece.

That’s why we recommend a variable pitch blade which varies the spacing of the blade teeth. We’d also suggest at least 3 teeth are kept on the workpiece at all times.

Coolants can also help keep the blade at a stable temperature when working with metal. All these recommendations help to reduce damage to both the blade and the piece.

Of course, different metals require different types of blades. It is common, however, to use bimetal bandsaw blades to cut any type of thin wall tubing. This is due to their tooth toughness and abrasion resistance. For any plastics or soft metals we’d suggest using an M42 Blade while for higher grade pieces, an M51 Blade.

So then, if you need to cut some tubing, then make sure to visit SawBlade where we manufacture blades within the first 24 hours to your specifications. Don’t be afraid to ask our helpful customer service for any advice if you are ever unsure about what you need.