• When Cutting Curves, The Width Of The Blade Will Determine The Smallest Radius That May Be Cut

• Wide Blades Are Most Often Used For Resawing Or Straight Line Cuts

• Smaller Width Blades Are Used For Smaller Radius Cuts

Lubricating the cutting edge will reduce the heat that is generated by cutting friction – too much heat in the cut is one of the main reasons for blade failure.

A flood of coolant helps wash the chips from the gullets
• Chips become work-hardened in the cutting operation
• If chips are dragged back through the cut a second time, they can damage teeth

A flood of coolant helps cool the blade’s cutting edge and saw guides, extending blade life.

Remember: flood coolant whenever possible and only use coolant where chips are present – do not use coolant on materials that produce a powder, such as gray iron.

• To Achieve A Smoother, More Refined Cut Choose A Blade That Has More TPI

• The More TPI, The Finer The Cut Will Be; The Fewer Teeth Per Inch, The Rougher The Cut Will Be

• High TPI Configurations Should Be Used On Thinner Materials And May Require A Reduced Material Feed Rate

• Low TPI Configurations Should Be Used On Thicker Materials And May Require A Higher Feed Rate

Material Machinability Rating – The lower the machinability rating the slower the band speed will need to be.

Blade Selection – The cutting edge (tooth tip) of the blade will govern the speed at which the blade can run (FlexBack = Slowest Cutting, Carbide = Fastest Cutting)

Cutting Noise / Vibration – Cutting noise or vibration is a killer to a cutting edge – if either is present, the speed must be decreased

Coolant / Cutting Fluid – If the coolant is adequate, use the standard cutting chart speeds. When cutting dry, reduce the speed by 40-50%

Check the blade pitch. If the blade engages fewer than six teeth, those teeth are subject to overloading and stripping, especially under heavy feed force. If the blade engages more than 24 teeth, the chips formed may pack the relatively small gullets and strip teeth.

Any chips drawn back into the cut contribute to gullet packing and stripping. Cutting fluid must prevent chip welding, and the chip brush must clean the gullets as the blade exits the cut.

A workpiece that spins or moves in the saw vise will destroy a blade abruptly.