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There are many factors
that contribute to decreased blade life. In this article we will
concentrate on poor quality blades and high quality blades with poor
welds.
POOR QUALITY BLADES
Bargain basement band saw blades can save you hundreds of
dollars, as long as you don't put them on your saw. Some cheap
blades may turn out to work fine, but the problem is finding cheap
blades that are consistently good. You might get a batch
of cheap blades that are good but the next batch might not be worth a
darn.
Many manufacturers spend money to develop high quality,
consistent and long-lasting blades. Which blades to buy? Get the
blade that works best for you. Try several manufacturers and
several kinds of blades. Once you find a blade that works best
for you, stick with it!
BAD WELDS
Sometimes even the best blades just won't cut it because they
fail too soon. If the blades consistently break in the weld
you've got bad welds.
Suppose you bought a set of tires for your eighteen wheeler and
sixteen of them went flat in a week. Would you sell the truck?
No, you would find tires that wouldn't go flat.
While good manufacturing can create a high-quality, consistent
band saw blade, the next step is getting the blade to fit your
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machine. You may
have the best blades in the world , but if they aren't welded right,
you have problems.
Many suppliers weld blades in-house so they can eliminate the
trouble of warehousing dozens of different blade lengths, sizes,
thicknesses, tooth configurations, etc. . .
With the advent of much larger band saws in the last 5 years,
some blade suppliers are still coming to terms with the welding
requirements of 1-1/2", 2", 2- 5/8" and 3"
blades. A 2" blade that is not welded properly is much less
forgiving than a 3/4" that is not properly welded.
Here's how to tell if you having a problem with bad
welds. If ten blades break and eight of them break in the weld,
it's a bad weld. Might be a fine blade but a poor weld.
If the blade breaks within the first 5-10 hours, you might want
to inspect the blade. Are the teeth spaced correctly at the
weld? Is the finish grind smooth and even? Is the grind
cut too deep or not deep enough? Does the blade show that it has
been annealed unevenly? Can you see cracks in the weld? Is the
back of the band smooth at the weld point or doesthe blade go
"tick, tick, tick" as it goes around the saw? And is the the
gullet at the weld joint smooth, or is there a notch where a crack can
begin?
A visual inspection may not detect all the flaws that are
possible in a poorly welded blade, but obvious defects can be felt.
If you have additional
questions about this topic, call or e-mail us today.
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