Breaking in Band Saw Blades

Breaking in Band Saw Blades

The importance of breaking in a new blade should not be under estimated. It can mean the difference between success and failure of your bandsaw blade.

Proper break-in of your bandsaw blade will give you a more uniform blade life. It will make it easier to judge the overall blade life and performance.

One should always break-in a blade when first installed to remove the sharp edge. Breaking-in the bandsaw blade will give you a much longer blade life and you will not have as many problems with breaking/stripping teeth, or crooked cuts.

Think of a new band saw blade as if it were a knife with a new edge or a pencil with a new point. Everyone knows that a knife will stay sharper longer if you take the time to hone the edge before you use the knife. We also know one cannot push down hard on a pencil point without breaking the tip when it is new. Band saw blades are no different.

The following are a few successful ways to properly break-in bandsaw blades.

Procedure 1

1. Set the speed of the bandsaw blade according to your cut charts or the blade manufacturer's Recommended Speeds list.
2. Reduce the feed pressure and/or head drop rate by 25% of the regular production rate for the first one hundred square inches.

Procedure 2

1. Set the speed of the bandsaw blade according to the size and type of material to be cut.
2. Reduce the feed force to the minimum feed possible to maintain a chip.
3. Gradually increase the feed pressure until the desired cutting rate is acquired.

Procedure 3

1. Reduce the blade speed and feed force by 25%.
2. Gradually increase both speed and feed until the desired cutting rate is achieved.