Understanding Bandsaw Blades

Bandsaw blades are a consumable item, and are one of the operating expenses involved in
running an insulation fabrication shop or other shop using a bandsaw. Educated selection
and use of bandsaw blades can greatly reduce a shop’s monthly blade expense.

Educated bandsaw owners must first understand the distinction between the bandsaw and
the bandsaw blade. The bandsaw blade is what actually makes a cut in the workpiece, or
item to be cut. Typical bandsaw blades have hooked teeth which cut material away from the
workpiece. Other styles of blade include grit edge and slicing, or knife edge, types of blades.
The bandsaw is the machine which carries the blade. It includes the wheels and motor for
turning the blade, and a table or other fixture for positioning the workpiece and moving it
into the blade.

Different materials are cut most effectively and economically with different blades. There
are many different styles and sizes of blade available to suit whatever material you may be
cutting. So, when setting up to cut a workpiece, the first choice which must be made is what
size and style of blade to use. Bandsawing machines must be designed to work with
different styles of blades and types of workpieces. For example, the blades to cut large steel
shapes and mineral wool batting are very different, so the bandsawing machines are also very
different. Once you have chosen a blade to cut your material, you must choose a machine to
carry the blade and support your workpiece.

Most people are familiar with the “hook tooth” style blade. When a hook tooth style blade
passes through the workpiece material, each tooth removes a bit of material. The result is a
gap in the material where the blade has passed. This gap is called the kerf. Blades that work
by leaving a kerf are called “cutting” style blades. These blades typically produce dust. A
different style of blade is the knife edge, or “slicing” blade. As the name suggests, these
blades part the material by slicing through the material without removing material. These
blades work only on flexible materials such as soft foam.

All this may sound very complicated, but Forrest Mfg. Co. has already done most of the
work for you. Forrest has years of experience building saws and providing saw blades for a
variety of customers. Based on that experience, Forrest has chosen the correct blades and
designed the best machines for cutting insulation and other low and medium density
materials.

The following styles and sizes of blades are the best and most economical for cutting
common insulation materials: If you are cutting a different type of material please contact
Forrest Mfg. Co. and we will be glad to help you select a blade and bandsaw best suited to
your application.

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 • Carbon Steel, ½ inch wide 3 tooth per inch (TPI): Also available 3/8 inch wide.
This is the standard, inexpensive “do-all” cutting blade of the insulation industry.
This blade will cut all types of insulation materials. It is best suited to softer
materials, such as urethane or phenolic foam, mineral wool, fiberglass batting,
calcium silicate and similar materials. It will also cut cellular glass materials, but the
teeth will quickly wear away, requiring very frequent blade replacement. All Forrest
saws are shipped standard with one blade of this type.

• Carbide Tipped, ½ inch wide 3 TPI: Also available 3/8 inch wide. This is a
premium cutting blade meant for highly abrasive materials such as cellular glass. The
outward appearance is very similar to the carbon steel blades, but the tip of each
tooth is made of a near diamond hard carbide material. This material is much more
expensive than the carbon steel blades, but many shops find that the superior
longevity of this blade when used to cut cellular glass makes it economically superior.
Forrest Mfg. Co. sells a specially developed carbide toothed blade designed to work
with the Model 103 when cutting small radius pipe covering segments. Carbide
tipped blades will also cut other, softer insulation materials, but blades have a finite
life regardless of the material being cut, and it could be considered a waste of money
to use an expensive blade when it is not required.

• Carbide Grit Edge. This is a very expensive, specialty blade used only for cutting
cellular glass. It cuts through the cellular glass very quickly and is extremely wear
resistant. Few shops use this material because of the cost and the delicate handling
requirements. When used properly, by a well trained fabrication crew, this can be
the most economical blade.

All blades are available from Forrest either as welded to length, ready to use blades, or in
bulk stock delivered in coils. Shops that purchase bulk blade must have a blade welder and
employees trained in the use of the blade welder. Most smaller shops prefer to purchase
welded, ready to use blades. Larger shops will purchase bulk blade and weld it themselves.
Shops that own a blade welder will also reuse broken blades by welding the still useable
pieces of several blades into complete blades. Forrest carries a large stock of the these and
many other styles of blades.

How long a blade lasts can vary greatly with the type of material cut, operator care, saw
condition, and luck. As described above, different insulations materials will wear blades
differently. A carbon steel blade may last a week or more when cutting phenolic foam, but
only a few hours when cutting cellular glass. Operator care is potentially the most influential
determinant of blade life. When cutting on a bandsaw, the material should be fed into the
blade firmly, but only as fast as the blade will cut the material. Excess force on the
workpiece and blade will shorten the life of the blade. Keeping the saw in good condition is
also essential for good blade life. Blade wheels that are excessively worn or out of alignment,
rough running bearings, or poorly adjusted blade guides will all reduce the useful life of a
blade.

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There are a few tricks for increasing blade life. First, use high quality blades with a properly
aligned, annealed, and smooth ground weld. Keep the saw, particularly the blade wheels and
guides in good condition and alignment. Do not leave the saw running when not in use. A
saw that is left running, but not cutting will break the blade in only a few hours. Keep the
blade at an appropriate tension as described in the operator’s manual. Running the blade
either too loose or too tight will shorten the blade life. De-tension the blade when it will not
be used for more than a couple of hours. Leaving the blade tensioned when the saw is not
used will shorten blade life, damage the rubber on the blade wheels, and shorten your
bearing life.

Blade wheels occasionally require resurfacing. As new, the wheels have a gentle crown or
curve across the rubber (the same way bicycle tires have a curved cross section). The blade
will always try to climb to the top of this crown. This tendency of the blade to seek the top
of the crown is the only force keeping the blade on the wheels. If the rubber develops a flat
spot on top of the crown the blade will not “know where to go” and will wander on the
wheel, affecting the safety and quality of operation of the saw. Replace or resurface wheels
with a flat spot on the wheel crown.

Figure 1: Location of Blade on Wheel

The bearings supporting the blade wheel shaft must be kept in good condition. Bearings
that are worn will run rough or prevent proper alignment of the blade wheels. Check the
bearings with the blade removed from the saw. First spin each wheel by hand and feel for
any roughness. The wheels should turn very smoothly. Next grasp the blade wheel firmly
and try to pull it out towards you, and move it up and down or side to side. If there is any
movement of the blade wheel and shaft in the bearings the bearings are bad and must be
replaced.

The final choice of which blade to use, and estimated usage, is typically determined by the
shop foreman. When setting up a new shop with an inexperienced staff, it is probably a
good idea to use the inexpensive carbon steel blade, even for cutting cellular glass. Until the
saw operators get a feel for the equipment and how to use it, they are likely to break blades
much more frequently than normal. If you are cutting cellular glass, you can switch to
carbide blades when your operators become more skillful with the equipment.

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The Forrest radius cutting saws, the Model 103 and the Model 106, require the very careful
blade selection. When cutting small radii insulation pieces, about 6 inch diameter or less,
you need to use either a 3/8” blade or our special large kerf ½” carbide blade. Otherwise
the blade will drag in the cut, creating barrel shaped insulation segments. For cutting larger
diameters, use any of our ½ inch wide blades.

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