1050 – 11 – Saw Blades Types

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Since band saw machines use a curving, singular blade that moves over a drive wheel at one end and an idler wheel at the other, the blade demands flexibility. However, blades still need to be hard enough to pass through materials. They also need enough band and beam strength to maintain resistance to move through the material. If it doesn’t cut through the material then the blade can be forced into an arc because of changes in tension. If it’s too flexible it will have an inefficient and quick life. If it’s too rigid, it wont be able to bend around the wheels.

To combat this issue, metal working shops can choose from a variety of blades, though there are general three major categories that all saws fall into: Carbon steel blades, bi-metal blades and carbide blades.