Breaking in a bandsaw blade properly can prolong blade life, lead to faster cuts for longer and ensure more consistent performance. The teeth on a new band saw blade are extremely sharp and if they are not broken in correctly, the edges will chip and wear out faster, meaning rougher cuts in the long run. Today, we reveal the correct procedure for breaking in bandsaw blades without needing to buy anything new.
One useful analogy used in the industry is to think of the bandsaw blade as a new pencil with a sharp tip. You cannot apply too much pressure on a new pencil tip without it breaking and the tip becomes blunt with extended use. Bandsaw blades are very similar in this way. Breaking in a saw blade properly wears off this razor sharp edge and prolongs the blades cutting ability. Each manufacturer will have their own recommended method for breaking in their band saw blades. However, they all share the same key principles which we have outlined in the break-in procedure below.
KMT 300 KDG Semi Automatic Mitre Bandsaw
4 Easy Steps to Breaking In Your Bandsaw Blade
1. Set and use the recommended band saw speed (as per manufacturer’s recommendations)
2. Reduce the feed pressure/force control to approximately 50% of the normal cutting rate. Soft materials like aluminium require a larger reduction in cutting rate (around 50%) than hard-to-cut materials such as stainless steels and hardened steels (which require the feed pressure to be reduced to around 75% of the normal cutting rate).
3. Run at these settings for the first few cuts or around 50 – 100 square inches of easy-to-cut materials (323 – 645 sq. cm) and around 25-75 square inches of hard-to-cut materials (161-484 sq.cm). Begin the first cut at the reduced rate (make sure that the teeth are forming a good chip). Once the blade fully enters the workpiece you can gradually increase to the normal cutting rate or desired cut is achieved. With hard-to-cut materials make gradual increases in feed rate/force over several cuts until normal cutting rate is achieved.
4. Avoid unnecessary vibration (slight adjustments can be made to band speed during this process in the case of excessive noise or vibration).
Following this procedure as well as appropriate daily maintenance practices will allow your bandsaw blade to stay sharper longer, increase the consistency of your cuts and ultimately increase blade life.
Consult your supplier regarding the best break-in procedure for your machine
Once the blade is broken in, you should use the recommended band speed as per manufacturer’s indications. It is best to verify the correct break-in procedure for your particular band saw and relevant daily maintenance required with your supplier. Contact our friendly support team o 03 9794 6675 to discuss Karmetal and Durma band saw break-in and other maintenance procedures. We stock a range of automatic and semi-automatic models and can provide you with the right advice to help you keep your band saw blade in good working order longer and ensure consistent performance.