Blade Selection, Blade Terminology, Blade Length

blade selection

Blade Selection

Selecting the right blade for the cut requires a knowledge of various blade characteristics.

Blade Terminology

		A
	B
		C
D	E	H
D	F	H
	F
	G	I

Figure 16. Bandsaw blade terminology.

A.Kerf: The amount of material removed by the blade during cutting.

B.Tooth Set: The amount each tooth is bent left or right from the blade.

C.Gauge: The thickness of the blade.

D.Blade Width: The widest point of the blade measured from the tip of the tooth to the back edge of the blade.

E.Tooth Rake: The angle of the tooth face from a line perpendicular to the length of the blade.

F.Gullet Depth: The distance from the tooth tip to the bottom of the curved area (gullet).

G.Tooth Pitch: The distance between tooth tips.

H.Blade Back: The distance between the bot- tom of the gullet and the back edge of the blade.

I.TPI: The number of teeth per inch measured from gullet to gullet.

G8144Z/G8145Z/G8146Z (Manufactured Since 6/11)

blade widths and radius

Blade Length

Measured by the blade circumference, blade lengths are usually unique to the brand of your bandsaw and the distance between the wheels.

Model	Blade Length Range
G8144Z.	.............................................941⁄4"–981⁄4"
G8145Z.	...............................................105"–110"
G8146Z.	...............................................133"–136"

Blade Width

Measured from the back of the blade to the tip of the blade tooth (the widest point), blade width is often the first consideration given to blade selec- tion. Blade width dictates the largest and smallest curve that can be cut, as well as how accurately it can cut a straight line—generally the wider the blade, the straighter it will cut.

Model	Blade Width Range
G8144Z.	.....................................................1⁄8"–3⁄8"
G8145Z.	.....................................................1⁄8"–1⁄2"
G8146Z.	.....................................................1⁄8"–3⁄4"

Always pick the blade width that best suits your operation.

Curve Cutting: Use the chart in Figure 17 to choose the correct blade for curve cutting. Determine the smallest radius curve that will be cut on your workpiece and use the corresponding blade width.

The list below shows the minimum radius that can be cut by common blade widths.

Width	Radius
1⁄8"	1⁄8"
3⁄16"	3⁄8"
1⁄4''	5⁄8''
3⁄8''	11⁄4''
1⁄2''	21⁄2''
5⁄8''	33⁄4''
3⁄4''	51⁄2''

Figure 17. Blade width radii.

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