# Would You Cut This Stock Flat Or On Edge On A Horizontal Band Saw?



## coolidge (Aug 7, 2015)

I picked up two 4 foot lengths of 2.5 inch x .375 inch cold rolled steel at the local metal supplier. I noticed they cut this on edge on their horizontal band saw. I have been cutting stock like that flat on my band saw to minimize any potential error e.g. out of square. Their cuts were out of square cut on edge. Anyway just curious how others would cut this on their band saw.


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## RJSakowski (Aug 7, 2015)

Cutting flat will be more likely to give you a square cut.  It also puts more teeth in the cut, minimizing tooth tear-out.  Cutting on edge cuts faster, at least on my saw.  That may be why they do it.

I cut flat most of the time.

Bob


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## Andy Rafferty (Aug 7, 2015)

Ditto. More teeth in the cut


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## Bill C. (Aug 7, 2015)

Cut it flat, all the stock I used to cut was flat.  They turned it on it's side for speed. They sell material either by the foot or pound.  Good luck with your project


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## schor (Aug 7, 2015)

They might have cut a bunch together at the same time.


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## Firestopper (Aug 7, 2015)

Gang cutting on edge, single cut is done flat, for me anyhow.


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## sanddan (Aug 7, 2015)

I run a 8-10 var tooth blade so I would cut on edge. If I ran a coarser blade I would cut flat.


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## coffmajt (Aug 7, 2015)

Its all to do with how many teeth you keep cutting, with blade manufacturers telling you at least 3 teeth in the cut in order to not strip out a tooth.  With 3/8 thick stock, a 10-12 variable pitch blade is ok on edge, and will cut cooler than flat since the chips will clear more quickly.  The only thing to watch is the starting cut - if possible ease the blade it until you are sure at least 3 teeth are engaged -- Jack


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## GarageGuy (Aug 8, 2015)

My blade is a 14T.  On a piece of .375 stock, that gives me ~5 teeth in contact with the stock.  There isn't really a practical reason not to cut on the edge.  As Jack mentions above, just start the cut gently.

GG


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## uncle harry (Aug 8, 2015)

I usually insert a piece of square or round material under the forward edge of stock & clamp it at an incline. This reduces swarf build-up in the gullets of the teeth. More teeth are engaged than if vertical and cutting proceeds faster than fully flat. It helps to have a down feed control.


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## rdhem2 (Aug 8, 2015)

uncle harry---could you please explain a little further for us slower folks can understand?


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## uncle harry (Aug 8, 2015)

rdhem2 said:


> uncle harry---could you please explain a little further for us slower folks can understand?



I bench up one edge of flat stock so it is inclined for cutting.  The greater the angle without slipping up when clamping the better.  It works especially well if cutting something like 1/8 thick strip 3" wide.  It also provides a more square cut if the saw is adjusted square.


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## Andre (Aug 8, 2015)

Fine tooth blade = on edge

Coarse blade = flat.

Coarse blade on edge can possibly chip a tooth, fine tooth on the flat side could load the gullet of the tooth before the tooth is out of the cut.


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