4" diameter 1018 steel

[andrewgr]

So, I went through the first 1/5"-ish in good time. As soon as I got to a depth where the teeth were almost completely inside the cut, it stopped cutting almost completely. (The band is 1/2" thick, and it looks like it's maybe 4-% of the way in the cut, but I can't think of a good way to measure into such a small width groove.) There is no more steel being removed as far as I can see-- no dust on the bar itself, no dust on the saw guard, etc.

How much weight should I be applying? I know the stationary band saws use their own weight to cut through, but I assume they weigh a good deal more than my portable. Should I be pressing firmly down? Putting body weight on it? I did press as firmly as I dared, but maybe that wasn't hard enough?

Also, the blade seems very firm when the saw is not running-- I can't get any play on it at all, it seems to have great tension. But when it's running, it flops both to the left and to the right when it's in the groove. Is that normal?

 

[andrewgr]

Now the question is how bad did you dull the teeth while running backwards?
The same info still holds, try the coarsest tooth you can find in a quality name brand bi-metal blade.

I was just incorrect when I thought the teeth were being worn down. The rounded portion of the rear of the teeth were abraded and a bit shiny, and I just took that as a proxy for overall wear, which was obviously incorrect.

I am using a bi-metal, 6 TPI blade (I said 8 earlier, but I looked it up, and it's actually 6). It's not from a vendor with any sort of good reputation, though. I actually couldn't find any blades that fit the dimensions of the saw that were less than 10-12 TPI, other than the one I purchased. The saw takes a 44 7/8" x 1/2" blade; if you have any suggestions where I might find a name-brand blade with single-digit TPI, I'll give it a try.

 

[Jim F]

They have a 6 and a 6-10 in 1/2 by .025.
BTW, your blade is junk after running backwards.

Custom Welded Band Saw Blades

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[Flyinfool]

Sometimes you need to look at the teeth with a magnifying glass to see the damage done by cutting backwards.
The blade should not be flopping around under load, there should be guides to hold it straight, the guides may not be adjusted correctly.
The blade should be tight enough to play a note when plucked.

https://bladeserpent.com/blades.html?length=44.875&blade_width=0.5&cross_section=Rod&type=Steel&diameter=2.5-8%22&tpi%5B%5D=3&tpi%5B%5D=6&tpi%5B%5D=4&tpi%5B%5D=3%2F4

 

[andrewgr]

Success! I changed the blade to a 10-14 TPI blade, and it's working fairly well. It's not flopping around, and it makes visible progress. I went through maybe 1/2" in a few minutes.

Now that I know what it's "supposed" to feel like when the teeth are really biting, I won't make the same mistake in the future-- it's clear to me now that with the previous blade, it was simply not biting at all.

I'll still get a better blade with fewer TPI, but in the meantime, with enough patience I can get this sawn in half and carry it out of the "car" section of the garage, into my (small) workshop.

 

[Jim F]

 

[Shootymacshootface]

My son put one of my brand new blades on my 4×6 horizontal bandsaw. It happen to come out of the bubble pack inside out. He ran it backwards for a while on a piece of titanium. When I showed up, told me that the saw wouldn't cut. I took the blade off and turned it around. It never cut like a new blade should have.

 

[Inferno]

I bought this to chop steel.'
You might go through a couple blades but it will be quick.

5.5 Amp 6 in. Cut-Off Saw

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[f350ca]

When you put a new blade on the saw never run it into the old cut section. The set will have been reduced on the old blade so the kerf will be narrow. You'll ruin the new blade, removing the set when it enters the old cut.
Oh, I have a 5 or 6 feet of 4 inch shaft on the floor, I leave a sling around it to lift with the overhead crane, its too heavy to lift to get the sling around it. lol
Greg

 

[Packard V8]

It weighs far too much for me to move around on my own without a dolly, and even getting it on the dolly is hard. I think it's like 176 pounds, and I'm not a big or strong guy.

Beer can lift anything. A sixpack of craft beer would get that moved anywhere you want it. I once got a hot tub hauled across this end of town and set in my back yard for three cases of Coors Light. (Big guys but with no taste in beer.)

jack vines