Band Saw Blade TPI Guide for Metal Cutting
Solid bar: suggested pitch by diameter
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.
| Bar diameter or width | Variable pitch (TPI) |
|---|---|
| Up to 25 mm | 10/14 |
| 25–50 mm | 6/10 or 5/8 |
| 50–80 mm | 5/8 or 4/6 |
| 80–120 mm | 4/6 or 3/4 |
| 120–200 mm | 3/4 or 2/3 |
| 200–400 mm | 2/3 or 1.4/2 |
| 400–700 mm | 1.4/2 or 1/1.5 |
| Over 700 mm | 0.75/1.25 |
Typical starting points for bi-metal blades. Confirm with your blade supplier's chart for your material.
Tube and profiles: suggested pitch by wall thickness
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| Wall thickness | Variable pitch (TPI) |
|---|---|
| Under 2 mm | 14/18 or 10/14 |
| 2–3 mm | 10/14 |
| 3–5 mm | 8/12 or 6/10 |
| 5–8 mm | 6/10 or 5/8 |
| 8–12 mm | 5/8 or 4/6 |
| Over 12 mm | 4/6 or 3/4 |
For bundles of tube, choose by the total section in the cut rather than one wall.
Why the pitch matters
Too fine
Gullets fill with chips, the blade overheats and cuts crooked, and teeth strip on large solid bar.
Too coarse
Too few teeth in the cut on thin walls, so teeth snag and break.
Variable pitch
Mixed tooth spacing reduces vibration and noise, and one blade covers a wider size range.
Blade speed by material
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| Material | Typical blade speed (m/min) |
|---|---|
| Mild steel | 60–80 |
| Medium carbon and alloy steel | 40–60 |
| Tool steel and bearing steel | 30–40 |
| Stainless steel | 25–40 |
| Aluminum and brass | As fast as the machine allows, with a coarse pitch |
Our band saws run 27 / 45 / 69 m/min on step pulleys, or 20–80 m/min with an inverter. The inverter is worth having if you cut stainless steel or mixed materials.
Bi-metal or carbide?
M42 bi-metal blades are the standard choice for carbon steel, alloy steel and stainless steel. Carbide-tipped band saw blades cost several times more, but last longer on hard alloys, nickel alloys and large production runs on heavy-duty saws.
Break in a new blade
A new blade has very sharp tooth tips. Run it at normal speed but with about half the normal feed for roughly the first 15 minutes of cutting, then increase to full feed. This hones the tips and can add a lot of blade life.
Blade sizes on our saws
Our band saws use blade widths of 27, 34, 41, 54, 67 and 80 mm, depending on model. Blade length, width and thickness for each model are in the specification tables of the double-column, automatic, miter and heavy-duty band saws.
Ask an engineer
Send the material and sizes you cut, and we will suggest a blade pitch and speed for your saw.