one of the biggest upgrades you can do for a bandsaw is to put a good quality blade on it.
Starrett makes wonderful blades and I can recommend them. They cost more, but last longer.
www.mscdirect.com, has them....they have anything.
Now,
A good place to start for blade speed is the same speed you would turn the part in Surface Feet per Minute. SFM.
Bandsaw blades can usually run a bit faster than this, but it is a conservative place to start and your not trying to break production records....just not fry a blade.
If you look at one of the files I sent you ( I think) it has surface feet per minute recommendations for various materials. For mild steel, I would set your cutter or blade speed for 60 SFM or less.
Your Ryobi saw, does it have a slow speed option?....if it's set up for cutting wood it may be 1000 SFM or more!.....you need to check that.
Make sure you choose the right pitch blade. Too coarse a blade on thin stock is asking for teeth to get broken and can be dangerous if it pulls the stock through the table.....and they can do that.
2-3 teeth in contact with the work at all times.....minimum.
Lindsay has a nice book by Delta on "Getting the most out of your Bandsaw and Jigsaw" or some such title. Good little book on the subject.
Start there and report back
Good Luck!
Dave
Starrett makes wonderful blades and I can recommend them. They cost more, but last longer.
www.mscdirect.com, has them....they have anything.
Now,
A good place to start for blade speed is the same speed you would turn the part in Surface Feet per Minute. SFM.
Bandsaw blades can usually run a bit faster than this, but it is a conservative place to start and your not trying to break production records....just not fry a blade.
If you look at one of the files I sent you ( I think) it has surface feet per minute recommendations for various materials. For mild steel, I would set your cutter or blade speed for 60 SFM or less.
Your Ryobi saw, does it have a slow speed option?....if it's set up for cutting wood it may be 1000 SFM or more!.....you need to check that.
Make sure you choose the right pitch blade. Too coarse a blade on thin stock is asking for teeth to get broken and can be dangerous if it pulls the stock through the table.....and they can do that.
2-3 teeth in contact with the work at all times.....minimum.
Lindsay has a nice book by Delta on "Getting the most out of your Bandsaw and Jigsaw" or some such title. Good little book on the subject.
Start there and report back
Good Luck!
Dave