Using lube on bandsaw ?

[ChooChooMike]

I've got a Proxxon micro bandsaw that works pretty well.

I've cut 3/4" steel bar with it (slowly), but am finding that it dulls the blade rather quickly. I was trying to cut another hunk off the steel bar last nite and it was taking forever. I gave up, then tried it on brass and aluminum and it cut very very slowly. Whereas a new blade cuts the brass/al rather nicely. Comparing the currently blade and a new one, the new one does feel much sharper, so yeah the obvious solution is to put in the new blade. But, the existing blade hasn't been used very much at all.

So am wondering, when cutting steel like this, should I be using cutting oil on the blade ? Seems to make sense, but that'll quickly dirty up the bandsaw and internals. I'm guessing that's better then the dry cutting I'm doing now. The blade on there now might have a hard time even cutting paper. :big:

Suggestions appreciated !!

Mike

 

[hobby]

How about WD-40?.

 

[Tin Falcon]

boelube stick
http://www.avmro.com/boelube-70200-white-solid-paste-1-6-ounce-push-stick.html
Tin

 

[GailInNM]

Mike,
I looked up the specs on your saw and the slowest blade speed listed is 395 FPM. For carbon steel blades this is twice as fast as recommended for free cutting steel. I run at 140 FPM on 12L14 on my larger band saw and slow down to about 70 FPM on alloy steels and even normal cold rolled steel. I think the high speed is getting to your blade. I use a grease/wax stick made for blade lube when cutting steel or thick aluminum, but mostly because it almost cuts the time in half.
Gail in NM

 

[Powder keg]

I run my saw on the slowest setting. I'm never in a hurry at home. My blades usually last a year or so. My saw gets used almost every day. Sometimes I use a wax made for saw blades. I'll have to look to see what it's called.

 

[hammers-n-nails]

i use the universal lubricoolant by synthetic lubricants from kbc(same as mills and lathe) in a fairly weak solution in the recirculating system on the band saw, it definatly keeps the heat down and it really doesnt make the saw that dirty if youve got plenty of water in it. its $19 a gallon so that would make about 30gal of solution suitable for what your doing.

gails jumped in ahead of me, and i agree thats probably most of the problem but if you can keep everything cool it should help alot. also a coarser tooth blade might help where the saw can go ahead and get through the work instead of taking a million little bites.

 

[ChooChooMike]

Mike,
I looked up the specs on your saw and the slowest blade speed listed is 395 FPM. For carbon steel blades this is twice as fast as recommended for free cutting steel. I run at 140 FPM on 12L14 on my larger band saw and slow down to about 70 FPM on alloy steels and even normal cold rolled steel. I think the high speed is getting to your blade. I use a grease/wax stick made for blade lube when cutting steel or thick aluminum, but mostly because it almost cuts the time in half.
Gail in NM

I initially used the 14-TPI blade that came with the bandsaw. I initially cut some AL & brass with no problem. I dry cut the 1st 3/4" steel rod a few weeks ago and it cut fine, but got quite hot. After that cut, this blade would barely scratch anything else - brass or steel drill rod I needed for my current engine. I switched to a new 24 TPI blade and cut good cuts in brass and 1/8" drill rod and at least 1 more cut of the 3/4" steel rod. Then a couple of nites ago, trying to cut the 3/4" again (fpm was way too fast based on 170 fpm you indicated) and it was very, very slow going and stalled the motor any time I tried to apply a little bit more pressure. Obviously that blade is now shot.

So should I use the 14 or 24 TPI for steel ? Of course now use the slowest fpm (395) the saw provides and some sort of lube to speed up the process and preserve the blade.

I run my saw on the slowest setting. I'm never in a hurry at home. My blades usually last a year or so. My saw gets used almost every day. Sometimes I use a wax made for saw blades. I'll have to look to see what it's called.

I was thinking of trying a bar of soap as lube or a candle for wax ? Heck the candles aren't getting used anymore due to a recent breakup ;D. In lieu of that, use cutting oil, though not looking forward to clumps of swarf on bandsaw internals and pulleys.

gails jumped in ahead of me, and i agree thats probably most of the problem but if you can keep everything cool it should help alot. also a coarser tooth blade might help where the saw can go ahead and get through the work instead of taking a million little bites.

So the 14 TPI is probably better for steel ? and the 24 TPI for al/brass (softer then steel). Remember this is a micro bandsaw. The blade is 42" x 13/64" x 1/64". The whole saw is only about 2-1/2 feet high.

Thanks for all the tips so far guys Thm:

Mike

 

[joeby]

You can go somewhat by the material thickness to determine blade pitch. I was taught to have at least two teeth in contact, and some others have mentioned three. You need to make sure the material you are cutting won't fit in the gullet, between two teeth.

I have a coarse pitch blade (4tpi about) on one of my saws and it works very well on aluminum, at least up to 4" thick or so. Haven't tried heavier stuff.

The blade on my other saw is about 14 pitch. It gets used for almost anything, but it does load the teeth somewhat with aluminum.

Your cutting speed will definitely have a negative impact on your blade life, like others have said. I had to put a reduction gearbox on one saw to get it into a usable range for metalwork.

Kevin

 

[hammers-n-nails]

i agree with joeby if your cutting alot of 1/8 stuff you wouldnt want to go any bigger than 14 TPI. can you get some different pulleys for the belt to slow it down? or a slower motor being that small i bet you could find a used one about anywhere pretty cheap.