How it is calculated

The basic rule: 3-6 teeth should be in the cut at any moment. Fewer, and the teeth hit the edge and chip, especially on thin walls. More, and the gullets pack with chips, the blade stops cutting and starts to wander.

For solid stock the pitch is chosen by diameter or thickness; for tubes and profiles by wall thickness, because only the wall is in the cut.

Example: a 40×40 tube with a 2 mm wall takes 14/18, although the outer size alone would suggest 8/12 and the teeth would chip on the wall.

Pitch is given in TPI - teeth per inch. A 6/10 marking means variable pitch: the band alternates sections with 6 and 10 teeth per inch. Such a blade vibrates less and covers a wider size range than a constant pitch.

Tooth pitch selection chart

Solid bar, diameter	TPI	Tube/profile, wall	TPI
up to 10 mm	14/18	up to 2 mm	14/18
up to 30 mm	10/14	up to 3 mm	10/14
up to 50 mm	8/12	up to 5 mm	8/12
up to 80 mm	6/10	up to 8 mm	6/10
up to 120 mm	4/6	over 8 mm	5/8
up to 200 mm	3/4
over 200 mm	2/3

Band speed and practical tips

Approximate band speed: carbon steel 35-60 m/min, stainless 20-35 m/min, cast iron 30-45 m/min, aluminium 200-500 m/min. Many metal-cutting band saws have 2-4 fixed speeds - pick the nearest lower one.

When cutting a bundle of tubes, choose the pitch by one wall, not by the bundle.
Run in a new blade: make the first cuts at roughly half the feed.
The cut drifts - teeth worn on one side, low band tension or guides set too far from the work.
Cut stainless with a steady feed and no light scratching, otherwise it work-hardens and the teeth go dull in a few cuts.
Blue chips and a burning smell on steel - lower the speed and check the coolant flow.

Band saw tooth pitch

Matching products

How it is calculated

Tooth pitch selection chart

Band speed and practical tips