DieMaster2 blades not living up to the $$ help

Txcwboy

Txcwboy

Well-Known Member
I have a 4x6 HF bandsaw . Mostly used to rough cut stock out of knife steel and occasionally so thin TI. I spent $36 on the last diemaster2 blade and it was trashed in 1.5 blades. Is there another blade I can use that is a good price but last longer on normal steel cuts ? Just not happy with the Diemaster2.

thanks

Dave
 
The diemaster II is about the best blade you can get for that saw. Like all bandsaw blades, they have to be broken in gently or the super sharp teeth just get trashed. You should be using about 20% feed rate / pressure for the first several feet of cut (seveal blades at least) then 50% for the next ten or so - and then you should have a blade that lasts a long time. By the way, not sure how thick that Ti is, but if the thickness can fit between teeth, you are just going to strip off teeth on any blade.

Breaking in a blade properly actually makes the difference between a day's use from a blade - or a year.

Probably a better description here. http://www.bandsawbladesdirect.com/tech_Blade-Break-In.php
 
You need Bimetal 56 1/2" 14 TPI Bandsaw blades.
Lennox & Starrett are the two brands I've always had good results with. I never heard of Diemaster?

There is truth to breaking in a metal cutting blade. I don't shop Bimetal blades by price. Just by MFG.
You will get what you pay for to a very large extent. I get 20 to 40? plus blades per blade along with a bunch of brass etc.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
Diemaster 2 is a Lenox blade
http://www.bandsawbladesdirect.com/product_info.php/cPath/21_25/products_id/34

As Rob mentions it's possible to strip teeth off a blade.

The rule of thumb is 3 teeth per thickness of stock.
so on 1/8" stock that's 3x8=24 TPI
1/4" 3x4= 12 TPI
Generally I use 18 TPI as a good compromise

If you're pressing hard on a to coarse blade the teeth could strip


Check the speed you are on, I forget the SFPM but the fastest pulley belt combo is too fast.
Try the slowest speed, in this case "slow is smooth and smooth is fast"


It's possible with high speed and high pressure you are work hardening your blade material.

I use a pump oil can to keep the cut cool.

And be sure you install the blade with the teeth down, it's possible for the blade to turn inside out and install it upside down.
 
12345678910 said:
Diemaster 2 is a Lenox blade
http://www.bandsawbladesdirect.com/product_info.php/cPath/21_25/products_id/34

As Rob mentions it's possible to strip teeth off a blade.

The rule of thumb is 3 teeth per thickness of stock.
so on 1/8" stock that's 3x8=24 TPI
1/4" 3x4= 12 TPI
Generally I use 18 TPI as a good compromise

If you're pressing hard on a to coarse blade the teeth could strip


Check the speed you are on, I forget the SFPM but the fastest pulley belt combo is too fast.
Try the slowest speed, in this case "slow is smooth and smooth is fast"


It's possible with high speed and high pressure you are work hardening your blade material.

I use a pump oil can to keep the cut cool.

And be sure you install the blade with the teeth down, it's possible for the blade to turn inside out and install it upside down.
Click to expand...

This knife Dog makes valid points as far as checking the direction of the teeth and I go for the 14TPI as my compromise for different thickness steels.

If these are Lennox Bimetal blades they should be working fine. I buy my Starrett & Lennox blades from suppliers that make them to order as far as length is concerned.
I use the middle pulley on my HF 4x6 but I started with the slowest until I got use to breaking the blades in properly.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
Ive been using the 10/14 V blades and the thinnest TI I cut is .050 but havent cut much lately.I ll go up to the 18 tooth 1/2 with .020 blade and try that. BUT.. i'd never broke one in before. Never heard of it :)
 
and OH...I WILL NOT buy from bandsawblades direct. The rape you for shipping ! $18 for lowest shipping of one blade !!!!
 
Txcwboy said:
and OH...I WILL NOT buy from bandsawblades direct. The rape you for shipping ! $18 for lowest shipping of one blade !!!!
Click to expand...

Interesting. I've never ordered just one blade, but they have always been very accommodating with my special shipping requests. I've also been happy with their selection and quality of the welds. There are local blade companies that I'd love to support, but their prices are nearly double. I suspect you have many more choices, but lawrence is right. You need bi-metal and the top two are Lennox (diemaster) and starret.

FWIW, break-in makes a huge difference if you have the patience to do it right. We used to cut sheets of steel into barstock, and I can't express adequately.... a properly started blade just keeps on going. Even professional shops with automated feed and pressure change their settings for a new blade.

Numbers is right about the rule of thumb being three teeth in the workpiece at all times. The critical point is no stock that can fit between teeth, so your 10/14 pitch would start stripping at .100 (like 3/32 stock).

:3: I know. I resisted too.......................

Rob!
 
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