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Cutting Tools
2
Tooth pitch describes the number of teeth per inch (TpI).
1 inch is equivalent to 25.4 mm.
TOOTH PITCH
The decisive factor for the tooth pitch is the working length of the
band saw blade in the workpiece. The table shows the respective
upper and lower limits.
Variable
Working length
Tooth pitch
(mm)
TPI
from
to
10 –14
–
20
08 –12
10
30
06 –10
20
50
5 – 8
30
60
4 – 6
50
90
3 – 4
80
150
2 – 3
120
300
1.4 – 2
250
600
1.0 – 1.4
400
1000
0.85– 1.15
600
2000
0.75– 1.25
600
2000
0.7 – 1.0
1000
3000
Structure of a bimetal band saw blade
Correct breaking in guarantees longevity, see illustration above:
1. New cutting edge with very small edge radius
2. Optimally rounded cutting edge due to correct breaking in of saw band
3. Excessive load due to inappropriate breaking in leads to micro-chipping at the cutting edge.
BREAKING IN OF SAW BLADES
Bimetal saw bands
Sharp cutting edges with extremely small edge radii are the
prerequisite for high cutting performance.
WIKUS blades are predestined for this.
In order to maintain optimum service life, we recommend to break
in the blade accordingly. Depending on the material and dimensions
of the cutting object, determine the correct cutting and advancing
speed (e.g. with the WIKUS bimetal cutting data slide rule). It is
important that the new saw blade is only used with approx. 50%
of the feed rate determined. Micro-chipping due to excessive chip
thickness is thus avoided.
New saw blades can tend to vibrate and generate vibration sounds.
Here, it is helpful to slightly reduce the cutting speed.
Where small workpiece dimensions are involved, approx. 300 cm
2
of
the material should be cut to break in the blade.
If large workpiece dimensions have to be processed, we recommend
to break in the blade for approx. 15 minutes.
After the breaking in period, you can slowly increase the advance to
the previously determined speed rate.
Carbide saw blades
After selection of the optimum parameters for the application
case on hand (e.g. using the WIKUS carbide cutting data slide
rule) you should break in the carbide saw blade at about 75% of
the cutting speed and 50% of the feed rate. It is very important
to avoid vibrations. In this case, a change of cutting speed should
help. After the breaking in time of approx. 15 min or 300 cm
2
, you
should slowly increase first the cutting speed and then the feed
rate to the previously determined data. Before you use the blade
for the first time check both the blade tension, which should be
about 300 N/mm
2
, and the oil content of the cooling lubricant.
Hand refractometers can be found on page
Ç
9/107 and belt
tension measuring devices are available upon enquiry.
Knurling Tools
381