Metal band saw blade problem

Garden Railroading
1

Ive got a 10" bandsaw and have been using a metal blade to cut my brass rails for the last month. Suddenly the other day, it quit cutting the rails. I put in a new blade and it worked fine.

I’m not sure if I cut metals other than brass with the bandsaw.

Questions:

  1. Should I limit cutting only to brass and copper?

  2. Is aluminum considered a “soft” metal?

  3. Anyone else experience blade dulling?

Thanks

2

Blades do wear out.

Aluninum, brass, copper, plastics are all soft and the blade can be run fairly fast.

Steel, sst are harder and the blade must be run much slower.

Also on thinner materials make sure that there is at least 2 teeth making contact on the cut or more teeth per inch on thin materials but you can run coarser teeth on thicker material.

I cut everything except hardened steel on my band saw, adjust speed and make sure I do not cut thin material with a skip/coarse blade.

Bud

3

Thanks, Bud,

My speed is just fast so guess better stick with soft metals for the band saw and use the table saw cutoff wheel for all else (or the grinding metal cutoff wheel that’s a handheld tool).