Speeds and Materials¶
Getting the speed right means the difference between blades lasting months or minutes. Here's what actually works.
Understanding Band Speed¶
Measured in FPM (Feet Per Minute) - how fast the blade travels.
Why Speed Matters¶
Too fast:
- Burns teeth
- Work hardens material
- Breaks blades
- Blue chips (bad)
Too slow:
- Rubs instead of cutting
- Takes forever
- Dulls blade
- Wastes time
Just right:
- Consistent chip color
- Smooth cutting
- Blade stays cool
- Maximum life
Speed by Material¶
Aluminum and Soft Alloys¶
Speed: 250-350 FPM
Characteristics:
- Cuts fast
- Chips can weld
- Needs chip clearance
- Watch for gumming
Tips:
- Use cutting fluid
- Coarser teeth
- Keep blade sharp
- Clear chips often
Mild Steel¶
Speed: 100-150 FPM
The baseline:
- Most common material
- Forgiving
- Good chip formation
- Standard everything
Best practices:
- Always use coolant
- 10-14 TPI typical
- Medium feed pressure
- Listen to the cut
Stainless Steel¶
Speed: 60-80 FPM
The problem child:
- Work hardens easily
- Needs constant feed
- Never let it rub
- Slow and steady
Critical points:
- Heavy coolant flow
- Positive rake teeth
- Never stop in cut
- Replace when dull
Cast Iron¶
Speed: 80-100 FPM
Special case:
- Cut DRY only
- Powdery chips
- Abrasive
- Messy
Remember:
- No coolant ever
- Wear dust mask
- Clean saw after
- Expect shorter blade life
Tool Steel (Annealed)¶
Speed: 50-70 FPM
Tough stuff:
- Very slow
- Maximum coolant
- Light steady pressure
- Premium blades only
Brass and Bronze¶
Speed: 200-300 FPM
Free cutting:
- Similar to aluminum
- Chips break well
- Little burr
- Pleasant to cut
Plastics¶
Speed: 300-500 FPM
Varies widely:
- Some melt
- Some chip
- Test first
- Usually no coolant
Quick Reference Chart¶
| Material | Speed (FPM) | Coolant | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | 250-350 | Yes | Watch chip welding |
| Mild Steel | 100-150 | Yes | Standard baseline |
| Stainless | 60-80 | Heavy | Keep feeding |
| Cast Iron | 80-100 | NEVER | Dry cut only |
| Tool Steel | 50-70 | Yes | Go slow |
| Brass | 200-300 | Optional | Free cutting |
| Copper | 150-200 | Yes | Can grab |
| Plastic | 300-500 | Usually no | Test first |
Feed Rate and Pressure¶
Speed is only half the equation.
General Guidelines¶
Let the saw do the work:
- Gravity feed on horizontal
- Light steady pressure vertical
- Never force
- If smoking, too much pressure
Material-Specific Feed¶
Aluminum:
- Medium to fast feed
- Don't dwell
- Keep chips moving
Steel:
- Medium steady feed
- Consistent pressure
- Watch chip color
Stainless:
- Never stop feeding
- Constant pressure
- No dwelling
- Critical!
Cast Iron:
- Light pressure
- Let it cut
- Don't force
Reading Your Chips¶
Chips tell the truth about your setup.
Good Chips¶
Steel:
- Silver to light brown
- Curled nicely
- Consistent size
- Not too hot
Aluminum:
- Shiny
- May spiral
- Not discolored
- Clean breaks
Stainless:
- Tightly curled
- Consistent
- Not blue/purple
- Controlled heat
Bad Chips - What They Mean¶
Blue/Purple = Too fast or no coolant Powder = Blade dull or wrong TPI Long strings = Feed too light Thick chunks = Feed too heavy Welded chips = Need more coolant
Coolant Considerations¶
When and how much matters.
Standard Mix¶
Water-soluble oil:
- 5-10% concentration
- Check with refractometer
- Adjust as needed
- Change when rancid
Flow Rate¶
General cutting:
- Steady stream
- Cover blade width
- Wash chips away
- Keep blade cool
Heavy cutting:
- Flood coolant
- Maximum flow
- Critical for life
- Don't be stingy
When Extra Coolant Helps¶
- Stainless steel (always)
- Deep cuts
- Production runs
- Maximum blade life
- Expensive material
Adjusting for Conditions¶
Real world isn't textbook.
Thick Sections¶
Adjustments:
- Reduce speed 10-20%
- Increase coolant
- Steady pressure
- Watch for heat
Thin Materials¶
Changes needed:
- Finer teeth
- Higher speed OK
- Light pressure
- Support material
Bundle Cutting¶
Multiple pieces:
- Reduce speed 20%
- Clamp tight
- Extra coolant
- Expect shorter blade life
Hard Spots¶
Dealing with variations:
- Slow down
- Let blade work
- Don't force
- May need carbide
Troubleshooting Speed Issues¶
Blade Wearing Too Fast¶
Check:
- Speed too high?
- Coolant working?
- Right blade?
- Material harder than expected?
Cutting Too Slow¶
Look for:
- Speed too low?
- Blade dull?
- Not enough pressure?
- Wrong TPI?
Poor Finish¶
Investigate:
- Vibration?
- Speed mismatch?
- Blade condition?
- Guide adjustment?
Crooked Cuts¶
Common causes:
- Uneven blade wear
- One side cutting faster
- Guide problems
- Feed issues
Production Tips¶
Speed Changes¶
When to adjust:
- Different material
- Blade wearing
- Finish problems
- Time constraints
How much:
- Start conservative
- 10% adjustments
- Listen to cut
- Watch chips
Optimizing for Production¶
Blade life priority:
- Run slower
- Maximum coolant
- Perfect setup
- Consistent results
Speed priority:
- Push limits carefully
- Watch blade temp
- More blade changes
- Risk vs reward
Special Cases¶
Hardened Materials¶
If you must:
- Carbide blade
- 30-50 FPM max
- Flood coolant
- Expect problems
- Consider alternatives
Exotic Alloys¶
Research first:
- Call blade manufacturer
- Start very slow
- Test cuts
- Document what works
Mixed Materials¶
Laminated/welded:
- Use slower material speed
- Reduce 20% more
- Expect blade wear
- No shortcuts
The Reality Check¶
Charts are guidelines, not gospel:
- Start with book speed
- Listen to your saw
- Watch your chips
- Adjust as needed
- Document what works
Every saw is different. What works on the old DoAll might not work on the new import. Learn your machine.
Quick Setup Guide¶
For any new material:
- Look up recommended speed
- Set 10% slower to start
- Use appropriate blade
- Full coolant flow
- Make test cut
- Adjust based on results
- Record settings
The Bottom Line¶
Right speed + right feed + right blade = good cuts
Get any one wrong and you're:
- Burning blades
- Making scrap
- Wasting time
- Getting frustrated
Take 5 minutes to set up properly. Your blades will last longer, cuts will be better, and you'll spend less time fighting the saw.