Southbend SB1040 - Manual (Page 26)

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For Machines Mfg. Since 8/09 Model SB1040/SB1041 O P E R A T I O N
Blade Selection
Selecting the right blade for the cut requires a
knowledge of various blade characteristics.
Blade Terminology
A. Kerf: The amount of material removed by
the blade during cutting.
B. Tooth Set: The amount each tooth is bent
left or right from the blade.
C. Gauge: The thickness of the blade.
D. Blade Width: The widest point of the blade
measured from the tip of the tooth to the
back edge of the blade.
E. Tooth Rake: The angle of the tooth face
from a line perpendicular to the length of the
blade.
F. Gullet Depth: The distance from the tooth
tip to the bottom of the curved area (gullet).
G. Tooth Pitch: The distance between tooth
tips.
H. Blade Back: The distance between the
bottom of the gullet and the back edge of the
blade.
I. Blade Pitch or TPI: The number of teeth per
inch measured from gullet to gullet.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
Figure 13. Bandsaw blade terminology.
Blade Length
Measured by the blade circumference, blade
lengths are usually unique to the brand of your
bandsaw and the distance between the wheels.
Model Blade Length Range
SB1040/SB1041 ................................ 139 3 ⁄
8
"–140 1 ⁄
2
"
Blade Width
Measured from the back of the blade to the tip
of the blade tooth (the widest point), blade width
is often the first consideration given to blade
selection. Blade width dictates the largest and
smallest curve that can be cut, as well as how
accurately it can cut a straight line—generally
the wider the blade, the straighter it will cut.
Model Blade Width Range
SB1040/SB1041 ............................................ 1 ⁄
8
"– 5 ⁄
8
"
Always pick the blade width that best suits your
operation.
Curve Cutting: Use the chart in Figure 14
to choose the correct blade for curve cutting.
Determine the smallest radius curve that will be
cut on your workpiece and use the corresponding
blade width.
The list below shows the minimum radius that
can be cut by each blade width.
Width Radius
1 ⁄
8
" ................................................. 1 ⁄
8
"
3 ⁄
16
" ................................................ 3 ⁄
8
"
1 ⁄
4
'' .................................................. 5 ⁄
8
''
3 ⁄
8
'' .................................................1 1 ⁄
4
''
1 ⁄
2
'' ..................................................2 1 ⁄
2
''
5 ⁄
8
'' .................................................4''
Figure 14. Blade width radii.