Cut stainless steel pipe how to#
In this article, we’ll show you how to cut stainless steel pipe so that you can get the job done quickly and easily. It’s because stainless steel pipes are crafted for corrosion resistance and durability, making them difficult to cut.īut don’t worry! With the right tools and a little bit of know-how, you can cut stainless steel pipe like a pro. This can be a daunting task, especially if you’ve never done it before. Also, blade brushes must be in good condition and properly aligned and tooth gullets thoroughly cleared of chips before re-entering the work.As a homeowner, you may need to cut stainless steel pipe from time to time. Speeds and feeds should always be set before the blade contacts the work, and the blade should not be touching the workpiece when starting the machine. The blade should not run at a low feedrate until it is fully engaged in the cut and cutting forces are distributed over at least ten teeth to prevent overloading any single tooth.
Shops should not slow blade speed during run-in because it increases cutting forces on each tooth.Ī general rule for setting speeds and feeds is the heavier the section, the slower the speed. For example, run at half feed for the first piece if it is a heavy solid and for the first three pieces if hollow.
Cut stainless steel pipe full#
To run-in a new bimetal blade, run it at full bandspeed and half feed for the first ten minutes, afterward increasing feed in 25% increments. The resulting smooth surface reduces the tendency of stainless steel chips to cling to the blade. Running-in, or “going-light,” hones the burrs and sharp edges and eliminates stress risers. Proper running-in of a new blade, particularly a ground-tooth bimetal blade, can double its life. To reduce the risk of over-twisting, shops should bring the blade guides in close and rigidly clamp the workpiece. However, a bandsaw table that is not level over-twists blades and causes failure. Today’s bandsaws sport the rigidity and power for shops to take full advantage of carbide-tipped blades. Stainless steel sawing benefits from recent developments in bandsawing equipment. Handling and Operating SawĪnd, if the blade must be stepped on to invert it, wrap the affected area with a wiping cloth or piece of cardboard. A variable-pitch blade works best for material prone to chatter or harmonic vibrations. A basic rule-of-thumb is specifying pitch that engages at least 3 or 4 teeth in the cut. The center tooth makes it possible to set the others wider.īlade pitch is more a function of material thickness than composition. Rather than having teeth set right-left, a triple-set blade is set center-left/right-center, and so on. A triple-set blade creates the largest clearance between workpiece and blade. With either type of blade, shops should specify the widest possible set for cutting stainless steel.Īlthough kerf losses increase, a wide kerf protects against stainless steel’s infamous tendency to pinch, bind, and close-up behind the blade. Operator skill level is an important factor in choosing between bimetal and carbide-tipped bandsaw blades. Bimetal blades may not cut as fast, but they are more forgiving of less-expert handling than carbide-tipped ones. More important for stainless-steel cutting, grinding creates a smooth surface, so teeth resist metal adhesion.Ĭarbide-tipped blades are vulnerable to misuse, and selection is still somewhat limited, although this is changing.
This results in more even tooth wear, which extends blade life and reduces the risk of overloading a tooth. The consistent tooth height of a ground blade uniformly distributes cutting loads from tooth to tooth. Image of Futura carbide bandsaw blade from
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