What does TPI stand for on saw blades? Tooth pitch refers to the number of
teeth per inch
(tpi). 1 inch = 25.4 mm. The relevant variable for selecting the tooth pitch is the contact length of the band saw in the workpiece. The material being sawed and the type of band saw blade used also play a role in the selection.
How many TPI do I need for a rip saw?
Ripsaw teeth are big, widely spaced—
about 5 tpi
—and have a straight rake on their leading edges, all the better for cutting boards lengthwise with the grain by quickly scooping out wood fibers.
How many teeth should my saw blade have?
| Number of teeth touching the material Expected outcome | Less than 2 teeth A really rough cut that may rip and tear your material | 2 to 4 teeth A nice smooth cut | More than 4 teeth A very slow cut that may cause burn marks on the material being cut |
|---|
Is 60 TPI or 120 TPI better?
The higher 120 TPI casing is lighter, thinner and will be able to better conform to the shape of the terrain. However,
the 60 TPI casing is more resistant to puncture, abrasions and cuts
.
What saw blade makes the smoothest cut?
With fewer spaces between the teeth,
crosscut blades
remove less material, resulting in a smoother cut. It also means it takes these blades longer to move through wood. Crosscut blades are the go-to choice for finish carpentry and other applications that require precision and a smooth finish.
Cutting thinner metals, including sheet metal, requires a finer cut. Use
18-24 TPI bi-metal blades
. For thicker metals such as steel pipe, angle irons, or tubing, use 14-18 TPI bi-metal blades. For aluminum, an 8-10 TPI blade is best.
Ferrous blades are ideal for cutting metals that contain iron
, such as stainless steel or cast iron. Choose a non-ferrous blade when cutting softer metals, like aluminum or copper. For the best results, use a diamond blade that’s rated to cut the type of metal you are working with.
Blades with
12 or more
TPI are typically labelled as fine-toothed saws.
In order to choose the right tool for you,
it is important to know the cutting height you need, as well as the type of teeth of the blade
, which will depend on the material to be cut. There are band saws for wood, steel or aluminium.
A dull blade will make it hard to cut quickly, and the slower the feed rate of the saw, the more friction against the wood and the greater the likelihood of scorch marks.
Pushing the stock through the saw too slowly is a common cause of saw blade burn
. Sometimes a blade that feels dull might only be dirty.
Blade Size
Circular saws are categorized by the diameter of the blade they take. The most common and useful size for DIYers is
7 1/4 inches
. Saws this size will cut through material more than 3-inches thick, and they also offer the widest variety of blade choices for cutting substances other than wood.
Generally,
the higher the threads per inch (TPI) the higher the quality of the tire
. In the Kenda line of tires, entry level tires have 22tpi and they rise to 30, 60, and 120tpi at the premium level.
T.P.I. is the acronym of
Threads Per Inch
, which refers to 2.54 cm in the imperial system for bicycle tires. By means of TPI we can measure how many threads there are in a casing by counting the number of threads per inch.
Diablo Carbide Tipped Recip Blades offer premium performance at a premium price
. Cutting speed is right on par with other premium blades for common applications. You’ll notice a major improvement on vibration with the Demo Demon. Uncommon material cutting will see a very impressive improvement in performance.
The only fine-tooth blade you have lying around is a 7 1⁄4 inch size. The short answer to the above questions is that
you can generally use a smaller blade in a circular saw
– within reason. Of course, there will be some drawbacks and changes in performance, especially when you size down by a significant margin.
This particular design, with the “hump” on the shoulder behind the tooth, (the technical term is “chip limiter”) is
to help reduce the chances of material kick-back
.
For general ripping and crosscutting, use a
1
⁄
2
” 3-tpi standard- or hook-tooth blade
. For resawing, use the widest 3-tpi skip- or variable-tooth blade your saw accepts. Typically, the wider the blade, the straighter it cuts. Cutting green (undried) wood requires the widest 2–3-tpi skip-tooth blade your saw accepts.
With fewer spaces between the teeth,
crosscut blades
remove less material, resulting in a smoother cut. It also means it takes these blades longer to move through wood. Crosscut blades are the go-to choice for finish carpentry and other applications that require precision and a smooth finish.
A dull blade will make it hard to cut quickly, and the slower the feed rate of the saw, the more friction against the wood and the greater the likelihood of scorch marks.
Pushing the stock through the saw too slowly is a common cause of saw blade burn
. Sometimes a blade that feels dull might only be dirty.
