Published charts, one clear answer
The bandsaw blade wizard
Tell it what you cut, the section, your machine and your priorities. It works out a starting blade specification from published engineering charts, shows its working line by line, then prices every matching blade we list at your length.
How the wizard chooses
- 1. Published charts compute the specification. Tooth pitch from the solids bands and the tube and wall matrices, blade width from your machine or the radius chart, band speed from the per material tables, the family from the hardness ladder. Every line names the chart it came from; where a chart is silent the wizard says so instead of guessing.
- 2. The blades we list are ranked against it. Every listed blade and variant is scored on width, pitch, family, welded range and material, with the working shown per result. Nothing is shortlisted by hand and no blade is invented.
- 3. Prices are worked out at your length. Each match is priced at your loop length with the same rules as the product page, and the Configure button opens that blade with the variant and length already chosen. The basket confirms the final price and the expected delivery date before you pay.
A longer guide for each material is under the materials guides.
The reference tables the wizard reads
One data module drives the wizard and these tables, so what you read here is exactly what it computes with.
Tooth pitch for solid sections
Bands overlap by design; the wizard picks the band whose centre sits nearest your section, then snaps to the catalogue pitch vocabulary.
| Section width | TPI |
|---|---|
| 0 to 5mm | 18 |
| 4 to 8mm | 14 |
| 2 to 15mm | 10/14 |
| 8 to 20mm | 8/12 |
| 16 to 30mm | 6/10 |
| 25 to 40mm | 5/8 |
| 35 to 70mm | 4/6 |
| 60 to 120mm | 3/4 |
| 80 to 200mm | 2/3 |
| 120 to 400mm | 1.5/2 |
| 250mm and up | 1.1/1.6 |
| 400mm and up | 0.75/1.25 |
Source: Addler (Excision) bandsaw blade tooth selection guide, corroborated by the Dakin-Flathers TPI chart. Accessed 2026-07-28. Starting recommendations from published manufacturer guidance, not guarantees. Tune at the machine.
Wood: pitch by depth of cut
Derived from the 3 to 6 teeth in the workpiece rule applied to the catalogue pitch vocabulary; deep timber wants the coarsest gullet available.
| Depth of cut | TPI |
|---|---|
| under 15mm | 10-14 (finish work, tearout control) |
| 15 to 40mm | 6-8 |
| 40 to 90mm | 4-6 |
| 90 to 180mm | 3-4 |
| over 180mm | 3 (or a dedicated resaw or sawmill band where the machine takes 27 mm and up) |
Source: derived from the Dakin-Flathers teeth per inch rule (3 to 6 teeth in the workpiece for wood). Accessed 2026-07-28. Starting recommendations from published manufacturer guidance, not guarantees. Tune at the machine.
Tubes, pipes and profiles: pitch by size and wall
Rows are section width, columns wall thickness. Blank cells are combinations the chart does not publish; the wizard says so rather than guessing.
| W \ T (mm) | 1 | 1.6 | 2 | 2.5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 20 | 50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 mm | 14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | |||||||||||||
| 20 mm | 14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 8/12 | |||||||||||
| 25 mm | 14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 8/12 | 8/12 | ||||||||||
| 30 mm | 14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 8/12 | 8/12 | 6/10 | |||||||||
| 40 mm | 14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 8/12 | 8/12 | 6/10 | 5/8 | 5/8 | 5/8 | ||||||
| 50 mm | 14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 8/12 | 8/12 | 6/10 | 6/10 | 5/8 | 5/8 | 5/8 | ||||||
| 60-120 mm | 14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 8/12 | 8/12 | 6/10 | 6/10 | 5/8 | 5/8 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 3/4 | 3/4 | |
| 130-150 mm | 10/14 | 10/14 | 8/12 | 8/12 | 6/10 | 6/10 | 5/8 | 5/8 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 3/4 | |
| 150-180 mm | 10/14 | 8/12 | 6/10 | 6/10 | 5/8 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 3/4 | ||
| 190-300 mm | 6/10 | 6/10 | 5/8 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 2/3 | ||||
| 350-400 mm | 4/6 | 4/6 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 2/3 | |||||||||
| 450-500 mm | 4/6 | 4/6 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 2/3 |
Source: Addler (Excision) bandsaw blade tooth selection guide, corroborated by the Shark Bandsaw Blades UK wall by diameter matrix. Accessed 2026-07-28. Starting recommendations from published manufacturer guidance, not guarantees. Tune at the machine.
Blade width against minimum contour radius
Straight cutting wants the widest blade the machine permits; contour cutting wants the widest blade that can still turn the target radius.
| Blade width | Minimum radius |
|---|---|
| 3 mm (1/8") | 5 mm (3/16") |
| 5 mm (3/16") | 8 mm (5/16") |
| 6 mm (1/4") | 16 mm (5/8") |
| 10 mm (3/8") | 38 mm (1 1/2") |
| 13 mm (1/2") | 64 mm (2 1/2") |
| 19 mm (3/4") | 140 mm (5 1/2") |
| 25 mm (1") | 180 mm (7") |
Source: Ravenview bandsaw blade radius chart; the Dakin-Flathers worked example agrees. Accessed 2026-07-28. Starting recommendations from published manufacturer guidance, not guarantees. Tune at the machine.
Band speed starting ranges
Metres per minute on bi-metal unless noted. The chip check: silver curled chips are right, powdery chips mean feed too low, blue chips mean speed or feed too high.
| Material group | Start range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free machining steels (EN1A, 12L14, 1215) | 90 to 105 m/min | |
| Low carbon and structural (S275, A36, EN3, 1018) | 60 to 80 m/min | |
| Medium carbon (EN8, 1045) | 60 to 72 m/min | |
| High carbon (EN42, 1080, 1095) | 50 to 60 m/min | |
| Alloy steels (EN19, 4140 class) | 50 to 70 m/min | |
| Bearing and spring (52100, 6150, 5160) | 45 to 60 m/min | |
| Stainless austenitic 304 | 30 to 45 m/min | constant feed, flood coolant, never dwell (work hardens) |
| Stainless 316 and duplex | 25 to 40 m/min | constant feed, flood coolant, never dwell (work hardens); lower end |
| Tool steels annealed (D2, H13, O1) | 20 to 40 m/min | |
| Hardened steel above 45 HRC | 20 to 40 m/min | carbide only, follow the blade maker |
| Grey cast iron | 40 to 60 m/min | dry cutting possible |
| Aluminium alloys | 80 to 300 m/min | machine dependent; conservative bi-metal production range 84-104; far higher with carbide on purpose built saws |
| Copper | 60 to 90 m/min | |
| Brass | 65 to 110 m/min | |
| Bronze alloys | 35 to 90 m/min | alloy dependent |
| Titanium | 15 to 25 m/min | constant feed, flood coolant |
| Nickel superalloys (Inconel, Hastelloy) | 10 to 20 m/min | carbide preferred, rigid setup |
| Wood on carbon blades | see notes | follow the machine plate; woodworking band speeds run far higher than metal, typically tens of m/s, not a metal chart value |
| Glass, ceramics and composites on grit bands | see notes | low band speed, machine dependent; follow the blade maker |
Source: Blade Serpent per alloy speed chart and the Emin Academy family chart. Accessed 2026-07-28. Starting recommendations from published manufacturer guidance, not guarantees. Tune at the machine.
Rather browse than answer questions? Start from your industry or your material, or go straight to the shop.
Frequently asked questions
The questions behind the wizard's questions.
What does TPI mean on a bandsaw blade?
How many teeth should be in the cut?
How do I measure my blade loop length?
What lengths can you weld a blade to?
Why does stainless steel need constant feed?
When is carbide worth it over bi-metal?
Welded to your length
Every blade is made to order at the loop length your machine takes.
Published specifications
Technical data comes from the manufacturers' published ranges.
Expected delivery date
Your basket shows when to expect your order before you pay.
UK delivery
We deliver to addresses in the UK.