12" hacksaw blades 12 or 14 TPI

[DAPPH]

I have a bit of a difficult marathon cutting exercise to do in two 8 " " 200mm) long 2.5 2 x 2.5 " square blocks of finally finished machined aluminium .
I have to cut them in half top to bottom along the the 200 mm sides
I have been out and about today to try and buy some 12 or 14 TPI hacksaw blades so I can do it by hand.
I have 18 & 24 TPI blades but they are far too fine and keep clogging . The Hitachi sabre saw I that I have used ended up with a clogged aluminium cutting blade due to friction generated molten metal and that was from just cutting 1& 1/4 bars stock . I gather they are really only suitable for cutting tubes .

eBay and several searches via various search engines have failed to show any , today I spent 63 miles of diesel driving around Swansea and district to try locate some
places visited included Screwfix , Tool Station, B&Q, Machine mart don't stock them neither did any of the more engineering orientated businesses that I visited.

I daren't use my band saw on this thickness of aluminium as it struggled like a hero when cutting 19 mm square bar and the tubes plus there would be too many teeth sat on the metal in one go for a safe cut .

So my question to the forum is , where can I buy four or five twelve inch long 12 or 14 TPI blades suitable for cutting these aluminium blocks ?

 

[normspanners]

if cutting ally use kero to lubricate the blade also keeps the job cooler and the teeth cleaner.
Have you a jig saw with adjustable speed I have used a 240 -110 transformer to slow a 240 jig saw for the same type of job but cutting plastic / poly/ perspex sheet and also used a wood blade for cutting ally

 

[Wallace]

What bandsaw do you have?

 

[Robotstar5]

Try Cromwell tools, works PC won't let me link to it even though we order from them!.

 

[DanielW]

The only saw I know with 14tpi is one of those mitre saws.....

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Hand+Tools/d10/Saws/sd70/Precision+Mitre+Saw/p76675

 

[DanielW]

You know I got given a crap crosslide mitre saw without any circular blades,I bought an mid price range TCT universal metal blade for it,its cut aluminium 3"x1/2" bar but I have to watch that the cut starts in the middle because the teeth might catch on the edges and if that happens the teeth go ping or worse the block goes flying.

 

[Shox Dr]

What bandsaw do you have?

I've cut 5x5" Ali block with my Clarke bandsaw, 18tpi varipitch blade, no lube. And extra weights to get it to cut faster. And it's never failed me yet.

 

[Wallace]

I've cut 5x5" Ali block with my Clarke bandsaw, 18tpi varipitch blade, no lube. And extra weights to get it to cut faster. And it's never failed me yet.

I picked up three 100ft rolls of Starret bandsaw blade recently, 6, 14 & 18tpi bi-metal raker. The 6tpi should go through that 2.5" aluminium quite nicely especially if it's a nice alloy. I would like to try the varipitch but the Starret came so cheap it will be a while!

 

[awemawson]

Rule of thumb is minimum of 2-3 teeth engaged at any one time. So for 2.5" you can in fact go much coarser, which makes the gullet between teeth much larger and allows the cut material to clear.

As the saw goes through the material, the swarf accumulates within the gullet, so if the pitch is too fine there is not enough room, which is why it clogs.

 

[mr migwire]

a bit pricey but would do the job...

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/hacksaw-blades/1855148/?origin=PSF_438777|cav

 

[GrahamGKD]

A search on Amazon.co.uk turned up a few options - try 'hacksaw blade 14TPI' in the search window - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Starrett-Ha...412927133&sr=8-2&keywords=hacksaw+blade+14TPI

 

[normspanners]

I picked up three 100ft rolls of Starret bandsaw blade recently,

WOW how big is your bandsaw????
I thought the one at the wood yard was big with a 25ft x10" band
then I saw this saw sittin on a see saw
I think they change at some point to teeth per foot

 

[normspanners]

I have some 12" hacksaw blades that are 5tpi but they are for wood.

 

[Wallace]

WOW how big is your bandsaw????

I bought a dismantled Nutool wood bandsaw off a member on here and rebuilt it, the rolls are for that and my Clarke horizontal. The Nutool needs the gearing lowering for metal but so far an 18tpi blade I made up has lasted well.

Just remembered I have a small donkey saw blade on a hacksaw frame, I'll see what tpi it is tomorrow.

 

[DAPPH]

A search on Amazon.co.uk turned up a few options - try 'hacksaw blade 14TPI' in the search window - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Starrett-Hacksaw-Blades-14TPI-Pack/dp/B00CIPRG2U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1412927133&sr=8-2&keywords=hacksaw blade 14TPI

Thanks Graham, I looked at Amazon last night but couldn't see any , did find a Starret 1" wide blade for a mechanical donkey saw though . I've just asked Amazon the question of 2 Are the blades are for soft metal or wood " , for £9.50 seems exceedingly cheap for ten decent quality blades as I normally pay £ 2.00 or more each for mine locally at a reasonable price plant hire company .

I have a Rexon BS3050AL (2311mm) @ 91 inch band , 810 Watt.
Throat - 316mm.
Max cutting height 150mm.

I think it may be Dual speed geared ( will check later on in the morning ) but I can't find any 2311mm x 6 mm 6 TPI bi metal bands for it .

Rexon don't display any on their website , usually if they have the consumables they display them ..It could be that there are some metal cutting bands on the way over from China , though I do have a spare wood blade @ 10 TPI that is declared as, "Made in England ", on the Rexon packaging .

Currently the band saw is fitted with a 6 mm wide 10 TPI band for wood , I have cut several lengths of 1" square aluminium bar as well as three lumps off some 1/2 " x 3 inch flat aluminium bar with it ......( but it wont cut brass ) .


Wallace,
What width are the blades on your reels that you have ?
If it is 6 mm x about ).75 mm thick & for metal would you fancy making me a 2311 to 2312 long blade if you have the correct facility to fuse weld and dress the joint ? A Skived & dressed high strength silver solder join is also is acceptable .
I found a bespoke blade maker with suitable bi metal banding and am able to reach the bar on their inclusive prices .

 

[DAPPH]

a bit pricey but would do the job...

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/hacksaw-blades/1855148/?origin=PSF_438777|cav

Thanks Mr Migwire .
That will be almost the last resort & almost a tenner a throw , as I'd have to get two just incase I do break one

 

[Wallace]

Wallace,
What width are the blades on your reels that you have ?

They are all 1/2" 12.7mm, I was going to suggest knocking you one up hence asking what machine you have. I think that's a generic Chinese saw you have and might accept deeper blades as Rexon Spares list 10 & 13mm. I'm experimenting with Tig welding them at the moment as kerf and brazing doesn't last long on the Clarke, do you have the facility to fuse weld them? Have you tried this supplier? Had a few from them for my little Burgess BBS20 and the Clarke CBS45MD but when looking for blades to fit the Nutool bandsaw those Starret rolls kept coming up on Ebay at good prices.

 

[sardine]

14 tpi Starret ones a Pound each ....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00CIPRG2U?pc_redir=1410488591&robot_redir=1

 

[DAPPH]

They are all 1/2" 12.7mm, I was going to suggest knocking you one up hence asking what machine you have. I think that's a generic Chinese saw you have and might accept deeper blades as Rexon Spares list 10 & 13mm. I'm experimenting with Tig welding them at the moment as kerf and brazing doesn't last long on the Clarke, do you have the facility to fuse weld them? Have you tried this supplier? Had a few from them for my little Burgess BBS20 and the Clarke CBS45MD but when looking for blades to fit the Nutool bandsaw those Starret rolls kept coming up on Ebay at good prices.

Thanks Wallace The link to the bespoke maker is where I was gong to go it you didn't a have a 90 degree shear , variable fusing , flat grind on both sides & tempering bit of kit .


Brazing is not a lot of good but 65% silver soldering with the correct flux is . Kerfing is I think done at about 30 degrees on each end so they over lap flat.
Silver solder with them held /clamped to be a flat over lap . Make a kerf grinding guide out if a block of steel cut to the depth of the blade less the teeth .

Grind them in the Kerfing block on the side of a dressing wheel with teeth uppermost , at a 90 degree square cut across the whole blade. Always make sure that the kerfing & spacing's run in teeth . Ensure that the kerf join is in a gap between teeth & in sync with the whole band , for any out of sync tooth joint will cause the blade to jump and break at that tooth or break off at the next couple of teeth & then break .

 

[Wallace]

Do you want a couple of lengths to make your own?