Bandsaws designs are conducive to nesting or stacking stock for simultaneous sawing of multiple pieces, and for this reason, bandsaws are a great tool in the production of larger quantities of cut tubes and pipe. Choosing a blade to use is important in maintaining the lowest cost per cut. The geometry of the materials you are sawing can make the process more difficult than sawing something like solid bars or plates as you are asking the machine to perform both a solid cut when it enters the material and then two thin solid cuts once it reaches the inside of the material. Blade variables and saw settings need to be selected to provide the best performance for sawing tube and pipe, overall.

The number of teeth per inch is one variable in cutting tube as the number of teeth making contact with the material determines the blade’s performance and durability. With only a couple of teeth in contact with the material, teeth can get stripped from the blade, bent, or dulled. If too many teeth are making contact there may be too little force, therefore, not penetrating enough. The cutting is slowed and work hardening can occur, resulting in the tube being uncuttable.

Choosing the correct blade type is very important, but just as important is ensuring your saw is tuned properly for cutting tube and pipe. Adjusting the vise pressure is vital to ensuring your bundle stays together and also making sure it isn’t so tight that it crushes the thin-walled tubing. You can accomplish this by variable vise pressure control or by tack-welding the ends together to prevent spinning.

Ensure your cooling fluid is evenly supplies to both sides of the cut. Set the flow rate for the maximum flow when working with a bundle to ensure the fluid doesn’t get diverted into the cavities of the bundle of tubing.

Control your bandsaw speed. If the speed is too high you can see overheating issues, softening, and dulling of teeth. Too slowly and you reduce the cutting rate, increasing tooth load which increases your chances of materials spinning and teeth stripping.

Tube and pipe cutting in bundles can be difficult but is done frequently. Ensure your settings are all correct and you get the most efficient cuts from your machine while also ensuring the life and quality of your blade and machine.

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