On 11/21/2020 12:00 PM, John H via groups.io wrote:
Dear Group!
I have been cutting and TIG / MIG welding ferritic steel tube steel successfully for several years, and I am now ready and very eager to finally strike an arc on stainless steel.
The tube steel material I can envision working with is from 1/2" X 1/2" through 2" X 2" stainless tube steel with wall thickness from about 0.043" through around 0.13".
Can I please get advice on the blade teeth / inch, saw blade speed and down force. My band saw only has a spring to sort of control down force, so I will be lowering the blade onto the material by hand and by feel only.
I have an Harbor Freight 4" X 6" bandsaw that has served me very well on ferritic steel, and I want to be sure that I have a good idea for safely cutting stainless tube steel so I don't go ruining my blade before I blink an eye. And even worse - not know why it happened.
Please help me by providing me with your advice on this subject.
Thank you very much!
John Hayden
An 18 TPI bimetal is a good place to start . It'll be slow at the start and finish , but you won't be stripping teeth when it's in the thin . Which alloy are you working with ? 304 has been known to work harden if you sneeze at it - likes slow blade speeds and a fairly heavy cut . 303 and 316 not so much . I haven't worked with 400 series , but I think they are all hardenable .
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Snag
