Bandsaw blade selector

The 3-tooth rule

A bandsaw cuts cleanly when 3 to 6 teeth are in the workpiece at any moment. Fewer and the teeth grab and break; more and they don't clear chips and the cut burns. With a 4 TPI blade and 3/4″ stock, you have 3 teeth in the cut — minimum. With the same blade on 1/4″ stock, you have 1 tooth — too few. Pick TPI based on thickness:

• 1/4″ stock → 10–14 TPI
• 1/2″ stock → 6–8 TPI
• 3/4″ stock → 4–6 TPI
• 1″–2″ stock → 3 TPI
• 3″+ stock → 2 TPI (or use a 1.25″ wide blade)

Width for curves

The narrower the blade, the tighter the curve. Rule of thumb: minimum radius ≈ blade width. A 1/4″ blade cuts a 1/2″ radius cleanly; a 1/2″ blade needs at least a 1″ radius; a 3/4″ blade is for straight cuts only. If you're scroll-cutting, accept the narrow blade's poor straight-line tracking — it's the trade.

Tooth geometry

Skip-tooth blades have flat rakers, clear chips fast, and work well on softwoods. Hook-tooth blades have raked teeth, cut aggressively, and are the standard for hardwood. Raker (regular) is in between. Carbon-steel blades are cheap and fine for wood; bi-metal lasts 3–5× longer and costs 3× more.

Limitations

• Minimum radius is approximate. Tension, wheel alignment and feed rate all affect what a blade can actually do.
• Doesn't model blade life or breakage modes — a fresh blade cuts cleaner than a tired one at any width.
• Doesn't replace the blade's pitch (length) — measure your wheels and consult your saw's manual for the right length.
• Doesn't predict blade drift — a poorly tensioned or misaligned blade drifts no matter what width it is.

Frequently asked questions