Getting the tooth pitch right on your bandsaw blade is more important than it first sounds. It’s the foundation of a good cut, and it’ll impact everything from blade life to surface finish. If the tooth pitch doesn’t match the material, you’re likely to see broken teeth, poor finishes, and a job that takes longer than it should.
Tooth pitch is measured in teeth per inch (TPI). This is the number of teeth there are on the blade over an inch (or 25mm).
Constant Tooth Pitch vs Variable Tooth Pitch
There are two main types of tooth pitch you'll come across. Each suits different materials and jobs.
Constant Tooth Pitch
This is exactly what it sounds like - each tooth is the same size and spacing. These blades are great for cutting uniform cross-sections and non-ferrous metals.
Simple, effective, and ideal when the material size stays consistent.
Variable Tooth Pitch
These blades have alternating tooth sizes within the same group of teeth.
Here’s why a variable pitch is usually superior:
- The variation in spacing spreads the load across different teeth
- That reduces vibration during cutting
- It also broadens the blade’s application range, making it more suitable for different material sizes
If you’ve ever had issues with chattering or surface finish, it could be that your constant pitch blade isn’t right for the job.
Self-Selection Charts
Use the charts below as a handy guide to selecting what TPI you need based on what you're cutting.
For Solids
| Solids | |||
| Vari-Pitch Toothing | TCT Toothing (Materials over 50 HRC) | ||
| Material Diameter (D) MM | Teeth Per Inch | Material Diameter (D) MM | Teeth Per Inch |
| 0-5 | 18 | 50-120 | 3/4 |
| 4-8 | 14 | 100-250 | 2/3 |
| 2-15 | 10/14 | 150-400 | 1.5/2 |
| 8-20 | 8/12 | 350-600 | 1.1/1.6 |
| 16-30 | 6/10 | 500+ | 0.85/1.15 |
| 25-40 | 5/8 | ||
| 35-70 | 4/6 | ||
| 60-120 | 3/4 | ||
| 80-200 | 2/3 | ||
| 120-400 | 1.5/2 | ||
| 250+ | 1.1/1.6 | ||
| 400+ | 0.75/1.25 | ||
For Tubes and RHS
| Tubes and RHS | ||||||||||||||||
| Width (W) | Wall Thickness (T) | |||||||||||||||
| 1 | 1.6 | 2 | 2.5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 20 | 50 | |
| 10 | 14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | |||||||||||||
| 20 | 14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 8/12 | |||||||||||
| 25 | 14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 8/12 | 8/12 | ||||||||||
| 30 | 14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 8/12 | 8/12 | 6/10 | |||||||||
| 40 | 14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 8/12 | 8/12 | 6/10 | 5/8 | 5/8 | 5/8 | ||||||
| 50 | 14 | 10/14 | 10/14 | 8/12 | 8/12 | 6/10 | 6/10 | 5/8 | 5/8 | 5/8 | ||||||
| 60-120 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 2/3 | |||||||||
| 450-500 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 2/3 | |||||||||
Speed or Surface Finish?
When choosing a TPI, it helps to know what your priority is—cutting speed or finish.
-
Coarse tooth pitch (fewer TPI)
Faster cutting. Better chip removal. But a greater risk of broken teeth. -
Fine tooth pitch (more TPI)
Smoother surface finish. Reduced risk of chipping thin sections. But a finer pitch can lead to gullet overload if used on thicker material.
It’s all a trade-off. Within reason, there’s some flexibility, but stick to the rule of 5–7 teeth in the cut as your baseline.
How Do You Know if You've Got the Right Tooth Pitch?
If everything sounds good, looks good, and your swarf is coming off thin, curled, and hard, you’re probably on the right track.
Here are a few signs that your pitch selection is spot on:
- Your blade is running smoothly, no vibration
- Your machine sounds healthy during the cut – you can hear it working
- The surface finish looks clean and consistent
- Swarf isn’t overflowing or clumping
What If You’ve Got the Wrong Tooth Pitch?
The wrong tooth pitch will show itself pretty quickly.
Here’s what you might see
- Tooth pitch is too coarse (not enough teeth in the cut):
- Broken or chipped teeth
- Fractures or cracks
- Poor finish
- Blade might start ‘bouncing’ during the cut
- Tooth pitch is too fine (too many teeth in the cut):
- Gullets overflow with chips
- Material starts clogging
- Overheating
- Reduced cutting speed
The fix? Count your teeth in the cut. Aim for 5-7, and adjust from there.
Common Questions About Tooth Pitch
Can I use the same blade for different material sizes?
Sometimes.
If you’re using a variable pitch blade, you’ve got more flexibility across a range of sizes.
But if you normally cut large solids and switch to thin-walled tube, your usual blade won’t be right for the job. The teeth will be too coarse, and you’ll likely get breakages. Always match the blade to the job - especially if you're using constant pitch.
Should I use a different tooth pitch for cutting tube?
Yes.
The wall thickness of the tube is what matters, not just the outer diameter. You still want 5–7 teeth in the material at all times. If you're cutting thin wall, you'll need a finer pitch.
What about bundle cutting and RHS?
When bundle cutting or working with RHS, go for a profile tooth shape. This has a reinforced tooth back designed to handle interrupted cuts. That’s when the blade enters and exits the material repeatedly, which puts more strain on the teeth.
Again, refer to your tooth pitch charts or speak to someone who can give advice on the specific cut. If in doubt, get in touch with our team.
What's the right pitch for cutting beams?
Cutting beams depends on a few things:
- What tooth shape are you using?
(Standard vs profile) - Are you cutting on an angle?
These factors will change your TPI choice. It’s best to speak with someone about your specific beam sizes and cutting setup.
Your Bandsaw TPI Selection
Blade selection isn’t a set-and-forget thing. It’s a choice that needs to reflect what you’re cutting, how often, and what results you want. By understanding tooth pitch you’ll increase blade life, improve your finish, and get the most out of every cut.
If you’re unsure or need help choosing the right blade, the Excision team is ready to help. Call us or use the contact button below and we’ll sort you out.
Not getting the results you need with your Bandsaw Blades?
We can fix that. Our team helps fabricators across Australia fine-tune their setups to get cleaner, more efficient results.
Let’s get you the perfect TPI
