Brass, copper, and bronze are soft non-ferrous metals. These require medium to fine blades, typically manufactured from high speed steel. Bimetal blades could also work for these applications. Carbon fiber is strong but lightweight and flexible. Using the wrong blade when cutting carbon fiber can cause the workpiece to warp or break. Here, a carbide grit or bi-metal blade would work best, although a High Speed Steel blade could also work. 6. Wood Generally, copper and brass require blades with 18 TPI, while bronze requires a 24 TPI blade. However, the cross-sectional diameter of the workpiece could also influence this. 3. Carbon Fiber

PVC and other plastics are relatively soft materials and typically require a medium blade with 18 TPI. A high carbon steel blade will work well here since the application doesn’t call for a hard-wearing blade. However, if you don’t have access to this, most other blades should work in these applications. 5. Stainless Steel Cutting aluminum sheets or other workpieces with a thin cross-section requires a finer blade. In this case, use a blade with 32 TPI. 2. Brass, Bronze, and Copper Fine blades with a TPI of 24 are best suited to cutting GI pipes, and sheet metal (both metal and plastic). These blades cut slowly, removing little material per cut, making for a smooth, clean cut. These blades are suitable for cutting tough materials, such as steel and other hard metals. However, the hardening process renders them brittle, and thus they break easily, often through brittle fractures.

The best option is to use a medium to fine blade when cutting carbon fiber, keeping the TPI between 18 and 24. Since carbon fiber is relatively high-wearing, a high speed steel blade will work. 4. PVC and Other Plastic Stainless steel is a hard metal, requiring a fine or very fine blade, with a TPI of at least 24, but preferably 32. TPI refers to Teeth per Inch and indicates how aggressively the blade will cut. A larger TPI is suitable for harder materials, such as steel and other hard metals. Conversely, a lower TPI is meant for softer materials, such as brass, plastic, wood, etc. Medium blades have a TPI of 18 and are meant to cut workpieces with a cross-section between ¼” and 1”. They remove slightly less material per cut than their coarse counterparts. They are suited to cutting harder material than the coarse blades. Bi-metal blades are well-suited to cutting through most materials, including stainless steel and pipes and conduits made of nearly any material. 4. Carbide Grit Edged Blades

Very fine blades with a TPI of 32 are meant for cutting extremely thin workpieces. These workpieces typically have a cross-section of less than 1/16” and require a smooth, delicate cut. Using a coarse blade on such thin workpieces will likely warp and tear the workpiece.