How to determine the length of a band saw blade?

Measuring a complete (welded) band saw blade by rolling

1. Place the band saw blade with the weld on the floor or another flat surface.
2. Make a mark (line) on the surface next to the weld.
3. Roll the band saw blade along the surface until the weld appears again.
4. Make a second mark (line) on the surface.
5. Measure the distance between the two marks.

You can also watch our video guide below, which shows the whole procedure step by step.

Other ways to measure the blade length

Rolling a welded blade is a very quick, simple and at the same time accurate measuring method – in short, an ideal helper. Sometimes, however, situations may arise in which such a measurement is not possible. What to do then? Read on:

• Broken blade. Easy – stretch the band saw blade out on the floor or on a flat surface and simply measure it.
• Not enough space on the floor. In this case, just mark out a one-metre section on the surface. Move the band saw blade along this section step by step and measure the last part that is shorter than one metre with a tape measure.
• Band saw blade missing. If you do not have a blade available, you can get by with the band saw itself. Put a piece of string around the wheels and then measure the string. Note: leave the wheels slack so that the blade has reserve for tensioning.

And one last tip – because of the regular alternation of teeth, band saw blades cannot always be accurate to the millimetre; on the contrary, they may sometimes be up to a centimetre longer. In other words, you do not have to worry that your measurement will be inaccurate – a slight deviation should not matter.

So, we have the measurement. What's next?

The length of the band saw blade is an important parameter, but not the only one. If you are still wondering which blade you actually need, you may find it helpful to read more tips and advice on choosing the right blade. And if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments below the article.

If you already know what you need, take a look at our range. You can order band saw blades from us without any restrictions — we weld blades to size, so we can handle any length.

• Band saw blades for wood
• Band saw blades for metal
• Band saw blades for meat with bones

🎁 With every band saw blade you order from us you will receive an information label (and possibly also a sticker) with a QR code. This is a handy helper – you will not have to measure anything again, because thanks to the QR label you will always have the exact parameters of your blade to hand (you can find more details here).