How AusTech Makes Custom-Welded LENOX Band Saw Blades

Published: 28 September 2026

For metal fabricators, engineering workshops and production saw operators, a band saw blade is much more than a strip of steel with teeth. The blade needs to suit the machine and cutting application, but the quality of the finished loop also matters.

At AusTech, we start with LENOX band saw blade coil stock and process it into custom-length welded blades for our customers. That involves accurate measurement, welding, annealing, grinding, inspection and careful packaging before the blade leaves our Nerang workshop.

Watch the process inside AusTech

Take a look inside our workshop and see how LENOX band saw blade stock is turned into a finished custom-length blade.

From coil stock to a finished band saw blade

Step 1: Cutting the blade to the required length

Band saw machines use specific blade dimensions, so there is no single blade length that suits every saw.

AusTech begins with LENOX blade stock supplied in coils. The required length is measured for the customer's machine and the blade stock is accurately cut to size.

Blade length is only part of the specification. Width, thickness, tooth pitch and blade construction also need to match the saw and application. If you are unfamiliar with some of these terms, our band saw blade anatomy guide explains the key parts of a blade and what they mean.

Step 2: Butt welding the blade into a continuous loop

Once the blade has been cut to length, its two ends need to become one continuous band.

The ends are positioned in a dedicated blade welder and butt-welded together. This creates the continuous loop that will eventually run around the wheels of the band saw.

The welding operation itself happens quickly, but joining the ends is only the beginning. The heat generated during welding changes the properties of the steel immediately around the joint, which is why the next step is particularly important.

Step 3: Annealing the weld

Immediately after welding, the heat-affected area around the joint can be harder and more brittle than the surrounding blade body.

AusTech therefore anneals the weld area by carefully reheating it and controlling the cooling process. As you can see in the video, the localised section of blade glows as heat is applied.

Annealing helps relieve stresses created by welding and restores the flexibility required at the joint. That is important because a band saw blade is repeatedly flexed as it travels around the machine's wheels during operation.

Step 4: Grinding the weld flush

Welding leaves a small amount of excess material around the joint. That cannot simply be left on the finished blade.

An AusTech technician carefully grinds the weld area so it is flush with the blade body. The objective is a smooth joint without unnecessarily thinning the blade or interfering with the surrounding teeth and tooth set.

A properly finished joint helps the blade travel smoothly through the saw guides and around the machine.

Step 5: Inspecting the finished weld

Once the joint has been welded, annealed and ground, the weld area is inspected under magnification.

This gives the technician a much clearer view of the joint, blade alignment and surrounding tooth area than is possible with the naked eye alone, helping identify anything that should be addressed before the blade is prepared for dispatch.

Step 6: Protecting the blade for transport

The finished blade still needs to reach the customer's workshop with its cutting edge protected.

The blade is carefully coiled and a protective guard is fitted over the cutting edge. This helps protect the teeth from damage during handling and transport while also reducing accidental contact with the sharp cutting edge.

The blade stock matters too

A well-finished weld is important, but it cannot compensate for choosing the wrong blade for the job.

AusTech supplies a broad range of LENOX cutting products and band saw blades, including bi-metal band saw blades and carbide band saw blades for different materials, machines and production requirements.

The right combination of blade construction, width, thickness and tooth pitch depends on what you are cutting and how the saw is being used. For more detail, see our guides to selecting a bi-metal band saw blade and selecting a carbide band saw blade.

What do we need to specify the right blade?

If you are ordering a replacement or discussing a new cutting application with AusTech, useful information includes:

• Your band saw make and model, or the required blade length, width and thickness.
• The material type and grade you are cutting.
• The size and shape of the material, including whether you cut solids, tube, structural sections or bundles.
• Whether the saw is used for general workshop cutting or higher-volume production work.
• Any cutting problems you are currently experiencing, such as premature tooth wear, blade breakage, poor finish or difficulty cutting straight.

These details help our team look beyond blade length and recommend a blade specification suited to the actual cutting application.

More than just joining two ends together

A custom band saw blade might look simple when it arrives in your workshop, but producing the finished loop involves much more than making a single weld.

Starting with quality LENOX blade stock, AusTech cuts the blade to the required length, welds and anneals the joint, grinds and inspects the finished weld, then protects the blade ready for transport. Combined with the correct blade specification for the material and machine, that process helps give metalworking customers a blade prepared for the demands of their cutting application.