What You Should Know About a Band Saw For Sale
Bandsaws come in a wide variety of sizes and can be used for resawing or crosscutting wood. Generally larger models will be more powerful and have the capacity to handle wider blades.
They are easy to use and relatively safe assuming the blade track and guides are in good working order and adjusted properly.
What is a Band Saw?
A band saw features a thin blade that travels across a fixed path, cutting workpieces into slices with each rotation. It is used to cut metals and other solid materials, allowing you to make cuts that aren’t possible with a standard hand saw or jigsaw. The machine also holds the workpiece in place, preventing it from spinning or slipping as you cut.
When choosing a woodworking band saw, look for one with a maximum cut capacity rated in inches. This measurement refers to the diameter of the wheel or throat of the saw and determines how wide of a cut it can make. The throat on a WEN band saw is adjustable to handle a variety of blade widths.
In addition to a wide range of cuts, band saws can also produce curves and circles. This versatility makes them an ideal choice for resawing thick pieces of wood. They’re also a staple in meat processing, where the machine helps butchers slice animal proteins into uniform sizes.
A band saw can be operated by standing to the side or back of it, but it’s best to face the blade and assume a well-balanced stance. It’s important to stay away from the sides and back of the blade, which don’t have teeth and could cause injury if you accidentally touch them.
Blades
The most important component of a band saw is its blade, and the type of material being cut dictates the style of blade that must be used. Different blade widths and tooth configurations allow the bandsaw to perform band saw for sale a variety of cutting tasks, from ripping to resawing to curve cuts.
A softer metal such as aluminum or tin requires a blade with fewer teeth and shallow gullets to reduce buildup of fine, stringy sawdust that can pack the blade and rob it of power. A hard-edged, skip-tooth blade for nonferrous metals will deliver a smooth, clean cut that resists corrosion.
Choosing the right blade for a woodworking task also depends on the blade’s pitch. A higher pitch creates a finer cut, while a lower one produces a coarser finish. If a blade has the incorrect pitch, it may create excessive heat, require too much feeding pressure or wear quickly.
Another choice to consider is the frame that supports the blade. A cast iron frame is traditional, but limited in its cutting capacity and motor size (typically 1-1.5 horsepower). Welded steel frames are larger and more powerful than their cast counterparts, allowing them to handle bigger, heavier jobs. They also have the added benefit of absorbing vibration, which can cause damage to the blade. This feature is not as necessary for portable or hobby bandsaws, but is important for full-size professional models.
Safety
There are many safety measures that should be taken into consideration when operating a band saw. This is because the bandsaw has a powered rotating blade with sharp teeth that can cause serious injury if not used properly.
One of the first things to do is wear safety glasses. This helps protect the eyes in case pieces of stock break off during the cutting process and land in them. It’s also important to wear fitted clothing, tie back long hair and remove jewelry. These precautions help to reduce the risk of being caught in the moving blade, which could lead to a severe injury.
Another important thing to do is make sure the bandsaw’s blade guard is positioned correctly. It should not be closer than three fingers’ width from the blade, which helps to keep hands away from it and reduces the chance of accidental contact with the blade during operation. Similarly, the liquid packing machine bandsaw’s speed should be adjusted according to the thickness of the material being cut; this ensures the blade is not running too fast, which can cause the band to break.
It’s also important to use water-soluble coolants to minimize friction and heat, as well as to rinse the blade after every cut. This prevents the blade from overheating and breaking, as well as keeping it cooler for longer.
Maintenance
The proper maintenance procedures can maximize a shop’s cutting efficiency, precision, and safety. It may cost a little to take these preventive steps, but it will save costly repairs in the long run.
A well-maintained band saw allows for efficient, quality cuts that help boost productivity levels and blade life. It also helps reduce downtime due to emergency maintenance. The best way to do this is by performing routine checks and maintenance on the saw.
This includes regularly cleaning the sawing equipment to remove chips, resins, and other debris from stationary and moveable vise jaws. Checking the guide wheels and blade guides for wear and damage, as well as checking the blade tension with a gauge. Lastly, it is important to make sure that the hydraulic fluid level and ratio is within manufacturer specifications and the fluid flows freely through all fluid nozzles.
Other maintenance tasks include checking the blade to ensure it is properly fitted and that the teeth are sharp. Stelliting the teeth of a new blade and running it in (also known as bedding in) can prevent common issues such as broken or worn teeth and premature blade failure. This process involves running the blade at half speed and a reduced feed force to gradually reduce the initial stress on the blade, which will extend its lifespan.
