Saw a scrap stock to determine the lead and adjust the ends of the fence to account for the lead. To cut sharp curves in thin stock, choose narrower blades. Move up to wider blades for thicker stock. Resawing requires the bigger blades. The pitch or number of teeth per inch TPI of the blade is determined by the hardness of the wood being cut, and varies from 4 up to 15 tpi. Basically the coarser the teeth, the faster the blade will cut.

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More teeth per inch, however, produce a smoother cut. Hardwoods require a finer pitch or a blade with more teeth. Regardless, there should be three teeth in contact with the stock, no matter how thin. Most band saws come with a miter fence for crosscutting. Choosing Blades Blades are also available with different tooth patterns for the various chores.

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These are commonly called hook tooth, skip tooth, raker-set and wavy-set. Hook tooth blades have wide teeth and are more closely spaced. They are best for hardwoods, harder non-ferrous metals as well as plastics. Skip tooth blades have widely spaced teeth to provide better chip clearance when cutting the softer metals and for soft, non-ferrous metals such as aluminum.

Wavy- and raker-set tooth blades are primarily used for cutting ferrous metal. A wavy-set blade is used with horizontal band saws used primarily for cutting ferrous metal. Some manufacturers also sell blades categorized as to purpose, such as general woodcutting, scrolling and non-ferrous or ferrous metal-cutting blades. The most common use of a band saw is making curved or irregular cuts. When making straight cuts, such as crosscutting or ripping, including resawing, the blade should be as wide as your saw will handle. The wider the blade, the straighter the cut will be.

When making irregular cuts, the blade should be matched to the radius being cut. Changing blades is fairly quick and easy on most band saws. Wearing protective gloves is also suggested. If you want to recoil a blade, hold it with the back of the blade facing you. Rotate the left wrist down and the right wrist thumb up simultaneously. At the same time move your hands inward. Keep twisting your wrists to force the blade to coil into a triple loop. Tie the coils together in three places and then lightly spray with a rust-preventive spray.

When making cuts with sharp curves use several cuts to release various portions of waste stoc. Turning or stopping holes can also be used for sharp corners. Cabriole legs and other multiple-cut pieces can be created with a band saw. Band saws can also be used for resawing thick stock into thinner stock. The Jet model shown features a bolt-on resaw accessory. Band Saw Tool School https: Band Saw Tool School Although a band saw is rarely the first stationary power tool purchased for a shop, it is one of the most versatile.

Woodworking Machines - Band Saws

Better quality band saws have locking fences for ripping materials. Band saw blades are available in different widths, and types for different chores. When making cuts with sharp curves use several cuts to release various portions of waste stoc Turning or stopping holes can also be used for sharp corners. When cutting square corners, use relief cuts as well. Circles can also be precisely cut with a band saw using an auxiliary table. Identical pieces can be cut using a follower and a template. Privacy Policy Terms of Use.


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OSH Answers Fact Sheets Easy-to-read, question-and-answer fact sheets covering a wide range of workplace health and safety topics, from hazards to diseases to ergonomics to workplace promotion. Search all fact sheets: Type a word, a phrase, or ask a question. A band saw can be dangerous if not used properly. Read the owner's manual carefully.

Make sure you understand the instructions before attempting to use any tool or machine. Learn the applications and limitations before use. Most bandsaws have two wheels rotating in the same plane, one of which is powered, although some may have three or four to distribute the load. The blade itself can come in a variety of sizes and tooth pitches teeth per inch, or TPI , which enables the machine to be highly versatile and able to cut a wide variety of materials including wood, metal and plastic. Almost all bandsaws today are powered by an electric motor. Line shaft versions were once common but are now antiques.

The idea of the bandsaw dates back to at least , when William Newberry received a British patent for the idea, but bandsaws remained impractical largely because of the inability to produce accurate and durable blades using the technology of the day. Nearly 40 years passed before Frenchwoman Anne Paulin Crepin devised a welding technique overcoming this hurdle.

She applied for a patent in , and soon afterward sold the right to employ it to manufacturer A. Combining this method with new steel alloys and advanced tempering techniques allowed Perin to create the first modern bandsaw blade. Power hacksaws with reciprocating blades were once common in the metalworking industries, but bandsaws and cold saws have mostly displaced them. Many workshops in residential garages or basements and in light industry contain small or medium-sized bandsaws that can cut wood, metal, or plastic. Often a general-purpose blade is left in place, although blades optimized for wood or metal can be switched out when volume of use warrants.

Bandsaw - Wikipedia

Most residential and commercial bandsaws are of the vertical type mounted on a bench or a cabinet stand. Portable power tool versions, including cordless models, are also common in recent decades, allowing building contractors to bring them along on the truck to the jobsite. Saws for cutting meat are typically of all stainless steel construction with easy to clean features. The blades either have fine teeth with heat treated tips, or have plain or scalloped knife edges. Bandsaws dedicated to industrial metal-cutting use, such as for structural steel in fabrication shops and for bar stock in machine shops , are available in vertical and horizontal designs.

Typical band speeds range from 40 feet 12 meters per minute to 5, feet 1, meters per minute, although specialized bandsaws are built for friction cutting of hard metals and run band speeds to 15, feet per minute. Metal-cutting bandsaws are usually equipped with brushes or brushwheels to prevent chips from becoming stuck in between the blade's teeth. Systems which cool the blade with cutting fluid are also common equipment on metal-cutting bandsaws.

The coolant washes away swarf and keeps the blade cool and lubricated. Horizontal bandsaws hold the workpiece stationary while the blade swings down through the cut. This configuration is used to cut long materials such as pipe or bar stock to length. Thus it is an important part of the facilities in most machine shops. The horizontal design is not useful for cutting curves or complicated shapes.

Small horizontal bandsaws typically employ a gravity feed alone, retarded to an adjustable degree by a coil spring; on industrial models, the rate of descent is usually controlled by a hydraulic cylinder that bleeds through an adjustable valve. When the saw is set up for a cut, the operator raises the saw, positions the material to be cut underneath the blade, and then turns on the saw. The blade slowly descends into the material, cutting it as the band blade moves. When the cut is complete, a switch is tripped and the saw automatically turns off.

More sophisticated versions of this type of saw are partially or entirely automated via PLC or CNC for high-volume cutting of machining blanks. Such machines provide a stream of cutting fluid recirculated from a sump , in the same manner that a CNC machining center does. A vertical bandsaw, also called a contour saw, keeps the blade's path stationary while the workpiece is moved across it.

This type of saw can be used to cut out complex shapes and angles.