BLADE BREAKAGE
Many factors can cause a blade to break. Breakage is often unavoidable because of the high levels of stress and strain applied to the blade. Avoidable breakage is usually the result of improper care or judgement on the part of the operator when mounting or adjusting the blade or support guides.
The most common causes of blade breakage are:
•Incorrect alignment and adjustment of the blade guides.
•Forcing or twisting a wide blade around a tight curve.
•Feeding the wood into the blade too fast.
•Using a dull blade.
•Excessive blade tension.
•Top blade guide assembly set too high above the workpiece.
•Using a blade with a braze or weld that is not smooth.
BLADE CARE
When taken care of correctly, bandsaw blades will provide a long usable life. When not handled, used, cleaned, or stored correctly, blades will quickly lose their ability to perform accurate and reliable cuts.
•Handling — Bandsaw blades may become damaged if they are not handled with care. Never leave the blade laying on the floor or a table where it can be stepped on or where something can be placed on it.
•Usage — Be sure to select blades with the proper width, style, and pitch for each appli- cation. Using the wrong blade will often pro- duce excessive heat which can shorten the usable life of the blade.
•Cleaning — A clean blade will perform much better than a dirty blade. Dirty blades pass through the material being cut with more resistance than clean blades, causing exces- sive heat. Cleaners like OxiSolv® Blade & Bit Cleaner are available in the Grizzly catalog.
•Storage — A wall rack is the ideal location for storing blades.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
G8976 3 Wheel 12" Bandsaw | |||