Guide To Using A Metal Band Saw
Metal band saws are used for a lot different purposes, the most common obviously is for cutting various types of metal. People use them for cutting other types of material but they should be used only on metal. If you use a metal band saw to cut other material aside from metal you could possibly damage the blades. The teeth on a blade for cutting metal are small and close together. This allows for more precise cutting. Bladed used to cut wood on the other hand have big teeth that are much further apart. Carbide tipped saw blades are used to cut extrusions, solids, aluminum, brass, copper and bronze. Friction and hot saw blades are used for cutting steel tubes, decking material and angel cuts. Solid high speed steel blades are used for cutting stronger metals.
Depending on how you will use your metal band saw, you can either cut with a vertical band saw or a horizontal band saw. For cutting straight lines you should problably use the vertical band saw. This is a stand alone saw that is a larger piece of equipment than a horizontal saw. It has four legs typically with rubber feet to keep it from moving while you are cutting material. Do not get your hands close to the blade. Use a long metal device, at least 6 to 12 inches long to help you feed the material through when it gets close to the blade.
The other type of band saw is the horizontal band saw. The horizontal band saw is a hand held saw with a rubber handle. It has a button to turn on the power and a cord to start the blade rotating. Horizontal band saws are usually hydraulically powered. The material being cut with the saw must be securely fastened to a cutting table so a smooth cut can be achieved. The saw blade is pushed through the metal to make the cut. Most horizontal saws turn off automatically when they finish the cut. They are used for straight cuts, cutting rolls and curves.
Band saws have two larger wheels that the blade runs on. Some have larger wheels and some saws have smaller wheels. One of the wheels is a drive wheel and the other one is the idler wheel. The drive wheel is fixed and is attached to the power source. Power can be electric power or hydraulic power. The driven wheel allows for the maximum transfer of power between the saw and the motor or engine. The idler wheel can be loosened or tightened which makes the blade looser or tighter. The blades need to be securely held in place while cutting so they don’t come off the wheels. A blade guide is used for this purpose.
It is recommended that you remove the blade from the saw every time you finish cutting. The blade gets very hot during the cutting process and it expands a little bit. If you leave it on the saw after you are finished it will cool down with tension being applied to it. This may cause it to break or crack, so always remove the blade for cooling. Be sure to wear protective gloves because the blade will be hot.
Follow safety precautions anytime you use a metal band saw. You are going to have a large amount of sparks flying during the cutting process. Be sure that you are not cutting near flammable liquids that may explode or near other material that may catch on fire from the sparks. Wear protective eye goggles always. Wear tight fitting clothes that will not get caught in the blade of the saw. Be sure that you have adequate ventilation. Even if it is cold outside, you need to have at least a window open.
Power tools are not toys. There have been a lot of stories of people using band saws to show off in from of their friends and ending up with serious injuries. You can easily have a hand or fingers cut off. Use the tools are they were intended only.
To summarize, metal band saws used in the proper way can be very helpful. Simply follow proper instructions for using them and proper safety measures and your projects and work will be a lot simplier.
For the latest on metal cutting band saws then visit http://metalbandsaw.org/steps-on-using-a-metal-band-saw/
Tags: Metal