20 recommendations for working with band saw blades

The success of a business depends on a great variety of factors. When we’re talking about cutting wood, our expertise is strictly related to working with bandsaws. 

We prepared a list with general recommendations for using the bandsaws and the required conditions for a good work operation.

1. Invest in qualified personnel or offer the necessary theoretical and practical training. The efficiency of the activity of the company greatly depends on them.
2. Make sure the safety measures are met.
3. Make sure that the band saw blades are kept and stored correctly. Right after the reception of the blades it is recommended that they are untied and kept in a relaxed position, and that the cardboard strips are removed (if wet these can create rust on the bandsaws). Storage areas must be dry and, if possible, with wooden floors.
4. Make sure that the band saw blades are maneuvered correctly. Avoid dragging them across rough concrete surfaces, which can deteriorate the cutting edge of the teeth, and if they come with a plastic protection, this must be removed only after mounting the blade on the machine.
5. Check the bandsaw blade before mounting them on the machine and after use.
6. Always check for cracks and don’t hesitate to remove a bandsaw from the machine if it cracked.
7. Do regular check-ups of the equipment to identify problems in due time.
8. Don’t use a blade with defects (precariously sharpened, uneven teeth or gullets that are burnt through incorrect grinding etc.)
9. Don’t use an inadequate bandsaw blade(too thick or too thin).
10. Invest in performant equipment, don’t use outdated ones when they don’t function within the desired parameters.
11. Don’t purchase sharpening machines based solely on price. Choose a producer with a well known brand, trusted products with an efficiency proven and confirmed by other buyers. High-quality manufacturing, rigidity and versatility are also important.
12. Savings generated from maintenance costs are not always efficient.
13. If you have the possibility, pay your employees based on the number of cubic meters of cut wood so that you have the possibility to increase the volume of cut wood.
14. Don’t use a bandsaw with insufficient or inconstant power.
15. Don’t use a bandsaw that has worn-out flywheels. These need periodic reconditioning in order to maintain their initial shape, which helps achieve a maximum performance and crack-free cut.
16. Make sure you have a correct alignment between the log carriage and the bandsaw.
17. The guides of the carriage have to be levelled and straight, make sure that you have no clearance fits at the carriage wheels as well as the mobile pieces that fix the log.
18. Make sure that the sharpening workshop is sufficiently lit, so that the bandsaw blades will be prepared in the best conditions.
19. Make sure that the guides of the bandsaw are permanently and properly maintained and are suitably adjusted for the bandsaw blade.
20. Pay a lot of attention to the sharpening process of the bandsaws. Incorrect sharpening and burning of the teeth cause most of the cracks; for this reason, avoid burning the teeth through sharpening or too high feed speeds/tooth.

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