Learning About Bandsaws17

Learning About Bandsaws

Bandsaws are machines powered by a variety of different sources. These machines use a blade that is long, narrow, flexible and a continuous band. The bandsaw blades have teeth that span the entire circumference of the blade. The bandsaw blades move on two pulley type wheels. A bandsaw is good for working with metal, wood or other materials and are very handy for cutting odd shapes. The width of the band determines how big of a radial curve can be cut with that particular saw.

Automated bandsaws are used in mass production environments. There are advantages to this automation. All feed rates, returns, falls, part clamping and part feeding is preset and automatic. In many manufacturing facilities it is neither possible nor cost effective to have an operator to run each saw. In the case of automation, one operator is capable of overseeing many saws at one time. Many automated saws use CNC or NC controls to perform precise, accurate and faster cuts.

In the logging and sawmill industry, there are several different types of bandsaws commonly used. The first cut into the log is usually made with a headsaw. The headsaw has teeth that are two inches apart along the cutting edge of the blade. On the back side of the bandsaw blades there are teeth called sliver teeth. Sliver teeth are useful for moving slivers out of the way as the blade is backed out of the log and keeps it from getting hung up. The second blade used in the sawmill is the resaw. A resaw is used for making cuts along the length of the board and is most often utilized in cutting boards for veneers. Double cut blades have teeth on both edges of the saw blade.

Bandsaws are preferred over circular blades by logging mills because of their small kerf. The smaller kerf allows for a cleaner cut with less waste. The bandsaw blades used in the sawmills are very large, some can be sixteen inches wide. The blade moves in a circular motion around a two wheel pulley type system. The blades and machines must be maintained and the people responsible for that are the saw doctors and the saw filers. They also determine the depth of the teeth on the bandsaw blades based on the lumber being cut.