Everything you need to know about professional bandsaw maintenance

Dinamitek presents the guide for band saw maintenance

I want to see all the band saws

When talking about machine tool maintenance, a premise must be made:

Only ordinary maintenance by the user is permitted

• to ensure the safety of the operator himself
• to maintain maximum machine efficiency
• to avoid compromising the machine's compliance with current regulations

ALL OTHER MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OPERATIONS MUST BE CARRIED OUT BY AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL AT THE SERVICE CENTERS INDICATED BY THE MANUFACTURER , because:

• they only use original spare parts
• they are qualified and specialized
• comply with the product warranty instructions

Before performing any maintenance, the band saw must be secured. This means unplugging the power cord and coiling the cable near the machine. It's always good practice to keep the machine and work area free of obstructions .

It's always recommended to use appropriate PPE when maintaining and operating the bandsaw. However, work gloves should NOT be used during cutting; however, ear defenders, masks, and safety glasses are recommended.

We're talking about band saw maintenance, but what uses can you make of this machine?

• USE AS A MANUAL SAW

Clamp the workpiece in the vice and press the button to start the cut. The machine head should be slowly moved towards the workpiece. Release pressure when the blade touches the workpiece, otherwise the blade will be damaged. Continue cutting until the end of its travel, then release the button to stop the machine. Once the blade is stationary, raise the saw head to its maximum travel.

• USE AS A SELF-CONTAINED CUTTING SAW

Clamp the workpiece in the vice. Raise the machine arm to its maximum height, slowly bringing the head 5 cm from the workpiece. Start the saw by also pressing the side lock button.
At this point, release the head and observe the machine making the cut. When it reaches the end of its travel, the piece will fall back onto the saw's base. The electronic current limiter will manage the cutting pressure.

I want to see all the band saws

Having discovered the uses of the band saw, let's now look in detail at the 12 maintenance operations.

• HOW DO YOU ADJUST BLADE TENSION?

To adjust the blade, turn the handwheel clockwise and continue until the clutch engages, taking care not to set the tension too high, so as not to cause the blade to come out of the guides.

• HOW DO YOU ADJUST THE POSITION OF THE SLIDING BLADE GUIDE?

Once the knob is loosened, slide the blade guide close to the workpiece, ensuring there are no obstacles between the blade guide, the workpiece, or any other parts of the machine. Lock the position by tightening the knob.

• HOW DO YOU ADJUST THE CUTTING SPEED?

The cutting speed is adjusted via the variator.

• HOW DO YOU ADJUST THE FEED SPEED OF THE AUTONOMOUS CUTTING VERSION?

To adjust the forward speed, you must raise the arm to maximum height and unlock the selector by pressing the latch. While the latch is pressed, the selector can be positioned to correspond to the forward speed you want to adjust (H, M, L, LL). Once the speed is selected, you can release the latch.

• HOW IS THE BAR STOP ASSEMBLED AND ADJUSTED?

The base has a hole for inserting the guide rod, which is then secured by locking the nuts. Loosening the handwheel allows you to position the stop at the desired distance, which is then secured by locking the handwheel.

• HOW DO YOU VARY THE CUTTING ANGLES?

Once the knob is loosened, the swivel mount is rotated using the handle. To verify rotation, observe the position of your index finger relative to the graduated plate at the base. Once this position is reached, the mount is locked using the knob. Once you've finished working with the new cutting angle, return it to the starting position by unlocking the swivel mount with the same knob and rotating it until it reaches the mechanical end stop. At this point, the swivel mount can be locked.

• HOW TO CORRECTLY POSITION THE PIECE IN THE VISE?

The correct position of the piece clamped in the vice is to place it directly between the jaws without any other objects in between.

• HOW DO YOU REPLACE A SAW BLADE?

This operation requires tools such as Allen keys or Phillips screwdrivers. The blade is chosen based on the technical specifications listed in the band saw's data sheet. The procedure is as follows:
Loosen the handle and slide the blade guide all the way to the end. Remove the protective cover, paying attention to the likely sudden movement of the blade. Removing the blade is easier if you turn the handwheel counterclockwise. Now remove the blade, first from the pulleys, then from the blade guide bearings. Before installing the new blade, remove all processing residue. After inserting the blade, replace the protective cover and turn the handwheel clockwise until the clutch engages. The new blade requires a break-in period.

• HOW IS THE BLADE BREAK-IN PERFORMED?

Breaking in the blade is done by applying three cuts with light pressure to the workpiece. The break-in cut takes about twice as long as cutting at full power.

• DO I NEED TO LUBRICATE MY BAND SAW?

It is not needed.

• HOW TO CLEAN A BAND SAW?

Compressed air is not used because it damages the machine components.
If necessary, remove any residue from the process with a brush. Clean the vacuum cleaner filter occasionally.

• WHAT CHECKS DO I NEED TO DO ON THE MACHINE?

The integrity of the power cord, the protections and the general state of wear of the tool must always be checked.

I want to see all the band saws

Good cut, with Dinamitek