BANDSAW OPERATIONS

BANDSAW OPERATIONS - OD1646 - LESSON 1/TASK 1repairing, and troubleshooting these three bandsaw machines will bediscussed.2. Types of Metal Cutting BandsawsMetal cutting bandsaw machines fall into two basic categories: horizontalmachines and vertical machines. Vertical bandsaw machines are more commonlyused. On vertical machines, the blade's cutting position is vertical andcuts into the side of the stock. The blade rotates on a fixed track betweenthe idler wheel mounted above the worktable and the drive wheel mountedbeneath the worktable. The stock is moved against the blade to make thecut. On the horizontal bandsaw machine, the cutting position of the bandsawblade is horizontal and cuts downward into the stock. The drive and idlerwheels are positioned lengthwise on the sawing machine frame, which pivotsfrom a corner of the sawing machine bed. With the horizontal machine, thestock is fixed rigidly in a vise to the bed of the machine, and the blade isfed downward into the workpiece. The horizontal bandsaw machine is usedprimarily for cutting stock to length, either at right angles or to anydesired miter angle. The vertical machine is more versatile and can be usedfor contour cutting, filing, and polishing, as well as for simple stockcutting.a. Vertical Bandsaw. The vertical metal cutting bandsaw machine, beingthe more common of the two types of bandsaw machines, is usually identifiedas a "bandsaw machine" without using the word "vertical." A typical bandsawmachine (figure 1 on the following page) is driven by an electric motorthrough a belt transmission which permits adjustment of the blade speedthrough a range of speeds. The table may be tilted front­to­back orsideways to make mitered cuts. The metal cutting bandsaw machine does notrequire preformed bandsaw blades. An electric butt welder and grindingwheel are fastened to the sawing machine. The welder is used to weld alength of blade into a continuous band, and the grinding wheel is used toremove beads caused by the welding. Since the machine can weld its ownblades, internal cutting is possible. When making internal cuts, the bladeis inserted through a hole cut in the workpiece and is then welded into aband and mounted to the machine. After cutting the internal shape in thepiece, the band is cut so that it can be removed.2