Diagnose Problems "How-To's" for all Band Saw Blades

1. Premature and Excessive Tooth Wear

• Feed pressure too light, increase it

• Lower band velocity

• Improper tooth selection, use a finer pitch

• Improper break-in with new band. Velocity and feeding should be reduced the first few cuts

• Teeth are running the wrong direction. Be sure teeth are pointing in proper direction

• Incorrect saw guide insert size for the band, allowing them to strike teeth

2. Blade Vibration

• Increase or decrease band velocity

• Increase tension of band

• Teeth too coarse for workpiece

• Increase feed pressure

• Material not securely held

3. Gullets Loading

• Teeth too fine for workpiece - use a coarser pitch

• Decrease band velocity

• Band is riding on saw guide backup bearing too heavily.

4. Band Stalls in Work

• Feed pressure too great - decrease feed

• Teeth too coarse, use finer tooth blade

5. Premature Blade Breakag

• Thickness of blade too heavy for diameter of wheels and speed of machine

• Increase or decrease velocity

6. Blade Making Belly-Shaped Cuts

• Increase tension

• Adjust guides closer to workpiece

• Teeth too fine - use a coarse pitch

• Decrease feed force

• Teeth dull

7. Tooth Strippage

• Teeth too coarse for workpiece

• Material not securely held

• Too much feed pressure - reduce for good chip curl

• Band velocity too low - increase speed

8. Band Develops a Negative Camber

• Band is riding on saw guide backup bearing too heavily. Adjust band for alignment on top and bottom wheels
• Check band wheel alignment

9. Blade Not Running True Against Saw Guide Backup Bearing

• If clicking noise against saw guide back up bearing, remove burr on band

• Check band wheel alignment

• Check saw guide backup bearing for wear, replace if necessary

• Weld not in proper alignment. Reweld blade straight and true

10. Cutting Rate Too Slow

• Increase band velocity

• Increase feed pressure

• Use a coarser pitch

11. Blade Leading In Cut

• Reduce feed pressure or rate

• Check adjustments and wear of saw guides or rollers

• Lack of band tension

• Tooth set damage

12. Premature Loss of Set

• Improper width selection - check chart for correct width for radius cutting

• Reduce band velocity

13. Band Develops Positive Camber

• Decrease force

• Use a coarser pitch to increase tooth penetration

• Adjust saw guides closer to work

14. Band Develops Twist

• Wrong width for radius being cut - choose a narrower blade

• Binding in cut - decrease feed pressure

• Decrease band tension

• Adjust saw guides further from workpiece

15. Finished Cut Surface Too Rough

• Improper tooth selection

- choose a finer pitch

• Increase band velocity

• Decrease feed rate

16. Blade Scoring (side wear or grooving)

• Check for wear on saw guide inserts

• Too much pressure on saw guide inserts

• Check alignment of saw guides - be sure they are square to front vise.

Replace or clean guides

17. Burring or Mushrooming of Blade Back Edge

• Increase tension and adjust guides

• Check contact between blade and back edge rollers

• Reduce feed pressure

• Use coarser pitch blade