Manufacturing Tips

Bandsaw Troubleshooting Guide

ProblemPossible Causes
Premature and excessive tooth wearFeed pressure too light Band speed too slow Insufficient coolant, improper coolant mix, or wrong coolant Improper tooth selection Feed pressure too high Guide hitting teeth alignment Improper break-in with new band
Tooth strippageTeeth too coarse for material thickness (select finer pitch blade) Material not securely vised Insufficient or improper coolant Excessive feed pressure Band speed too slow Chips loaded in gullet (replace or adjust chip brush)
Finished surface too roughImproper blade selection (select finer pitch blade) Band speed too slow Feedrate too high Improper coolant for material being cut
Premature blade breakageThicknes of blade too heavy for diameter of guide wheels Band tension too high Improper speed Excessive feed pressure Brittle weld Saw out of alignment Improper coolant Band wheels worn
Cutting rate too slowIncorrect band speed Incorrect feed pressure Blade pitch too fine
Gullets loaded with chipsSpeed too slow Blade pitch too fine Chip brush not working properly Insufficient coolant, improper coolant mix, or improper coolant used
Band squealsFeed rate too slow Insufficient coolant flow
Belly shaped cutsImproper blade tension Guide arm is too far from workpiece Blade pitch too fine Excessive feed force
Blade leading in cutExcessive feed force or feed rate Possible hard inclusion (use cutting oil) Chip brush not working properly Blade tension too low
Band develops twistWrong blade width for radius being cut (select narrower blade) Binding in cut (adjust blade tension) Saw guides too close to workpiece
Band stalls in workFeed pressure too great Improper blade tension Blade pitch too coarse for material being cut
Burring or mushrooming of back edgeImproper blade tension Excessive feed pressure Blade pitch too fine Improper guide alignment
Band scoringBand has side wear or grooving Improper alignment of saw guides Worn guides
Blade not running true against saw guide backup bearingClicking noise against saw guide backup bearing indicates burr on back edge of band Weld not in proper alignment Saw guide backup bearing worn Improper blade tracking (check band wheel alignment)
Band develops negative camberBand is riding on saw guide backup bearing too heavily Excessive feed force Poor tooth penetration (select a coarser pitch blade for increased penetration) Saw guide is too far from workpiece or not locked
Blade vibrationGuides poorly adjusted Improper band speed Blade tension too low Feedrate too low Blade pitch too coarse for material being cut Workpiece not properly secured
Chip weldingExcessive feed pressure Excessive cutting speed Chip brush not working properly Insufficient or improper coolant

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