How to use the bandsaw

Rules

You must be supervised by a staff member while using this machine
Material must be approved by a staff member prior to using this machine
- Long aluminum stock is preferred
You must watch the saw for the duration of the cut, do not leave it running without supervision
You must clean up the chips off the machine after usage
Only objects that can be clamped in the machine vice may be cut on this saw

Safety

You must wear safety glasses and remove all loose clothing, jewelry and securely tie back all long hair/beards
Only grab/ hold cutting head at the outboard end of the assembly.
Be sure that work piece is the only object in the path of cutting plane/blade prior to lowering cutting head.
Even if the saw is not on, please be careful when handling objects near the blade as the teeth are very sharp.
Blades can break and be thrown out of the work zone.
Be careful when handling cut metal, the saw can produce sharp burrs

How to use

Lift the saw blade

Ensure the hydraulic knob is vertical in the open position. This indicates that the blade will pivot around the hinge without resistance.

Grab the handle to raise the saw blade. It may be heavy, ask for assistance if needed.

To lock the blade in the raised position, turn the hydraulic knob as far counterclockwise as possible. It may be a stretch to the knob while holding the handle.

The blade should be locked in a position high enough to place the material under.

2. Positioning your material

Place your material under the raised saw blade. You may need to move the stop (black piece behind the blade) out of the saw. Ensure your piece is marked at the cut point.

While holding the saw handle, turn the hydraulic knob to the vertical position and carefully bring the blade right above your material. Align your material so that the blade will cut through the marked point. Ensure you are always holding the handle and DO NOT let the blade rest on the material as this can damage it.

When the material is in the correct position, slide the clamp forward and push the lever down to clamp it. The clamp also has the ability to slide from side to side for smaller stock if needed. You MUST ensure your piece is tightly clamped.

Lift the blade back up and lock it with the knob above the material.

3. Cutting your material

If the knob is positioned between fully open (vertical) and fully closed (almost horizontal), the hydraulic will cause it to fall at a constant speed. This ensures a constant feed rate when the blade is cutting through the material.

The tricky part is finding the correct speed for your piece of material. This can depend on the type of material, i.e. aluminum vs steel and the geometry of your material, i.e. solid vs hollow (tubing).

It is recommended to start slow and increase if needed. Cutting too slow can cause problems as well. A staff member will help you with your first cut.

Be sure to turn on the blade with the green button before setting the falling speed with the hydraulic knob.

We don't have coolant running through the system since it is not necessary for cutting aluminum. However, please use the spray bottle to keep a semi constant stream of coolant on the blade while cutting.

Once the blade makes it all the way through the material, it will hit a limit switch and stop. Turning it off with the button prematurely may result in an incomplete cut.

Congratulations, now you've cut your material!

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