This page will document details and instructions to follow while cutting raw material to length for Project 1.

Follow the bandsawing operation process as detailed below. As always, safety is the number one priority. Only one person will operate the bandsaw at a time. If assistance is needed, you must ask the instructor prior to running the machine.

1) Wear the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment while operating the saw. Safety glasses are required.

2) Raise up the blade to provide enough clearance under the blade to slide the desired material through the vise. If the blade is already raised, continue to step 3. If you turned on the bandsaw to raise the blade up, turn the machine off by pressing the red "Power Off Button".

3) With the machine off, open the vise enough to accept the desired material size.

4) Load the material into the machine from the side opposite of the blade. Material should extend beyond the blade by an amount roughly the size of the desired material length.

5) Lower the blade until it is within 1/4" from the top surface of the material at its closest point. If you had to turn the machine on to lower the blade, turn the machine off by pressing the red "Power Off Button".

6) Use a steel rule, combination square, or tape measure to measure and set the length of the material extended beyond the bandsaw blade to the distance desired for the length of the saw cut material. For Project 1, apprentices will need to set the material to a distance of 6 15/16" (6 and 15/16", one 16th of an inch less than 7") from the front side of the bandsaw blade to the end of the material.

7) With the material set to the desire distance from the blade, clamp the vise to secure the material for cutting. The vise will clamp when rotating the wheel clockwise. The vise will unclamp when rotating the wheel counter-clockwise.

8) Measure the distance from the end of the material to the front side of the bandsaw blade to make sure the material didn't move while clamping.

9) Turn the feed rate switch to the zero position so that the bandsaw will not feed when turned on.

10) With the blade clear above the material, start the bandsaw by pressing the green power on button labelled as "Button A" on the image above.

11) Turn on the coolant and verify that coolant is being pumped through both precut and postcut coolant supply lines. If there is no coolant supplied to the blade, cease operation and notify the instructor.

12) Increase the feed rate slowly let the blade engage the material gently. Once the cut has been established, the feed rate can be increased slightly.

13) Let the saw do the work. The saw will progress the blade through the material until the cut is done and the blade is in the down position. Note that material may fall off of the saw after being cut from the piece of stock. Be mindful of where your feet are while watching the machine cut. Never attempt to catch a falling part of piece of metal.

14) Shut the machine off.

15) If additional parts need to be cut, repeat this process from step 1. Material stops can be set on most saws to accommodate more efficient repeat cuts by eliminating the need to measure and set the length of the material for each cut.

16) When complete with all cutting, clean the bandsaw and wipe any coolant from the machines surfaces. All chips and coolant should be disposed of properly. We must always leave the machine in a better condition than we receive it.