Why are my bandsaw blades breaking prematurely?
There are several known factors that could lead to your blades breaking earlier than expected. However, one of the main opponents of a long blade life is heat. As steel gets hotter, the chemical structure alters, causing the blade to become weaker. So, if your blade gets overheated it will break early almost every time. But, I know what you really want to know is, what causes my blade to overheat? I would start by checking the following three things.
Blade Guides
When your guide starts to wear out, your blade will ride too deep in its specially designed guide track. This can result in the blade’s cutting edge not protruding far enough out of the guide, which in turn puts excess pressure on the back of the blade, causing the blade to work harder, resulting in it overheating and thus, breaking prematurely.
Wheels
Wheels can generate excess heat in 2 ways. If the wheels are wobbly or out of line, the blade will not track properly, which can cause it to overheat. Dust can also build up on the wheels if the pores are not cleaned regularly. As the blade continually runs over the built up debris, excess friction is created and likewise will cause your blade to break prematurely.
Blade Selection and Tension
It’s imperative to not only make sure you’re using the correct blade for the material you are cutting but, that the blade is operating under the precise amount of tension needed as well. The harder a blade must work, the hotter it will get. This can be easily fixed by either adjusting the tension settings on your machine or speaking to one of our experts regarding the most suitable blade edge for the material you are cutting.
Reach out to us today!
If your blades are breaking earlier than normal, over forty years of experience has indicated that you are likely experiencing one of the above mentioned issues. Lucky for you, we have the solutions to remedy this!
In addition to supplying and determining the most suitable blades for your application, we manufacture Stripper Blade Guides and replacement wheels. We also offer a no charge Blade Efficiency Analysis, to confirm you are using the best blade for what you are cutting.
You can call us at 662-869-1034, or email us at orders@precblades.com for any other questions. We strive to help our customers be as efficient and productive as possible, and are always happy to help!
