Being a unique cutting machine, bandsaw has become a top-rated tool nowadays. It is equally suitable for making some complicated as well as quality cuts. Usually, you don’t have to face any significant issues while dealing with the bandsaw. But one main but minor problem everyone has to face is its blades started slipping off after a specific time. It is a hazardous phenomenon, and your bandsaw is useless if the bandsaw blade keeps coming off.
There are many reasons why the bandsaw blade keeps coming off, like less tensions in the blade, wearing and tearing of blade, worn out rubber tires, and the damage in bearings. In this article, we have tried our best to explain these causes and their possible solutions. Let’s have a look at these reasons in depth.
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Bandsaw Blade Keeps Coming Off – Some Main Reasons
The bandsaw is an amalgamation of several components, and if even one of them doesn’t work correctly, it could make the whole machine useless. Before inspecting any band saw, you must have gloves in your hands and safety goggles over your eyes.
Tension in the blade
The most common reason behind the slipping off of the blade is the reduction in the tension. Blades lose tensions after months or years of wear and tear. You need to tighten or replace them after a certain interval of time. Tension meters are also available in the market to check it or access it through the sound of the table.
However, the most common and easy way to check it is by pressing the blade from the side. If you can push the blade up to ¼-inch, then the blade has become loose. You must check the tension of the blades before indulging in any project because otherwise, it could be dangerous for your project and your safety.
Wearing and tearing of blade
The sharpness of the teeth is also an important factor while dealing with a band saw. When the blade is dull and teeth are not sharp enough, you need to exert more force on the machine to cut it through the material, and in this case, the blade might slip off from the band saw.
The most common way to check the sharpness of the blade is to scratch it with your fingernails. If scratches also occur on your nails, then the blade is not good, but if you can pass the nail smoothly through the blade, then it is ok to use the bandsaw. You can also check the sharpness of the blade by observing its operating behavior. If the saw operates in such a way that it is quite difficult to cut through the material or leave some inconsistent or jagged, then it’s time to replace the blades.
I have been facing these problems, but I have been able to fix this problem quite easily by cleaning the blade and re-sharpen it after a certain interval of time.
Worn out rubber tires
If the blades are slipping off by just exerting some additional pressure, you must check its rubber tires. They might have worn out. You can resolve this problem by cleaning your rubber tires with the help of a wheel brush. Also, keep the blade tension-free when it is not being utilized.
Bearings damage
If the bearings have been damaged or in good condition, then the wheel wobbling occurs, and the bandsaw blade keeps coming off. Thus, it is better to check the wheel by spinning it before engaging it in any cutting project. If it shows any wobbling, then replace the bearings.
Noise in the blade
When the bandsaw operates, it leaves some distinct sound. This sound changes after the usage of a bandsaw for a specific interval of time. You can easily access it if you are a regular user of the bandsaw. It usually happens when the blades have worn out. You can resolve it by just replacing the blades.
Inconsistent cutting
If you bandsaw harder through the material or it skips while cutting, you will achieve highly inconsistent cutting. To avoid this problem, you need to maintain your bandsaw and occasionally change the blades of the bandsaw.
Hairline cracks
The hairline cracks in the blades have become a common problem in the bandsaw. It usually happens when you are using the bandsaw for a longer period without changing its blades, or you have to cut some tough materials.
How to prevent the bandsaw blade keeps coming off?
There are certain things you need to adopt while using the bandsaw. Let’s have a look at them.
Close inspection
You must closely inspect the bandsaw before applying it for cutting purposes. In this regard, you must ensure that all the components are clean and in good working condition.
Few things to check before using the bandsaw
- Tension in the blades.
- Sharpness of the teeth of the blade.
- Alignment of the blade teeth.
- Alignment of the blades.
- Hydraulic system.
- Wheel damage.
- Bearings damage.
- Lubrications.
- Speed of the bandsaw.
Cleaning
After close inspection of the bandsaw, you need to ensure that the bandsaw is clean enough. You must clean it after every usage. Follow these steps while cleaning the saw.
- Clear debris from the parts while using highly compressed air.
- Use steel wool to remove the dust that has become adamant on the saw.
- Wax it.
- Remove blades while having gloves in the hands.
- Apply liquid rust remover.
- In the end, use a wire brush and resin remover for cleaning all the remaining parts.
Proper maintenance
The last and essential way to preserve your band saw is its proper maintenance when it is not in use. For this purpose, you need to take the following steps.
- Clean it thoroughly after every use.
- Please keep it in cover.
- Always reduce its tension when it is not being used.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
Conclusion
The band saw is a great tool to use while cutting. They last very long if you maintain them properly. However, if the band saw blade keeps slipping off, there could be one reason mentioned above you can easily fix by following all the steps explained in the article.
