Grizzly G1052 - Manual (Page 20)

-18- G1052 9" Bandsaw
A bandsaw blade is a delicate piece of steel that
is subjected to tremendous stress. Be sure you
use quality blades of the proper width for the var-
ious types of cutting operations.
Always use the widest blade possible for the
workpiece you are cutting. Use narrow blades
only for sawing small, abrupt curves and for fine,
delicate work. Bandsaw blades measuring 64"
can be purchased welded, set, sharpened, and
ready-for-use from most saw shops. In addition to
the standard
1 /
2
" blade, others in widths of 3 /
16
",
1 /
4
", and 3 /
8
" are available. See Figure 15 for typ-
ical bandsaw blade characteristics. Please refer
to our current catalog for prices and ordering
information.
Always select high-quality saw blades and
choose the right blade for the job. Poor quality
blades and improper use are often the cause of
premature blade failure.
Many conditions may cause a bandsaw blade to
break. Blade breakage is sometimes unavoidable
since it is the natural result of the large stresses
that bandsaw blades are subjected to.
Blade breakage is also due to avoidable causes.
Avoidable breakage is most often the result of
poor care or judgement on the part of the opera-
tor when mounting or adjusting the blade or sup-
port guides. The most common causes of blade
breakage are: (1) faulty alignment and adjust-
ment of the guides; (2) forcing or twisting a wide
blade around a curve or short radius; (3) feeding
too fast; (4) tooth dullness or absence of suffi-
cient set; (5) excessive tension; (6) upper blade
guide assembly set too high above the work-
piece; (7) using a blade with a lumpy or improp-
erly finished weld; and, (8) continuously running
the bandsaw when not in use.
Blade Information
Ripping, or resawing, is the process of cutting a
board into two or more thinner boards. The max-
imum board width that can be resawn is limited by
the maximum cutting height of the bandsaw.
Maximum cutting height for this bandsaw is 4
1 /
8
".
The G1052 bandsaw is capable of ripping, pro-
vided the saw is set up properly. Use common
sense when ripping. Attempting to rip too wide or
too dense a board may put excessive strain on
the blade and be dangerous.
The important consideration when ripping is
blade selection. Generally, the wider blade, the
better. In most applications, a hook or skip tooth
style will be sufficient. Also, since most ripped
lumber will be planed or sanded smooth, you can
choose blades with fewer teeth-per-inch. While
blades with fewer teeth-per-inch produce rougher
cuts, these types of blades offer larger gullet
capacities for clearing sawdust, less heat buildup,
and yield more horsepower per tooth.
Ripping
1. The bandsaw must be adjusted correctly.
See Blade Adjustment Section.
2. The table must be square to the blade. See
Table Adjustment Section.
3. Use the widest blade available. The blade
must also be in good condition.
4. Use a fence to guide work.
5. Draw a reference line on the edge of the
board.
6. Support ends of the board if necessary.
7. Feed work slowly and evenly.