# Band saw safety measures



## bosox (Jun 12, 2012)

Just thought of sharing : Band saw safety measures


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## Sawdust Don (Nov 1, 2012)

One thing I do is, use push blocks when re-sawing.

Don


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## Finley West (Jan 15, 2013)

Good one you shared. Thanks


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

I am always happy when members post safety information.


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## elfridaauston87 (Jul 1, 2019)

Great information no doubt.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Link didn't work. Here's my take on the subject:

-When feeding stock into the blade, *NEVER* allow your thumbs to get in the path of the blade. 
-Band saws are inherently safer than a table saw, but not if you are careless in how you hold and feed the workpiece. 
-Use a sharpening stone to round over the back edge of the blade.
-Learn to set tension by feel. Instruments to do this are expensive and probably overkill. Release the tension after you've made your last cut of the day.
-Use a tension setting that's appropriate for the blade. More tension for wider blades, less for narrow.
-Don't try to do tight turns with a wide blade.
-Lower the upper guide so it's 1/4 inch or less above the piece you're cutting.
-If a blade gets dull, replace it. As with all cutting tools, sharper is safer because you don't have to use as much pressure to make a cut. Pushing hard puts your hands at risk.
-Watch the Snodgrass video on band saw setup at least 4 times before you set up your saw.
-Take the time to adjust the below table guides every time you change a blade. This is not always easy, but helps avoid breaks and jumps.
-If you accidentally turn on the saw without the tension set, stop, check to see that the blade is running correctly on the tires, retension, then start cutting. You really don't want a blade to jump off track. It's contained but could be a danger.
-If you have drift, you probably don't have tension or tracking right. See Snodgrass video.
-If you install an exact replacment blade, and it drifts no matter what you do, it may be defective (bad weld, or misaligned weld).
-Don't mess with the wheel alignment. You don't have the kind of jig factories use to align the wheel at the factory. 
-Make and use jigs when possible, in particular, a circle cutting jig. 
-Use the appropriate blade and tooth pitch for the job you're doing. For example a narrow, many teeth-per-inch blade for sharp curves. For resawing, a wide 3-4 TPI with deep gullets to carry away the considerable waste resawing produces. 
-For a new, big, heavy band saw, get some help assembling it. Dropped parts weighing 200 lbs and more, do not fare so well.
-Band saws are notoriously top heavy. If you have a stand on casters, be careful making a turn while moving. (The 3 wheeled base on Laguna's 14/12 saw is astonishingly unstable when being moved.) 
-although it's radical to think about, consider reading the instructions and safety guide for your saw before you use it.

These are just a few points from my explerience with band saws, which I love using. I have two, the 14/12 Laguna and a 12 inch Rikon. I use the Rikon all the time in my backyard shop. The Laguna is used in the garage for wood prep for the most part.


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