Effective Bandsaw Operations

Aside from the blade itself, we need to look into other factors that makes operations. Today, we’ll determine these factors.

1.       Equipment and Condition Type

The most important part of owning a bandsaw is how effective you’ll maintain it. A well-maintained and vibration free bandsaw will ensure accuracy and longer blade-life. Blade wear patterns may be a sign that wheel adjustment is needed or guides are worn out and are causing problems.

2.       Coolant

Choosing the right coolant for your cutting operations is important. High-speed cutting creates friction which generates heat and heat causes the blade to dull. Thus, choosing the right coolant will help improve cutting operations, accuracy and longevity of your saw blades.

3.       Operator Skills

Like any other job, skills are important to keep the production and the company running smoothly. As an effective bandsaw operator, one must understand the process and operations of the machine. Also, one must be knowledgeable on troubleshooting or get service when the machine fails. Being trained and having the correct resources contributes to the success of the company.

Here are some tips to ensure productivity:

·         Ability to observe the cut to ensure the down feed is correct especially if you are using a manual feed system.

·         Ability to create different cuts when using manual feed band saw

·         Ability to read the chips to determine if the blade and equipment are working properly

·         Ability to identify equipment problems and get assistance or service.

And if you are looking for quality blades or band saw, visit us at www.capitalmachinery.com.au.

Drill Press Maintenance Check

To ensure that your expensive floor drill press keeps on operating as it should, you will need to carry out some routine maintenance every now and then. Nothing overtly complicated, just some occasional tender, love and care to keep your machine running smoothly and accurately. The fact is, there are a few things that left unchecked can end up compromising the drill’s performance. The pulley and drive belt, chuck, spindle and table platform are all components that will have a detrimental impact on your work if they are not configured correctly.

Create a schedule to maintain these key wear parts:

Transmission/gearbox: Every 30 days or after 40 hours of use, verify the transmission oil level offers adequate lubrication. Low oil can cause motor lockup.

Flexible Drive Shaft: Examine, clean and grease the flexible drive shaft after every 50 hours of operation. Apply sufficient grease so that it’s not gumming up the flex shaft but not so little that it’s dry because that can cause the cable to break.

Clutch: Check the clutch every 30 days or when you lubricate the flexible drive shaft. Clean the shoes and drums and replace if any clutch padding is missing. A worn clutch can slip or cause the drill to jerk and worn springs might result in the auger spinning at idle or overheating.

Lubrication: It is essential to lubricate our drilling machines because moving parts from the drill generates heat and friction. Make sure to check the guide given by the manufacturer in terms of proper lubrication. Make sure to clean the drill after every usage to prevent dirt build up that causes the machine to slow down. Clean the T-slots, groves, belts and pulleys. Also remember to remove the chips to avoid unnecessary damage to the drill. Put a light coat on the unpainted parts of the drill to prevent rust.

Belt and Vibration: Worn out or bent belt can be a source of a very annoying noise and vibration for the drilling machine. Remove the head of the drill and rotate the belt manually, if it has cracks or lumpy section better to replace it right away. If the belt looks normal, check if the tension is normal; if it is too loose or too tight.

Guide in Buying Used Machinery

Are you looking to invest your money into used machinery? Then there are guidelines to follow before buying one. One of the reasons why used machinery is better than buying a new one is the price. We can save a lot of money and own the machine. But if we are not careful, we may end up buying a defective one that will cost us more revenue than the process of your operation.

Here’s the advice:

Evaluate the Price

Compare the brand new and the used price of the machine and make sure to base it on your budget cost. Here’s an example, if a machine will cost you 20% more than your budget and produces 20% more or even higher, you’ve got yourself a great deal. Make sure to evaluate the extra cost of the machinery and the productivity value.

Inspect the Machine

After evaluating the price, you are now ready to find the suitable used machinery for your business. At times, sellers won’t sell you a defective machine but it is also smart if we check the machine first before buying it. If you are not familiar with the machine, make sure you have a technician beside you to do the inspection. Make sure the machine is tested first before the final purchase. Ask for videos and photos of the machine if there’s any.

After inspecting the machine, make sure to ask if the manual for the machine is still available. Ask for part, maintenance, electrical, ladder and programming manuals. This will help you maintain your machinery.

Service records and Inspections

Remember to get these records if they are available. These records will tell you on how well the machine is maintained and the potential problems that may arise during the operation.

Buy from a Reputable Seller

Buying from a reputable seller is an advantage on your part. If they are selling used machinery, expect that they are knowledgeable and will give you all the information you need. 

Maintaining your Power Tools

Power tools are your investment in helping to get the job done. Like any other tool or machine, power tools also needs maintenance and proper handling. Failure to do this can cause accidents and unwanted repairs. Today, we’ll going to give you some tips on how to handle your power tools and simple maintenance task.

Always keep the Tools Dry

If the tools are not stored properly, it can cause wear and tear. So if you are finished on using the power tool, keep it away from excessive heat or cold. Moisture is a component to rust and rusting occurs on metals especially on your power tools.

Controlling Dust and Dirt

Wood particles, metal shavings dust and other particles are all bad for your power tools especially the cordless ones. If these particles are not cleaned and removed from the power tool, it can slow down the performance and motor especially on a power drill. As soon as you are finished with your work, be sure to used compressed air to blow out any particles that are in vents, cracks, openings or anything that collects dust and dirt.

Cleaning your Power Tools Regularly

As said on number two, dust, dirt, grimes and grease can definitely slow down the tool’s performance. Make sure to schedule a general and deep cleaning for your tools. Disassembling the tool parts for cleaning is highly advisable.

Lubrication of Air Tools

The air tool moving parts should be lubricated in order to have better performance. However, control your lubrication process because putting too much oil can cause a lot of sticky build-up; just a drop or two is needed for a thousand of movements.

Always refer to the Manual

In case that your power tool isn’t working that well, it is suitable to refer to your manual and take a look at the troubleshooting guide.

Coiling the Cords and Hoses Properly

Damaged cords and hose are alarming and can cause hazardous problems if not taken cared immediately. It can also lead to your power tools not working properly. Make sure that your cords and hose are coiled properly. 

Characteristics of a Band saw Blade

Knowing the characteristics of your bandsaw blade will help you keep your blade to last longer and cut better. The ideal tool is not based on how cheap or the most expensive, it is based on how people carefully choose the tool for a specific job to get it done quickly, efficiently and frugally.

Here are the characteristics a Band saw Blade must have:

Hardness

The hardness and the cutting tools strength comes together. It has to be maintained at a certain elevated temperature to minimise wear and tear.

Toughness

This is required to every band saw blade. This characteristic is to avoid chipping or fractures upon impact of the blade.

Wear Resistance

This is the attainment of the acceptable tool life before it needs to be replaced. Wear resistance can be attained through proper usage of the blade.

So if you are looking for a blade to use or the next time you shop for a good blade, make sure that it has the three given characteristics. A wise shopper must know what to look for.

The band saw also needs maintenance to keep up with the working process. With proper cleaning and preventive maintenance, you can make your machine more efficient. 

Different types of Band saw Tooth Blades

Band saw Tooth blades are available in different shapes, each with their own characteristics. Today, we’ll be discussing the different types of band saw tooth blades for our band saw machine.

1.       Regular Tooth

The regular tooth band saw blade is a straight-faced tooth with deep gullets to rake out chips. It is also used for general metal cutting with a straight rake.

2.       Hook Tooth

This type of band saw blade has deep gullets and widely spaced teeth with a 10 degree undercut face that helps to dig in and take a good cut while the gullet curl chips. This type of blade is great for cutting soft, non-ferrous metals, plastic and wood.

3.       Skip Tooth

This band saw blade is similar to the hook tooth but characterized by a straight 90 degree tooth and a sharp angle at the junction of the tooth and gullet to break up chips. This type is also suited for soft, non-ferrous metals, plastic and wood.

4.       Variable tooth

This type of tooth is also known as vari-tooth or otherwise known as broach tooth. This tooth has different angles and gullet depth. The cutting edge of the variable tooth reduces any vibration while the back absorbs the impact of cutting in and out of holes, slots and narrow webs. This blade tooth is suitable for production work and general shop-off contouring. This type of tooth is great for cutting off solid bar stock and especially structural.

Different Tooth Sets

1.       Wavy Set

This has teeth set in groups with gradual increasing set to left and right. It is generally composed of several teeth per inch and mainly used for cutting thin sections such as sheets, pipes and small sets.

2.       Raker Set

This has one tooth set to the right, one tooth set to the left and one tooth is aligned straight. This is mainly used for most production cutting of thick, solid metal selections on horizontal saws. 

Recommendations for Core Drills

A quality core drill is equipped with an electronic protection to protect the drill from overloading and overheating. There are several models equipped with Elgard, it indicates when an overloading takes place through LED lights or pulsation depending on the model. This signs can prevent the motor from taking damages and increases product life. Having an electronic protection can also reduce downtime and getting costly repairs.

There are also other drills that has a unique LED lighting system. This protect and helps the user become better in handling the equipment properly. These LED lights will indicate whether the operation should go faster or slower depending on the performance. This LED lights can also help when it comes to time management.

If the machine operates consistently and efficiently, then the jobs get done easily and with better results. This machine is ideal for those who typically use this tool on occasional basis and has less experience in using such equipment. Along with LED lights, some of these core drill machines have leveling bubbles to ensure that there is proper feed pressure and straight drilling.

Another factor that affects the quality of the core drill is the stand. Check the stand if it is rigid and strong as it can provide more support, last longer and can help the accuracy of the drill. These stands are usually made with aluminum because it is lighter and easier to transport unlike steel or cast iron. These aluminum stands can weigh at least about third of what steel stand weighs so that the user can get the job done swiftly and more efficient with less physical exhaustion. Also, aluminum stands are easier to assemble.

The recycling vacuum is another feature from a good core drilling machine. It can prevent you from creating a mess with water when doing some wet core drilling and preventing you from being electrocuted.