Bandsaw - Basic Description

Large electric or pedal-driven saw with a narrow, long and flexible blade is called Bandsaw. The blade is the reason it's called Band Saw ( the blade looks like long band of metal with cutting teeth ). They can be used for woodworking or metal working as well as for cutting other materials. Band Saw seems to be a perfect tool for every shop because of their ability to perform a whole range of cuts like cross cutting, re-cutting, ripping, curve cuts or beveled cuts. They can be operated either fully automated or totally manual. Their speed ranges from 40 feet to 5000 feet per minute.

Metal-cutting Band Saws
A constant flow of liquid coolant over the blade is necessary to keep the blade cool. The coolant cools the blade which helps prolonging it's life. There are Vertical and horizontal models available for Band Saws ,and because of that wire brush wheels are sometimes present to clean the blade from chips and buildup material.

Band Saws and Feeding Mechanisms
Because of the gravity feed small saws fall under their own weight against the hydraulic cylinder with control valve.
Production saws have hydraulic feed where saws use a positive pressure hydraulic piston to advance the saw blade through the material.
Screw feed employ a lead-screw to move the saw.

Fall mechanisms in Band Saws
Pivot saws - they hinge in an arc as they advance through the material you are cutting.
Single Column saws - a large column supports the saw. The saw rides up and down on it while cutting.
Dual column saws - because of very high rigidity and precision dual column saws are equip with a pair of large columns to provide necessary support.

Automatic Band Saws
In the situations where a machine operator per saw is not practical or possible Automatic Band Saw runs in as a perfect solution for the current situation. With automatic band saws one operator can feed and unload several machines alone.

Large Band Saws
Timber mills use Large band saws for ripping lumber. They produce less waste thanks to their smaller kerf - cut size.

Head saws
.In the case of need for a initial cuts in a log large band saws - Head Saws seems like a perfect choice. They usually have a two to three inch tooth space on the cutting edge of the blade and sliver teeth on the back. Sliver teeth wipe slivers out of the way of the blade.

Re-saws
Re-saws are large Band Saws optimized for cutting timber along the grain. Reduction of larger sections into smaller sections or veneers requires a wide blade with a small kerf to minimize waste which brings us to Band Saws. They are fully capable of re-cutting, and since band saw produces less waste, cuts faster and doesn't create kickback while cutting it's the perfect tool for this job.

Double cut saws
Saws with a double tooth blade are called Double Cut Saws ( the blade has cutting teeth on both sides) . Double cut saws are very large, similar in size to a head saw.