Band Saws
A metalworking band saw consists of a long continuous band of, normally toothed, metal—the blade—and two or more wheels housed within the machine to drive the band. The design of band saw blades allow for even load on each individual tooth of the blade as well as agility when cutting irregular shapes. Most band saws have two wheel which rotate on the same axis, however, some use additional wheels to distribute workload and add to the cutting capacity of the machine. Metalworking band saws use a toothed blade which picks up metal shards and heats up quickly. To combat these problems, brushes are used to clean the blade and/or cutting fluid washes away loose shavings and cools the blade. Newer technology has made metal-cutting band saws far more efficient and durable. Bi-metal (using two metals to reinforce the blade) bands with high speed steel teeth are becoming the more popular option. These blades are able to withstand higher temperatures and have a longer life.
