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Damage to guards from blade breaking?

Started by bruce29, April 15, 2010, 09:27:16 PM

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bruce29

I am ready to start on my blade guards on my homebuilt bandmill and was considering using aluminum.How often do blades break and how much damage do they usually cause? I may need to use steel but the aluminum would save weight , already has a nice finish & is a little easier to work with.

ohsoloco

I believe the blade guards on my Norwood mill are aluminum.  Lots of bands have broken over the years, and the only thing that didn't hold up was the screen covering where the sawdust exits. 

Brad_S.

My mill has plywood doors. I am the first to admit it looks chintzy but the first time you throw an otherwise perfectly good blade, you immediately see the wisdom behind the thinking. I previously had a mill with expanded metal as the covering. Anytime you threw a blade with that set up, you ruined the blade.
Does throwing a blade into a steel or aluminum door damage the blade?
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." J. Lennon

Tom

I think that I would prefer a wooden door, if it were easily replaced and was sturdy.  My other choice is steel and I've had steel doors cut in two for several inches on the drive side. Yes steel doors will damage teeth.  I don't think I would care for aluminum doors.  In my opinion they would carry the worse traits of the three materials.  The weight of a piece of sheet metal, like a door, is insignificant, when compared to the rest of the mill.  I wouldn't worry about it at all.

bandmiller2

Bruce,as suggested I would make the two fronts plywood and don't even have any fasteners in line with the teeth on your band,have them quickly detachable to replace bands.The outside around the wheels takes little abuse and can be al. or steel I used steel thick enough to weld which made it easier to build.Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

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