Laguna bandsaw question

[Paul Williams]

I recently purchased a Laguna 14 BX band saw. I am very happy with the purchase. My question for those of you who are running similar saws is the amount of sparks that come from the upper guides. I assume also from the lower guides, but they are not as noticeable. Are sparks a "feature" of the ceramic guides, or to I have them set too tight or other problem? I get sparks when turning and sometimes when pushing into the blade.

[Roger Chandler]

I do not have ceramic guides, but I would think they are too tight in the adjustment. I have roller bearings, and I like to set them at just barely touching so that they only spin when the pressure of a curved cut makes the blade go against it enough to spin them. Sparks and sawdust do not make good bedfellows, so you might want to back them off a tad. Usually the correct setting is to get a dollar bill corner in between the blade and the guides.........of whatever type.

[Art Mann]

If you read your owner's manual, I think you will find that Laguna states that some sparking is normal. That is what the Laguna 14/12 manual says. I see sparks just every once in a while. It has no effect on the performance of the saw or life of the blade. The ceramic blocks are waaaaaay superior to the roller bearings on my other band saw.

[Van Huskey]

Yes, the ceramic guides spark. They will spark more if the blade has extra slag at the weld, but they will actually polish it off.

They should be set barely touching the blade (no dollar bill trick or the like). The fact they can be touching the blade is one of the things that makes them superior both in ease of setup and blade control. It is a shame that saw manufacturers have moved to small bearing guides as a "feature". They are the poorest of all the forms of guides, simple wood/phenolic laminate guides are better and QUALITY large bearing Euro and Carter Guidall are better still. The ceramics guides are the best IMO, Felder has started supplying them (as an option) and ACM is offering them on their OEM saws.

[Al Wasser]

Seems to me that if sparks exist and wood chips the odds are good for a fire sooner or later.

[JerHall]

I have used the ceramic guides on my Laguna 16HD for 10 years. My shop is still standing. Not even any smoke or embers. I like the sparks because they remind me to stay awake and keep my fingers out of the way. It's normal. My ceramic guides are slowly grooving badly. I think I will someday soon return to the original bearing guides. For the rough work woodturners do I see no clear advantage to the ceramic guides. I only use a 3tpi x 3/8" blade. Maybe no advantage in any case.

[Tom Albrecht]

I've got the same Laguna and it's great. I don't get sparks often, but I'm usually keeping my eye on the pencil line. Ceramic guides are great.

[dave hulett]

Bought my 14x a few months ago and was glad to see your post the the replies. I see sparks too, but it seems to be fewer of them the more I use the saw. Nevertheless, I am glad to see it's normal.

[Van Huskey]

Seems to me that if sparks exist and wood chips the odds are good for a fire sooner or later.

While it may be counterintuative all sparks are not created equal.


As to Jerry's observation it is not unusual, the longer a single blade stays on the more the blade (in particular the weld) will get polished by the guides and the guides over time will also become more polished. Each of these actions will reduce the number of sparks, plus the psycology of the situation, the longer you are around sparking guides the less aware you become of them.

[Reed Gray]

I have had my 16HD for maybe 10 years, can't remember. Yes, there is always a bit of spark, always on the back guide. I keep a tiny bit of air on the side guides, so no sparks there. I rotate the thrust/back side bearing, and have a bunch of tiny grooves in it, but no problems with that either. I do keep the side guides clear of dust. Most of the time I am cutting very wet, so no fire problem there. The sparks are supposed to be 'cool'. I do prefer them to the roller bearings on my other little saw. I have found a need to check the thrust bearing to make sure it hasn't loosened up and moved backwards. It does that some times.

robo hippy

[Paul Williams]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I really like the saw. Mostly because it is so much bigger and heavier than the 12 inch craftsman it replaced. The sparks are smaller and lighter than what I believe most people think when you say sparks. They also appear to be burnt out by the time they are an inch from the guides. So perhaps they are "cool." I just put on a new blade so perhaps they will settle down a bit as it wears in. I am thinking that I might keep the craftsman with the carter guide and a 3/16 or 1/4 inch fine tooth blade and use it for curves and small things. Trouble is finding room for it.

[Lee Watermann]

I get sparks on the back guides mostly if I'm pushing hard. I hate adjusting the bottom guides almost enough that i wish I had not bought the saw.

[Paul Williams]

I agree that access to the bottom guides is a poor design. Not only are they hard to get at without moving the table, but they seem to be designed to collect sawdust.