My Lenox Trimaster Broke!

[SteveKrim]

Probably a "Dumb" question, but, how dangerous is a bandsaw blade breaking?

One of my rituals prior to cutting anything (BS, TS or SCMS) is to try and imagine the worst case for the cut. On the BS, I always seem to come up with the blade breaking, wrapping itself around my arm and ripping it off! Maybe a little paranoid, but...

So, since I have never had this experience, what are the warning signs? What happens when the band does break - where does it go and how does it react???

Thanks,

Steve

[Mark Singer]

Probably a "Dumb" question, but, how dangerous is a bandsaw blade breaking?

One of my rituals prior to cutting anything (BS, TS or SCMS) is to try and imagine the worst case for the cut. On the BS, I always seem to come up with the blade breaking, wrapping itself around my arm and ripping it off! Maybe a little paranoid, but...

So, since I have never had this experience, what are the warning signs? What happens when the band does break - where does it go and how does it react???

Thanks,

Steve

Steve, It is a good question! The noise is loud when it breaks. On the newer saws it should stay inside the saw. The exposed blade section is where it could get free and that is scarry. Keep the gude as low as posible to cover the blade.

[Chris Padilla]

I haven't broken a blade yet but I did have a couple that came off the track. The key is to keep as much of the blade as possible covered up--i.e. as Mark said, keep the guide as low as the size of the wood you are cutting will allow.

[SteveKrim]

Yes, I keep the top of the guide 1/8 or off the work... My blade is 96" and my imagination probably got the best of me! (read inexperience! - never had one break!)

Thanks,

Steve

[Dennis Peacock]

I've had a few BS blades break in my time. It is my belief that breaking a blade on the BS is a lot safer than breaking a router bit, TS blad or slinging a jointer knife!

My BS blades are 132" long and if/when the blade breaks, it stays in the confines of the BS cabinet.

I always release the blade tension at the end of each evening when I use the BS. My blades seem to last longer than way.