Sparks/no thrust support with ceramic guides

[David Utterback]

Searched past threads and did not find a complete answer to my questions about Laguna ceramic band saw guides. So here goes....

1. Should the side ceramic blocks move freely in the slots? At least a couple of mine slide in and out during set up and I am afraid they may become projectiles. If needed, how can they be fixed in place?

2. Should the thrust bearing surface be adjusted for different blade thicknesses? (Not at all clear how this could be the case.) My first experience with a 1/2" thick blade created a lot of sparks and too much heat for my comfort. Although the side bearing surfaces are set behind the gullet, the blade deflected backward during the cut so the set on the blades made nearly continuous contact with the guides. Tension was sufficient to prevent sideways deflection of the blade during the cut.

Thanks for any guidance.

David

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi, the ceramic parts should be fixed in place, and not move in their supporting metal blocks.

The side guides should almost touch the blade sides, ending behind the gullet.

The rear thrust bearing should almost touch the blade, preventing it from moving backwards.

When I host band saw seminars I set them the thickness of a piece of paper away from the blade.

There can be the occasional spark, nothing to worry about, however if the blade weld is poorly ground you should send it back to the supplier.........Rod.

[David Utterback]

Thanks, Rod. I looked again at my new saw and discovered the adjustment for the thrust bearing. Doh! It still sparks a lot but now the sides of the teeth no longer contact the bearing surface.

[Mike Wilkins]

What Rod said. I have the ceramic blocks on my Laguna band saw. Use a piece of paper to set the side guides from the blade, behind the gullets, and the rear thrust bearing. Works great.

[David Utterback]

So, should I use cyanoacrylate glue to fix them in place? Thanks

[Rod Sheridan]

So, should I use cyanoacrylate glue to fix them in place? Thanks

No, you should send them back under warranty, they're defective...........Rod.

[Nick Decker]

So, should I use cyanoacrylate glue to fix them in place? Thanks

No, they're supposed to be moveable so you can adjust them for different blades, but they shouldn't move once they're adjusted.

If you're new to this saw, and bandsaws in general, suggest you go to YouTube and watch some videos on bandsaw set up. It's not hard, but it sounds like you need to do some learning. :)

[Geoff Crimmins]

So, should I use cyanoacrylate glue to fix them in place? Thanks

If the ceramic block is loose in the aluminum holder, then yes, some CA or epoxy should hold it in place. Or you could request warranty service, but that may be more hassle in the long run.

[Nick Decker]

Maybe I'm confused about what the problem is.

[David Utterback]

Sorry for the confusion. A couple of the square ceramic guides on the sides are not permanently attached to the holder. They are seen, on occasion, to stick out of the front of the fixture. I will try the glue. And yes, I can always learn a lot more about all tooling and enjoy doing so. This site is my first choice source although maybe I should have asked Laguna in this case.

Thanks for all the feedback.

[Brian Deakin]

Please see link below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0goh3RbsJ6M

regards

Brian