Bandsaw ceramic thrust bearing making sparks

[Jason White]

I just aquired a used Delta 14" bandsaw. This is the first one I've ever used that had ceramic guides and thrust bearings/guides on it. I guess they're not really thrust "bearings" since they don't rotate. Which is weird because I'm seeing quite a few sparks when the back of the blade pushes against the ceramic. Is this normal? I worry sparks could get sucked into the dust collector and start a fire.

Jason

[Mike Heidrick]

Yes it is normal for the Laguna guides. Hard steel hitting harder ceramic. I have not had an issue with the sparks. I use a 5hp cyclone and 5hp single stage.

[Andrew Hughes]

I think I remember some blades with bumpy welds would spark,I used to to have a laguna 16 see if you can stone the back of the blade to smooth it out.Thats what i do on all my blades some of the cheapo blades need more work than others.

[Mike Wilkins]

I have the ceramic guides on my Laguna LT18 band saw. The sparks are normal. They are just very tiny sparks from the contact of the metal blade on the ceramic surface. Not enough to be a concern or problem.

[Jason White]

Bump.

Anybody else?

[Raymond Seward]

I have a Laguna 14Twelve with ceramic guides....never had a problem. HTH

[Art Mann]

The owner's manual of my Laguna 14/Twelve plainly states that the ceramic guides will spark. If they didn't, I would be concerned that they weren't adjusted correctly.

[jerry cousins]

sparks from my lagunas too - especially when new - used on a mm16 - no problem
jerry

[Erik Loza]

I think the individual blade is more responsible for this than the guides. We would probably all be a little surprised at how many bumps and other irregularities our blades have. Even new ones.

Erik

[Alan Lightstone]

Laguna LT14 does it also. Never had an issue with the sparks and a 5HP cyclone.