Workpiece inspection (wood) – Woodstock M1113 User Manual

Page 27

-25-

M1113 18" Wood/Metal Bandsaw

Workpiece Inspection

(Wood)

Some wood workpieces are not safe to cut or may require

modification before they are safe to cut.

Before cutting wood, get in the habit of inspecting all

workpieces for the following:

• Foreign Objects (Figure 36): Nails, staples, dirt,

rocks and other foreign objects are often embedded

in wood. While cutting, these objects can become

dislodged and hit the operator or break the blade,

which might then fly apart. Always visually inspect

your workpiece for these items. If they can't be

removed, do NOT cut the workpiece.

• Large/Loose Knots: Loose knots can become dis-

lodged during the cutting operation. Large knots can

cause blade damage. Choose workpieces that do not

have large/loose knots or plan ahead to avoid cut-

ting through them.

• Wet or "Green" Stock: Cutting wood with a moisture

content over 20% causes unnecessary wear on the

blade and yields poor results.

•

Excessive Warping: Workpieces with excessive

cupping, bowing, or twisting are dangerous to cut

because they are unstable and can move unpredict-

ably when being cut. DO NOT cut excessively warped

wood.

•

Minor Warping: Workpieces with slight cupping can

be safely supported if the cupped side faces the

table or fence, as shown in

Figure 37. On the con-

trary, a workpiece supported on the bowed side will

rock during a cut, leading to loss of control.

Figure 36. Choosing wood without

embedded foreign objects embedded.

��

Figure 37. Cutting wood with minor

warping.

Because of its unpredicatable nature, use extreme

caution if cutting warped stock. The difference

between acceptable and unacceptable warped stock

varies from machine to machine. If you are in doubt,

square-up the stock first or do not cut it.