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Re: Wrecked Aluminium from chopsaw
Having used both, I think that given the option, the horizontal bandsaws would be safer. Simply put, the bandsaw is going to have less loading per tooth than a circular blade, and the potential for an accident is lessened.
However, a chop saw with a properly clamped piece, where the blade only engages it such that the cutting force keeps the piece pressed DOWN, can be perfectly safe. We had an incident this year where someone attempted to use the radial arm function of the saw, with a churro in the back, and brought the saw from out to in, such that the cut lifted the churro. This bounced around inside the blade guard before hitting the ceiling. A second incident is where I built a wood jig to hold pieces, and I didn't have quite enough downforce clamping for where the piece was relative to the blade, and it pulled the aluminum through a piece of 3/4" plywood jigging making a sound like a gunshot, and tossing the piece. Fortunately, safety glasses policies and no hands near the blade made this a near miss, but a sobering one.
For any harder metals (steel axle rods), the chop saw might also have issues, where a bandsaw would not really care, it would just cut more slowly.
So, I don't think its fair to say "you shouldn't use a chopsaw" because they are dangerous. You just need to be aware that the damage potential is greater, and mitigate the risk appropriately. If you have less strict control over the tools, and see a risk of a student (or mentor) improperly using the chopsaw on metal, you might consider a safer (albeit more expensive or less precise) method of making cuts.
Steven
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2013 - 2017 - Mentor - Robochargers 3005
2014 - 2017 - Mentor - FLL 5817 / 7913
2013 - Day I Die - Robot Fanatic
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