How does this bandsaw work?

Just a query having seen this bandsaw on ebay

How on earth would you use it with all that guarding?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vertical-bandsaw-metal-wood-or-plastic/222653604413?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D46150%26meid%3D45930f8b57314a1b9d853a947a4dbce2%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D112579402170&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

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... With great difficulty ?

MichaelG.

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P.S. ... I see you are a victim of ebay's mad hyperlinks !

This might be more friendly: **LINK**

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vertical-bandsaw-metal-wood-or-plastic/222653604413

You dont ! You just look at it !

Seems to be a hand wheel sticking out of the side above table height. Perhaps its been set up as a special purpose machine with some sort of screw fed jig / clamp system to carry a component being cut to size. Guarding being provided to catch things should the component escape due to being improperly fastened down or over enthusiastic feeding cause the blade to shrapnel.

Listing does say industrial so perhaps it came from the sort of firm that chooses its workers using the "Stand up. Hear thunder. See lightning. Pick any two." process.

Clive.

Set up for a specific job, push metal in up to the stop, push forward with hand wheel and small conveyor belt catches the sawn off bit, wind hand wheel back... next bit etc. Looks easy enough to junk the guard.
BobH

I think the purpose of the hand wheel is to push the work piece into the saw (work piece being held in the vice). The application of pressure to help the cut go through.

In much the same way a drill press works; Try using a hand held drill and then try a pillar drill and tell me which is easier to push through.

Michael W

I used to be in charge of safety in a factory producing cardboard boxes. The factory inspector wanted guarding like that around a stapling machine which would have made it impossible to use.

I found out later that she was new in the job and had been sent to us as we were very compliant. Not on this occasion, I totally ignored her. We carried on producing boxes, the operators on the machine were trained to be aware of the dangers and nobody was injured.

We also had a large bandsaw for cutting big blocks of foam up to 18" thick. Guarding that would have been a nightmare, instead the operators wore chainmail gloves.

Probably a bit dangerous for some people.

Mike

At least I've been saved from any mad 'Buy it now' urges, The listing says it doesn't ship to France. Phew.
DaveD

I would guess that it is jigged up to work with a small workpieces to small to feed safely by hand.