Bandsaw blade guides

[Mr Ed]

As discussed in other threads I am weighing up the options on new (larger) bandsaws. I am interested to know peoples opinions / preferences on the type of guide.

Currently I have this type on my Scheppach Basato 3;

I don't get on particularly well with these and think the type with the bearings at 90 degrees to this would be better. They seem to me to support the blade better and stand more chance of rotating effectively with the blades movement.

I know David Charlesworth swears by his lignum vitae blocks, which is not something I have tried. In this same veign are ceramic and other composite material blocks, which seem more popular in the US.

I see the guide system as a key part of the machines accuracy and therefore significant in the selection of a machine. What does anybody think?

Cheers, Ed

 

[Grinding One]

I put the Lignum Vitae on my Delta bandsaw...does all that I ask from it.

 

[Shultzy]

According to Alan Holtham you can cut on a bandsaw without using any guides (as shown in his video). Therefore are the guides "a key part of the machines accuracy and therefore significant in the selection of a machine". I stand to be corrected.

PS Ed, I have the same guides on my Record 350.

 

[devonwoody]

The accessability of the lower guides to me is the most important thing.

 

[SVB]

Another vote for lignum.

I bought my saw second hand with some composite blocks of very short length and with a strange shape (set too far forward so had worn quick by tooth gullys).

Since cutting some lig ones (interesting without decent guides - chicken & egg springs to mind) and setting them correctly, I have had no problems and not hat to re-adjust them at all.

 

[MikeG.]

Beech makes some nice little guide blocks as well.........

 

[Jake]

My second-hand bandsaw came with ceramic guides, and my old saw had the older solid ones (OEM was that very tough rubber-like stuff, replaced with hardwood soaked in oil).

I've never been convinced by bearing guides, they seem a bit gimmicky to me. The sort you posted look better in terms of blade support, but as you say, not really set up to make the most of them being bearings. The other sort at 90 degrees give a tiny contact surface, and the point of contact is the radius of the bearings further away from where it is needed - not that that is hugely significant.

 

[beech1948]

I have a Startr4ite 352 which seems to have been built in 1960s / 1970s.

It uses solid blocks shapped like triangles as a blade guide. I had a long chat with a man at Record/Startrite about these and was told that they were fine, better than the bearing style as they provide more support surface.

In practice I have found that these triangular guides about 1/2 inch wide have coped with all of the jobs I need to do including much deep resawing upto 11 inches.

I have had them off only once to use a "scary sharp" style of flattening and that was about 5 yeras ago. They are OK when last checked.

I think that the fashion for bearing styles guides is not yet fully proven to work the best. Blocks of wood eg Lignum work well also.

Worth trying first as mostly they are quite cheap to implement versus some £150 for new bearing guides.

regards

Alan

 

[ByronBlack]

Both the Jet and Axminster 14" bandsaw that I had previously owned (and my dad's axi) have all used bearings, so I can never gauge whether bearings are supposed to be considered superior to solid block guides which my current bandsaw has.

Either way, I think the position/placement and ease of adjustment is probably more important than the type of guide.

I do think with the bearings though, that these are more noisy and require more maintenance if the bearing is poor, over time it could wear out or get encrusted in dirt/dust. With the solid blocks, I feel they are more stout and 'up to it'.

Finally, most of the top-end bandsaws seem to favour the solid block over the bearing, how much can be put on that point is debateble, but it must have some impact.

 

[woodbloke]

I use lignum blocks in my Euro 260 as well. Apart from being very hard wearing, it's also self-lubricating. The way I set mine up is to have them just touching the blade and then the b/s is switched so that after a very short while the motion of the blade past the blocks has created just enough clearance to give support - Rob

 

[dickm]

I'd support lignum if you want to make something up yourself (did try those composite "Coolblox" on my Kity, and they were "OK", but home made lignum was better). But the big, brutal lumps of some sort of iron on the Startrite beat them hands down .

 

[johnnyb]

yes my vote goes with the mehanite guides on the startrite. (type of cast iron)

 

[hpl]

My little Record BS300 has the type that Ed has on his and I find mine cuts very upright. One of the things I like about the saw is that it is very good at getting a square cut with very little wander

 

[Mr Ed]

I'm quite surprised how many people are advocating lignum vitae blocks. Its not something I have ever used, probably because its not a 5 minute retro-fit to my current saw.

Although bigger capacity is the main reason for changing the saw I'm wondering about fitting some lignum block guides before I get rid to see if that improves performance.

Cheers, Ed

 

[woodbloke]

I'm quite surprised how many people are advocating lignum vitae blocks. Its not something I have ever used, probably because its not a 5 minute retro-fit to my current saw.

Although bigger capacity is the main reason for changing the saw I'm wondering about fitting some lignum block guides before I get rid to see if that improves performance.

Cheers, Ed

Ed - definately worth a punt, won't cost a lot apart from a bit of lignum (and not much needed either) - Rob

 

[Mr Ed]

It needn't cost a lot, but I reckon its quite a bit of work to make something to hold the blocks accurately.

I may give it a go this weekend.

Cheers, Ed

 

[ivan]

Have used steel, coolblock (sort of graphited tufnol) and rape oil soaked maple. Steel lasted longest but softer blocks easier to reshape after wear. Lignum should last well as used for underwater (propellor) shaft bearings in ships. Current saw has guides as illustrated, mine can be set to fag paper thickness off blade, seem OK to me, and easiest to set. My cut off saw (for metal) has roller bearings as the blade is twisted 45 deg so the frame clears the work, can't see any advantage for wood bandsaw.

Beware that roller guides of the type you mention limit the narrowest blade you can fit, and even then you have to track it on the wheel edges, not much fun, I'm afraid! Wood plastic blocks can be fitted to surround a narrow blade, (including teeth).

Ceramic or carbide probably 'best' in sense of requiring least maintenance.

 

[AndrewC]

But where to find some small scraps of lignum in UK / Europe ?

Andrew

 

[Lord Nibbo]

But where to find some small scraps of lignum in UK / Europe ?

Andrew

Just bought some from Ockenden Timber smallest amount with postage £5.70 for Lignum Vitae Spindle Blank 51mm x 127mm

http://www.ockenden-timber.co.uk/