Bandsaw guide for narrower blade ?

[Trigs]

I took delivery of his bandsaw just before Christmas
http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-ho ... saw-508206

Now that I've got a good set up and a better understanding thanks to Steve Maskerys DVDs (woodwork essentials) and some Tuffsaw blades, I'd also like to fit a 3/16 blade for really tight curves. The manual says the narrowest blade that can be used is a 1/4 " blade, the only thing I can see stopping me using the 3/16 blade is lack of adjustment in the side bearing guides as they would protrude past the cutting edge of the blade. Would it be safe to make some wooden guide blocks to replace the bearing when using the narrow blade ? I've seen a picture somewhere but for the life of me can't find it but I also don't know if they were being used for the purpose I have in mind

Cheers

 

[custard]

Hello Trigs, first thing, do you really need a 3/16" blade or is it a case of just in case? A 1/4" blade will get you down to a radius of about 15 or 16mm, quite a bit less if the set is generous or you make a few release cuts and nibble away at the curve in sections. But if you really are making jigsaw puzzles then wooden blocks work fine, in fact you can set them up with a kind of a rebate so they actually touch the blade at the back to offer some support as there's not much beam strength with a 3/16" blade. Finally, on these fiddly little blades don't set it using the tension gauge on the machine as you may well over-tension the blade, just tension up to a target sideways deflection point, a target musical "twang", the flutter test, or whatever your preferred tension setting trick is that doesn't involve the machine's tension gauge.

Good luck!

 

[Steve Maskery]

Hi Trigs
Glad you like the DVDs
If you look on WE5, you will see how I face my guides with 2mm MDF to support blades as narrow as 1/16". Your guides are oriented in the other direction but in a way that is even easier. Simply turn a couple of hard wood disks the same size as your bearings and swap them in. It will work a treat. The teeth will cut into them, but only so far. Once the clearance for the set of the teeth has been achieved, the blade will be fully supported and the teeth will not be damaged by the guides. It's exactly the same principle as I show you.

Your new guides could be pretty much anything hard. Maple. Beech. If you can get some Tufnol, that works great for blade-contact guides. Sadly I haven't got any since my Uncle Tom died.

on both counts.

I've heard that lignum vitae soaked in linseed oil is the bee's knees, but I've never tried it. Anyway, go for it, you can't go wrong.

Steve

 

[Trigs]

Custard... Yeah I want the 3/16 guide to make a tight cut for a bandsaw box project, I tried with a 1/4 and eeking it round by making a few nibbles but the finish was a little too untidy.

Cheers Steve I got the discs this morning, super fast dispatch I think I only ordered them on Sunday night. Got most of the way through disc 4 and had to go make a few cuts, really learned a lot. Good to know it's on the DVD I'll watch it tonight. Thanks again

 

[custard]

Hello Trigs, makes sense, there's a chap on this forum, AlexM?, who does bandsawn boxes, maybe check with him what his set up is, perhaps you'll need smaller than 3/16"?

 

[Alexam]

Hi Trigs, I think custard is talking about me again!

I have used a 3/16" blade but the saw needs to be 'tuned' correctly so that it does not drift on the top wheel. If you have followed Steve Maskery' excellent videos, he shows how to get the blade running true and also shows in his videos how he uses discs on the side guides to use smaller blades.

There is also another guy in America called Alex Snodgrass, who tunes his blades slightly differently and I now use that method.

His video is here
'Alex Snodgrass of Carter Industries has an excellent video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU on a tune up method that works well, but if you want to get the best use of your bandsaw on an ongoing basis, then the Steve Maskery DVD's will show you far more and they are a real investment. http://www.workshopessentials.com/shop/ '.

There is also a video for checking the tension of your blade - A Flutter test Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8zZuDosSy0

Both of these would help ensure your bandsaw is runnig correctly and you can then make sure that the small amount of blade within the area of the side guides does not damage the teeth. Just make sure that the thrust bearing is set correctly so that the blade cannot go backwards.

Later on I was facinated by the single guide that Alex Snodgrass uses, the Carter Stabilizer and after a lot of thinking and communicating with Carter Industries, I managed to get one converted for my Record BS400. It's a bit pricey once shipping and tax has been added, so think carefuly before jumping into that, but I can comfortably use the Tuffsaw 1/8" blade.

Contact me if you need any more help and I'll be pleased to do what I can.

Malcolm

 

[Trigs]

Cheers Alexm, yeah I've watched that video, he's very impressive at what he does, I did look at the Carter guides but they don't look like they'd be easy to fit to my bandsaw.

Ive checked out your website and your boxes are excellent, have you thought about DVD along Steves lines?

 

[Alexam]

Hi Trigs,
don't know about the Axminster bandsaw, the Carter Stabilizer models are mainly for the USA market, although there are a few in the UK but on which bandsaws I don't know.

Steve Maskery is a Professional carpenter whereas I am only playing at it for a hobby in my retirement and coming up to 75 next month. Always prepared to help anyone that has questions, buit the bandsaw boxes I make were learnt by watching others make them and learning how to do it myself and then developing my own ideas as I progressed. There are hundreds of videos already and lots of people that you can buy plans off a I did when starting.

Selection of suitable variety of wood is important, but you will see that as you progress. How about putting a few of your boxes up in photos, there are loads of members that would be interested in seeing them, including myself.

Malcolm

 

[Steve Maskery]

Steve Maskery is a Professional carpenter

Er, no I'm not. Not at all.
S

 

[Trigs]

I'll throw a couple of pics up tomorrow... No laughing though