Bandsaw problem

[John Hale]

I have an old 3 wheeled black and decker bandsaw and it's never worked very well I set up the guides and the fence to the appropriate drift angle and all I can say is that it was good enough considering I was given it I recently with the fence ripped a load of chipboard to size with wise and it started to wander off. At first I thought this was a blunt blade so I replaced it and it still wandered off, so I thought it needed me to recheck the drift angle and that was ok too, I then check & trued all the guides still it won't cut straight.

It now at you progress along the cut gradually widens until the machine stops or the fence is pushed away what have I missed?

Thanks

 

[OPJ]

Chipboard is pretty nasty stuff and your average bandsaw blade is designed to be 'disposable' (well, they certainly aren't expected to last as long as a circular saw blade). So, I still think it could be an issue with the blade (always buy at least one spare :wink.

I was cutting up some chipboard a few weeks ago (it was previously used as packaging) and I buggered up my handsaw when I hit a lump of metal in the middle of the sheet! :x

Three-wheeled bandsaws have a bit of a reputation... But, as you haven't mentioned any problems with the blade falling off the wheels, I'm inclined to think that the saw itself is okay; everything is running true and the wheels are aligned correctly.

 

[MikeG.]

It may be that the machine isn't capable of taking the tension required to keep the blade accurate. I personally ever seen a 3 wheel machine that I would have any faith in.......which isn't to say they don't exist...........but they are usually flimsy, lightweight jobbies that can never pull the blade tight enough.

As Olly says, chipboard chews through blades. My view is that this may be the wrong machine for this job........you might be better off with a circular saw and guide.

Mike

 

[studders]

I hate having to cut chipboard, with anything, and with a bandsaw, and a standard blade, one rip is enough to knacker the blade. I'd suggest a metal cutting blade might be better if you're going to be doing a lot of that stuff.