How close do you set your guides on your bandsaw?

[gidon]

Title says it all. Not that I've had an awful lot of playing time with my new bandsaw , but the literature etc says the guides should be as close as possible without touching. Does this mean when your bandsaw is running you should hear no noise from the guides touching the blade? Or is it ok for them touch ever so slightly when the machine is running. If I move mine far enough away so they never touch the idling running blade - I don't think they give enough support? They end up being maybe 1/2 to 1 mm away from the blade.

I have these guides if that makes a difference:


(Click for larger picture)


Cheers

Gidon

 

[Philly]

Gidon,
I have two approaches. One, set them touching then let them back a smidge until they stop "screaming" when the saw is running. Two, for really important, accurate work (or valuable material!!!) set them touching for maximum support. Obviously this accelerates wear on the guides but results (with proper tension) is a superior cut. I don't use my bandsaw for a living ("only" a hobby :lol: ) so am happy with option two for some of the time, although the extra noise from the guides is a bit chafing. But most of the time, for rougher cuts option one is fine.
Sorry it's not very scientific but most bandsaws are different, these approaches have been worked through time and experience (good and bad!). I have roller bearing guides in mine by the way
regards
Philly

 

[Taffy Turner]

In one of those spooky coincidences, having had my bandsaw for a year and a half, I had an hour spare last weekend, and so decided to set the guides (for the first time ).

The guides on mine are rolling element bearings, so after much faffing about and trial and error, I set them so that they are not quiet revolving with the blade running free, but the slightest sideways presure on the blade causes either one or the other bearings to spin.

I realise this isn't much help to you, as your look like ceramic fixed guides!

 

[Noel]

As close as possible without touching. As soon as you throw a bit of timber at the saw they'll start touching, after all, they are guides and therefore will guide the blade. If you get a chance get Lonnie Bird's excellent book "The Bandsaw Book" or Mark Duginske's "Bandsaw Handbook" both available from www.amazon.co.uk and others.
I prefer Lonnie Bird's book - colour pictures and simple and clear writing. but they are both great books.

Rgds

Noel

 

[Anonymous]

A tip is to take a 1 dollar bill and fold it around the blade, push the support (block/bearing) against the blade/bill and fix it there - then remove the bill - probably also works with a pound note - I just use a piece of paper. This leaves you with a gap on each side the thickness of a piece of paper .

cheer
Lars

 

[Anonymous]

Thickness of a piece of paper each side when stationary

 

[gidon]

Thanks everyone - some good suggestions. So having set it as close as possible without touching, does it matter if it touches the guides when the saw is running (but not cutting wood)?

I guess as long as it's not putting pressure on the blade when it's idling it's ok?

Cheers

Gidon

 

[StevieB]

lars wrote:

probably also works with a pound note

A pound note :?: :!: Maybe 20 years ago that would have been possible, now we will have to use a fiver instead :roll: time to raid the littluns piggy bank - he seems to see far more fivers than I ever do :evil:

Steve

 

[Chris Knight]

Dunno if it's just my saw's idiosyncracies or what but my Kity 613 has a habit of twisting the blade if it is not running over the crown of the wheel (and I usually run it with the teeth of the blade off the edge of the wheel on anything wider than a quarter inch, so the blade is is then definitely twisted [Hotel California?] -seems inevitable to me) with respect to the guides - ie., the front of the blade is nearer one guide than the back of the blade is to the same guide and vice versa for the other guide.

I end up setting the guides so they just touch the blade on either side (one guide usually touching the front part of the blade (though set back from the teeth) , the other guide touching the back part of the blade. The lower guides on this saw are a joke - just two bits of wood but I set them the same as the upper guides anyway.

In use, this seems to work pretty well. My lateral guides are of the semi-roller kind - they turn but they are not on proper bearings so I am concerned that if they spin too much they will overheat or seize upon what passes for an axle. If I had solid guides a la "Coolblocks", I would not hesitate to position them so that they "squared up the blade", taking the aforementioned twist out of it.

 

[Alf]

definitely twisted [Hotel California?]

"Her mind is Tiffany twisted" apparently. [currently in lyric-hunting mode]

With the Jet I do what Taffy describes. The Elu has solid guides; currently homemade boxwood ones as a bit of a experiment, and those I put touching the blade for maximum support. Works well and they seem to be holding up well. I was going to get Coolblocks for it, but by the time I'd prised open the wallet Axminster had stopped stocking the right size. Rats.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Chris Knight]

Alf,
Thanks for the reference - it was starting to drive me nuts. It's great to be back where the answer to any question is only 'Alf an hour away!

 

[Alf]

<throws off-hand, c.1950 Hollywood film star style salute>
All part of the service, sir.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Philly]

Chris,
You say the blade is twisted-are you sure it's not the "mercedes bends"? :lol: :roll:
yes, it's nice to be back, isn't it?
"Take it easy" with Philly


O.k.-no more Eagles or we'll start the rest of them off.......

 

[tx2man]

'Cool wind in her hair' Sir

Suits you

Tx

 

[tx2man]

Ooh, I think i've created an enigma :?

Is the next poster going to stay with the 'Eagles' or
try their hand with 'The Fast Show'?

TX

BTW, i use the paper method also (roller guides)

 

[dedee]

Was Paul Macartney's band called Eagles?

Andy

 

[gidon]

Thanks Chris, Alf - Chris see what you've started!

I'm going to try setting them closer - I was also speaking to the chap at Dure Edge and he felt as long as you can still spin the wheels - and they continue to spin under their own momentum it should be fine. Look forward to giving this a go if Record EVER send me this flippin' tension screw!

Cheers

Gidon

 

[Taffy Turner]

Was Paul Macartney's band called Eagles?

Andy

Fraid not - Macca's band was called Wings.

 

[dedee]

Yes but Eagles have Wings -- ha ha

Sorry

Andy

 

[Taffy Turner]

Puts head in hands and quietly sobs......