Fred Page
Established Member
Can somebody go through the process with me of adjusting the bandsaw’s mitre gauge in order to get perfect 90 degree cross cuts in say 5 inch boards? I usually set the gauge using an engineer’s metal square but sadly this is no guarantee of a 90 degree cut. Clearly the gauge is not static and therefore the mitre gauge slot must be considered. Authors tend to point out that this must be parallel to the blade – but surely this has little meaning? After all, the blade may be a single point so to speak so how can a lengthy slot be parallel with it?
If after setting a true 90 degree angle on the gauge but still not getting a precise 90 degree crosscut I attempt to compensate for this discrepancy by altering the set angle one way or the other – it is here that I run into trouble both practically and in my thinking. Over-compensation must be very easy and I’ve been known to spend hours trying to hit the correct micro adjustment to give a true 90 degree cut over a 5 inch board.
I must say, there’s no problem as long as one gets a true cut but the adjustment process for me becomes a nightmare. Is there something missing in my thinking and in what I do.
I’ve tried laying the engineers square on the mitre gauge as when you are cutting a piece of timber, with the tip just touching the blade's side and then moving the whole past the blade to see whether a gap develops or otherwise, but even with this information I still tend to compensate in the wrong direction – there seems to be so little leeway and I find myself repeating the process over and over again.
If the slot is 'out of alignment' with the blade and the moving mitre gauge, you can only adjust the set angle. You can’t alter the slot.
Come on somebody; put me right on this one. Sorry it’s so long winded but it is difficult to describe.
I won’t go into the problem where if all the mechanics are set exactly but practical cutting still results in a cut not exactly 90 degrees!
Fred.
If after setting a true 90 degree angle on the gauge but still not getting a precise 90 degree crosscut I attempt to compensate for this discrepancy by altering the set angle one way or the other – it is here that I run into trouble both practically and in my thinking. Over-compensation must be very easy and I’ve been known to spend hours trying to hit the correct micro adjustment to give a true 90 degree cut over a 5 inch board.
I must say, there’s no problem as long as one gets a true cut but the adjustment process for me becomes a nightmare. Is there something missing in my thinking and in what I do.
I’ve tried laying the engineers square on the mitre gauge as when you are cutting a piece of timber, with the tip just touching the blade's side and then moving the whole past the blade to see whether a gap develops or otherwise, but even with this information I still tend to compensate in the wrong direction – there seems to be so little leeway and I find myself repeating the process over and over again.
If the slot is 'out of alignment' with the blade and the moving mitre gauge, you can only adjust the set angle. You can’t alter the slot.
Come on somebody; put me right on this one. Sorry it’s so long winded but it is difficult to describe.
I won’t go into the problem where if all the mechanics are set exactly but practical cutting still results in a cut not exactly 90 degrees!
Fred.