Steve Maskery
Established Member
No it jolly well doesn't! 
And I think I use the D word only once...
And I think I use the D word only once...
Please help an silly person out with cutting straight (with pics)
- Thread starter m1ke_a
- Start date
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Alexam
Bandsaw Boxmaker
Hi Mike,
it looks to me as though the bandsaw has not been lined up ( 'Tuned' ) so that everything works in tandum.
Have a close look (several times) to this first video and the second is to so with tension being correct ....
THE BEST FROM A BANDSAW '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/ '.
For checking the tension of your blade - A Flutter test Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8zZuDosSy0
The blade being out of line front to back is to do with the position of the blade on the top wheel - as you will see in the first video. Get this all working well and don't push the wood against the blade, just 'feel' the teeth cutting and move forward slowly. Blades also have a great bearing and if you havent done so already, get yourself a set of Tuffsaw blades. Ideally talk with Ian Black at Tuffsaw and explain what sort of work you are doing and he will make sure you have the right blades.
Hope this helps
Malcolm
it looks to me as though the bandsaw has not been lined up ( 'Tuned' ) so that everything works in tandum.
Have a close look (several times) to this first video and the second is to so with tension being correct ....
THE BEST FROM A BANDSAW '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/ '.
For checking the tension of your blade - A Flutter test Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8zZuDosSy0
The blade being out of line front to back is to do with the position of the blade on the top wheel - as you will see in the first video. Get this all working well and don't push the wood against the blade, just 'feel' the teeth cutting and move forward slowly. Blades also have a great bearing and if you havent done so already, get yourself a set of Tuffsaw blades. Ideally talk with Ian Black at Tuffsaw and explain what sort of work you are doing and he will make sure you have the right blades.
Hope this helps
Malcolm
Hi there,
May be worth watching a video by Mark Spagnolo (theo wood whisperer). I had trouble but it was down to the drift.
After changing a blade, you should always adjust your fence for the drift of the new blade. Type in "wood whisperer, bandsaw setup" in google for video. All of it good advice, but about 14 mins for drift.
My bandsaw has been super accurate after following this advice.
All the best
Nick
May be worth watching a video by Mark Spagnolo (theo wood whisperer). I had trouble but it was down to the drift.
After changing a blade, you should always adjust your fence for the drift of the new blade. Type in "wood whisperer, bandsaw setup" in google for video. All of it good advice, but about 14 mins for drift.
My bandsaw has been super accurate after following this advice.
All the best
Nick
Jacob
New Luddism. Wake up and resist.
Band saws are inaccurate. Might help if you freehand and follow a marked line, rather than relying on the fence
Steve Maskery
Established Member
NO! You do NOT adjust the fence for drift! That only cures ripping and makes cross-cutting impossible!
You tune the blade so that there is no drift, and ripping and cross-cutting are BOTH accurate.
Jacob, next time we have a pint, I'll bore you silly with an explanation of how to set up your bandsaw properly...
You tune the blade so that there is no drift, and ripping and cross-cutting are BOTH accurate.
Jacob, next time we have a pint, I'll bore you silly with an explanation of how to set up your bandsaw properly...
I followed mark Spagnolo's technique for bandsaw setup and although you may disagree, my bandsaw is accurate and I use it for crosscuts and ripping. I am sure there are other ways, but his works for me.
Couple of tuffsaw blades are on their way.
Axy sales chap spent a good 15 mins checking the saw in the shop beforehand. Blade gullets appear central on tyre and the blade certainly feels quite sharp. I'd like to think he knew what he was doing (well certainly more than me!) and I'll report back once new blades are fitted.
Axy sales chap spent a good 15 mins checking the saw in the shop beforehand. Blade gullets appear central on tyre and the blade certainly feels quite sharp. I'd like to think he knew what he was doing (well certainly more than me!) and I'll report back once new blades are fitted.
Only time I've ever completely disagreed with what you're saying. Somethings not right if your bandsaw 's not accurate. My bandsaw transformed overnight but changing from crappy Axminster blades to tuffsaw ones. It shouldn't make that much difference but it did ! I've got a few new Axminster blades to use up, they really are appalling in comparison.Jacob":ctl3lffm said:
Coley
adidat":2wbd9z7j said:
Or a bench hook & tennon saw...
Or a shooting board...
I'd personally just cut on the bandsaw and use the shooting board to take to the line with a plane.
Looks like the blade is moving slightly to one side, so if the tension is correct and the bearings are set close* it's likely down to either a dull or too narrow blade.
*(The bandsaw I use won't allow you to set the bearings very close when using the mitre gauge, meaning it does tend to wobble slightly when cross-cutting thin stock.)
Blades supplied with new bandsaws are only fit for firewood cutting.
get a decent blade (I have been very pleased with tuffsaws) and spend a LOT of time setting the bearing guides. i have seen several bandsaws set up with the guides positioned too far forwards. At rest, the bearings sit just behind the teeth, but you have to remember when you put pressure on the blade the blade moves back, and then if the bearings are too far forwards, they just wear the teeth away in seconds. Set the bearings so they are just behind the blade while it is pushed back against the rear bearing. That has helped me a lot, and I have had almost 2 years struggling with bandsaw problems. i now have most of them solved.
get a decent blade (I have been very pleased with tuffsaws) and spend a LOT of time setting the bearing guides. i have seen several bandsaws set up with the guides positioned too far forwards. At rest, the bearings sit just behind the teeth, but you have to remember when you put pressure on the blade the blade moves back, and then if the bearings are too far forwards, they just wear the teeth away in seconds. Set the bearings so they are just behind the blade while it is pushed back against the rear bearing. That has helped me a lot, and I have had almost 2 years struggling with bandsaw problems. i now have most of them solved.
Honest John
Established Member
Many months ago (year? ) I had a bandsaw that gave indifferent accuracy results. After researching my problems on this and other sites, reading all I could on bandsaw set up, I bought 2things. I bought Steves workshop essentials on setting up a bandsaw, and I spoke to Ian at tuffsaw and bought some new blades. My 14 inch SIP now cuts easily with a very fine degree of accuracy that I would not have thought possible from a bandsaw. It is very likely that many bandsaws do drift and introduce inaccuracies into the cut, but it is wholly wrong to think that as its only a bandsaw it has to be that way. I have a reasonable aftermarket adjustable fence fitted to my saw. The adjustment is used to make the fence true to the slots, not to the drifting blade. The drift is tuned out of the blade to make it cut true to the slots. Don't put up with blade drift and think it has to be that way. It doesn't. It can be made to cut very true if you follow the procedures that Steve covers in the workshop essentials DVDs.
This is essentially the same as when you set up a table saw. It would be silly to set the rip fence to be parallel to the blade and ignore the slots! Sure you could rip accurately, but cross cutting or any cut involving the table slots would be inaccurate. In both cases the slots are the key, and the blade and fence are adjusted to agree with the direction of the slot.
Before I set up my bandsaw I was attending a show somewhere, Yandles I think. I looked at some xtremely well executed segmented turnings, as this is where my major interest is. The 80 - 90 year chap that had produced these exhibition pieces cut his segments on a bandsaw! I have tried many methods of cutting segments, and my preferred method is to use a two fence sled on my table saw. I had not considered using a bandsaw for this task because I thought that bandsaws lacked the repeatable accuracy required for this exacting task. I came away from there with confused thoughts after looking at this chaps superbly cut segments. That was the trigger to research bandsaw set up. Buy Steves DVDs and follow the set up process and you will be amazed at what is possible. I still cut my segments on a table saw. I've made an investment in it and it performs well. i do however use my bandsaw for many more cuts than I used to do when I thought of it as an inaccurate machine, including cutting veneers for building feature rings for my segmented turning.
This is essentially the same as when you set up a table saw. It would be silly to set the rip fence to be parallel to the blade and ignore the slots! Sure you could rip accurately, but cross cutting or any cut involving the table slots would be inaccurate. In both cases the slots are the key, and the blade and fence are adjusted to agree with the direction of the slot.
Before I set up my bandsaw I was attending a show somewhere, Yandles I think. I looked at some xtremely well executed segmented turnings, as this is where my major interest is. The 80 - 90 year chap that had produced these exhibition pieces cut his segments on a bandsaw! I have tried many methods of cutting segments, and my preferred method is to use a two fence sled on my table saw. I had not considered using a bandsaw for this task because I thought that bandsaws lacked the repeatable accuracy required for this exacting task. I came away from there with confused thoughts after looking at this chaps superbly cut segments. That was the trigger to research bandsaw set up. Buy Steves DVDs and follow the set up process and you will be amazed at what is possible. I still cut my segments on a table saw. I've made an investment in it and it performs well. i do however use my bandsaw for many more cuts than I used to do when I thought of it as an inaccurate machine, including cutting veneers for building feature rings for my segmented turning.
