Using Bandsaws

[nimmaj]

Hello,

Bought a record 350s bandsaw yesterday from dm-tools and it appears to be arriving today, which is astonishing!

My question is: what's the best way to learn about using bandsaws? Presumably these things need fettling more than a plane would, for example! Alan Holtham has a dvd - is that of any use? Or which books do people recommend?

Many thanks,

Ben

 

[Steve Maskery]

Alan Holtham's DVD is clear and well-produced. It's fairly basic, so might be just what you are looking for.

As for books, I recommend Mark Duginske's Bandsaw Handbook. Not terribly well-produced, but the content is excellent and goes a bit further with some nice projects to give you an idea of what is possible.

Cheers
Steve

 

[nimmaj]

Hi Steve,

Brilliant - thanks for that.

Ben

 

[brianhabby]

Hi Ben,

If you check out Amazon there are quite a few bandsaw books on there. I have The Bandsaw Book by Lonnie Bird and can thoroughly recommend it.

Might be worth seeing what others recommend though before splashing the dash.

regards

Brian

 

[matt]

I watched Alan Holtham's DVD when I bought my record. It's all I needed with one exception... I don't recall Alan telling me to buy a decent blade. I was sceptical about how bad a stock blade could be, spent ages fettering with the saw. Gave up. Changed the blade. OMG - what a difference.

 

[nimmaj]

thanks for the replies everyone - just what i needed. now i need to find a source for the dvd!

the pipper's arrived now, and wow is it heavy! tnt rocked up with out a lift on the back of the truck and without any way of moving the pallet!

just putting it together, now, and wishing i had a decent book to read. i feel a small amazon purchase will be necessary.

off to read the "post dragon saw bandsaw blade" thread now...

cheers,

ben

 

[Steve Maskery]

The reason that Alan doesn't tell everyone to buy new blades is that he was presenting the DVD on behalf of Record, so he's not likely to tell the world that the supplied blades are, how can I put it, entry-level.

I've started to write the script for a new DVD myself, although at this stage I'm not sure that The Compleat Bandsaw will ever actually get filmed, we'll see. I have a Scheppach, and whilst I am generally happy with it (it's never let me down), it's certainly not the Perfect Machine, so at least I'll be free to Tell It Like It Is.

Cheers
Steve

 

[OLD]

Setting the saw up is important the hand book from record will take you through it, check the wheels rotate smoothly by hand first. Set the fence square and cut wood ,check your setting after a couple of days running in you get a surface that needs planing up not smooth .

 

[nimmaj]

I reckon it's more realistic if the machine's not perfect! One thing i enjoyed about DC's shooting video was where he explained what to do if the fence isn't precisely square. Pragmatic.

So the machine is now set up and i've clearly got a lot to learn. My two questions would be:

* how do you get the table in line with the cutting direction of the blade (it's easy to get the fence square to the table, but not sure how to do the table v the blade)
* is there an easy way to square up the guides with the blade? with the 350 i'm struggling to see past the risey/fally bit to the blade and my guides are clearly not lined up. i reckon this is why i'm getting lines in my cuts currently.

It is v. quiet, though...and so much easier than re-sawing by hand!

Many thanks,

Ben

PS ordered dvd from dm-tools again - it's already in the post! So that's 25 hours for the bandsaw - would be fantastic if the dvd arrived tomorrow...

 

[wizer]

The Compleat Bandsaw

I'd Buy That for a Dollar

 

[Paul.J]

Have a look at This from the Wood Whisperer.

 

[Steve Maskery]

I'd go along with almost all that.

Where I would disagree is his blade tensioning and fence alignment.

Changing the tension of the blade can change the tracking of the blade, so I don't see the point of tracking it at one tension and then changing the tension. I have no idea why he was starting the machine in short bursts, or what he could tell from that, can you? I use the "twang" test, but it's virtually impossible to explain that in words, you just have to get to know your own saw.

And whilst there was nothing wrong in the way he adjusted the angle of his fence, he certainly doesn't HAVE to move the rail itself - I'd bet a pound to a penny that those four bolts on the top of the front end of the fence are for that precise purpose.

Two things I thought were very good. It was a very clear demo of how to set the blade guides properly, and I agree with his about the "challenge" of ensuring the wheels are co-planar. It's one thing to say "The blades must be co-planar, check with a long straight-edge" and quite another to be able actually to do it. Plus, on most machines, the only time the top wheel is NOT angled to deal with tracking is when the blade is off, and then it is so loose as to be impossible to measure it!. As soon as you use it to track it will be non-co-planar anyway. I've never understood how you do that properly, I'm glad it's not just me.

I think one thing that is missing (on AH's and TWW's) is what to do when things aren't right and how to recognize what is wrong. Sure, you can always start from square one every time, but that is a long-winded (if sure-fire) method. I'd like to see examples of what happens when the tension isn't right, when the fence is square, when the tracking is off, when the guides are not set correctly etc, etc.

Still, generally a very useful resource, and very well filmed, too. I'd like to see his staging setup.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Argee]

I've got a copy of Mark Duginske's Bandsaw book (ISBN 0-8069-9397-9) that I've finished with. If you'd PM me your mailing address, I'll whang it in the post for you.

Ray.

 

[Paul.J]

Steve M wrote

I have no idea why he was starting the machine in short bursts, or what he could tell from that, can you? I use the "twang" test, but it's virtually impossible to explain that in words, you just have to get to know your own saw.

Steve i always do the stop start when i change a blade over.Whether it's on the BS or TS or anything else come to think of it.
It was something i was told to do when i was an apprentice and as just stayed with me.
When the blade is changed on the bandsaw,doing the stop start puts the blade under normal working load and you can see the blade wonder either back or forth,which is what the WW was looking out for i presume.It is what i do.This will tell you how the blade is running on the wheels,and how far from the thrust bearing the blade is,after it as run for a bit.Hope that is clear :?
I would also point out when turning the wheels to locate the blade,be careful and don't trap your finger behind the wheel.
I used to do the deflection test on the big bandsaws where there was a good clearance/run of blade, but on the smaller home used ones like the BS350 this is impossible so a lot of it is as you say getting to know the machine.
HTH.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Oh, OK. TBH I'm not convinced

I rotate the top wheel by hand a few times until the blade settles down. That way I can see how it is moving with the door open, something you can't do on mine with the motor running as there are micro-switches.

It is good that there is so much good resource material available these days, When I bought my first Elu 2-wheeler there was nothing.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Paul.J]

I don't think i made it that clear Steve,i'm hopeless at explaining :roll:
The stop starting is to just make sure the blade is going to stay on the wheels.Seat itself properly when it is running.
I do a quick start stop,than let it run a little longer on the next SS until i am happy it safe to carry on.
I have seen people change a blade and just start the machine at full pelt only for the blade to come off.

 

[Steve Maskery]

No problem Paul. I've never had that problem, so that's whay it seems odd to me. When it does, I'll remember this conversation!
S

 

[OPJ]

Alan Holtham has a dvd - is that of any use?

I thought this DVD came free with every Record Power bandsaw? :shock: Perhaps Record have scrapped that offer, although I still think it's a pretty good buy at £9.99.

 

[nimmaj]

Thanks for all the continued help - much appreciated! Enjoyed the wood whisperer thing. Managed to order the book and the dvd before argee's kind offer.

I think that the dvd comes with some of the bandsaw packages i've seen - not mine, it would appear, though.

Looking forward to a few days of tinkering!

Cheers,

Ben

 

[big soft moose]

I watched Alan Holtham's DVD when I bought my record. It's all I needed with one exception... I don't recall Alan telling me to buy a decent blade. I was sceptical about how bad a stock blade could be, spent ages fettering with the saw. Gave up. Changed the blade. OMG - what a difference.

I'm not sure that thats true of all makes - the blade on the new axminster we've just bought at work seems to work okay (its probably not as good as dragon but we're stuck with a list of "prefered suppliers" due to our eprocurement system - which for woodwork means axminster or screwfix ! ) I'm hoping it is okay because we bought a 5 pack of axcalibur at the same time.