MM20 / Euro Guides

[Leigh Betsch]

Have any of you MiniMax guys/gals (or any Euro guide machines) replaced you guides with something else? I probably just don't have my guides set exact enough but I get a lot of noise off the Euro guides. Not real soon but someday I'm thinking of replaceing them with a ball bearing design.
Another question, does anyone use a lube on their bandsaw blade? I've used a wax type of lube quite a bit on metal cutting bandsaws and I use a Rockler spray on my table saw blade when ever I take it off and put it back on.

[guy knight]

make sure they are parallel with the blade so they rub evenly on the top and bottom and check to see that they are aligned side to side that needs to be adjusted on the post the make sure you do not have them to tight

i use wax or pam spray for lube

[Rick Fisher]

I have an SCMI Bandsaw and put Carter guides on it. Pretty easy to setup. I find them far superior to the roller guides on my Delta.

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m455/jokerbird_photo/P1010509.jpg

[Todd Solomon]

They make noise, but perform excellent. I chalk it up to normal noise. I just resawed some walnut veneer with my MM16, and the cuts were all uniform thickness within a few thousandths. I took a class from Lonnie Bird. He has the same euro guides on his Laguna. I figure if they work well enough for someone of Lonnie's caliber, they're good enough for me. If it works, don't fix it.

[Mike Wilkins]

Check the installation and set-up before reaching into your wallet. Most of the guide systems on these bandsaws are good from the factory, and perform as designed when set up properly. That said, I did replace the original guides on my Laguna LT18 after the upper thrust bearing ate itself.
I think the ceramic guides, which I got from Laguna for my machine, will fit other manufacturers' saws. Real nice setup if you can get past the ocassional spark(which is normal).

[jerry cousins]

i replaced the euro guides with carters and then put on laguna ceramics - mm16. really only use the saw for resawing veneers - ceramics were easy to put on and have produced the most consistent and best cuts.
jerry

[Tom Cross]

Check out this review on the Paddock guides.

http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/601

[george wilson]

I'd be careful about lubing your blades; Will the lube get onto the rubber tires on the wheels,and make trouble? Will it get onto the wood and cause your finishes to crater? This isn't metal you are cutting.

[Jim Becker]

No, I happen to like my Euro guides. I do have cool blocks for narrow blades, but have have used a narrow blades once so far and made do with limited guide contact since it was a small job in thin material.