Bandsaw question

[joshua shumaker]

What would one recommend to do with a HD bandsaw? I can not get this thing to cut a straight line if my life depended on it. i have added the link belt, put it on plywood, replaced the torsion with carter, installed cool blocks, replaced with carter tires, and have a timberwolf blade? what am i doing wroong? when i try to resaw it goes all over the place and the blade is rubbing on the bearings? i feel like i should have never bought the saw. Thanks in advance for any suggestions or criticism . i have never been a real good band saw person, but this thing seems to be a piece.

[mark kosse]

Have you tried a better blade? Wander is usually a dull blade IME.

[Prashun Patel]

I have a 14" saw as well (Grizzly). What size is the blade you're using? I have found that it's hard to get a 3/4" blade tensioned properly on my machine. I have better luck with a 1/2" 4tpi for resawing.

What exactly are you trying to cut? you might just be underpowered.

Are you able to cut thinner stock (less than 2" ) with reasonable ease?

The trickiest thing to learn about the bandsaw is the tensioning. The flutter test has always done me right.

Here's something to check: hope I'm not insulting you with this; I only mention it because I almost did it last night! Are your teeth facing the right direction? Out of the package, it's possible to open the blade inside-out, so the rake faces up. The blade can and will cut 'upside down' like this, but it'll be painful...

[Stephen Edwards]

I have a 14" saw as well (Grizzly). What size is the blade you're using? I have found that it's hard to get a 3/4" blade tensioned properly on my machine. I have better luck with a 1/2" 4tpi for resawing.

What exactly are you trying to cut? you might just be underpowered.

Are you able to cut thinner stock (less than 2" ) with reasonable ease?

The trickiest thing to learn about the bandsaw is the tensioning. The flutter test has always done me right.

Here's something to check: hope I'm not insulting you with this; I only mention it because I almost did it last night! Are your teeth facing the right direction? Out of the package, it's possible to open the blade inside-out, so the rake faces up. The blade can and will cut 'upside down' like this, but it'll be painful...

I have never even thought of that possibility. You're right. That could happen.

[Jerome Hanby]

It definitely not the same machine, but I've resawed slices out of a Purple-heart bowl blank using a 1/2" Timber-wolf blade on my 11" Shopsmith bandsaw. I used the SS's miter gauge with an extension on it clamped in place for a fence. I had to use a pretty slow feed rate, but I got nice straight cuts...

[Myk Rian]

Joshua;
What TW blade are you using?
How thick is the stock?
Have you checked the wheels for being co-planer.
Is the blade in the middle of the wheels?
How are you tensioning the blade? As mentioned, use the flutter method as described on the TW blade package, or their website.

Just a few of many possible questions.

[Pete Bradley]

1. Stop buying junk add-ons
2. Take a deep breath
3. If you haven't already, order a quality band from Suffolk and put it on. I recommend a 3/8X4TPI.
4. Order Duginske's book. Skip the chapter on "beam strength", read the rest
4. Set the guides according to the book. Don't spend a lot of time on it, it's not rocket science.
5. Set the fence, rip some pieces of 2X4 or similar. Use push blocks (the orange foam-bottomed ones from Woodcraft are good, or make your own) and concentrate on holding the workpiece against the fence.
6. Try a resaw and come on back if you're still having problems you can't figure out.

I don't mean to come off as being short, but the most important factor in bandsaw performance doesn't come in a box. It's the guy (or gal) behind the machine. Get some experience, get a feel for your machine and you'll be on your way.

[joshua shumaker]

1. Stop buying junk add-ons
2. Take a deep breath
3. If you haven't already, order a quality band from Suffolk and put it on. I recommend a 3/8X4TPI.
4. Order Duginske's book. Skip the chapter on "beam strength", read the rest
4. Set the guides according to the book. Don't spend a lot of time on it, it's not rocket science.
5. Set the fence, rip some pieces of 2X4 or similar. Use push blocks (the orange foam-bottomed ones from Woodcraft are good, or make your own) and concentrate on holding the workpiece against the fence.
6. Try a resaw and come on back if you're still having problems you can't figure out.

I don't mean to come off as being short, but the most important factor in bandsaw performance doesn't come in a box. It's the guy (or gal) behind the machine. Get some experience, get a feel for your machine and you'll be on your way.


what junk add ons? Guess i asked for it when i posted this huh? i will give some of these a shot and get the book for christmas. i have a 3/4 blade for resaw and a 1/4 for general cutting. i am sure my wheels are not coplaner because when adjust the tension too much the blade starts to hit the shroud cover in the back. i just can not ever get this thing to cut straight. i can only get the bearings so far and it maxes out on thread depth too. can anyone recommend a class at woodcraft maybe? or just some good books? Thanks so much to all who have given comments, this is a great place! :)

[Stan Urbas]

OK, here are several suggestions:
- first of all, assuming your blade is new to start with, it should be sharp and make a pretty good cut. You don't have to have a top-of-the-line carbide blade in order to make a straight cut. Not with a new blade.
- As for tension, I've never found it to be a problem. I tighten the blade fairly tight, not sloppy, and that's it. It should have a little deflection.
- The blade should be centered on the wheels. You can check this by looking at it. A 3/4" wide blade will work normally - not come off the wheels - even if it is not centered. But it will be almost impossible to get a straight cut.
- Align the fence. There is a simple technique for doing this. Take a piece of 3/4" plywood like 3" x 12" (must be the same width throughout). measure in an inch along the length and draw a line on the plywood (1" in, 12" long line). Now without the fence feed the plywood into the blade and make a straight cut following your line. Cut about 6" into the wood, but always follow the line. When you get halfway down the wood, hold the plywood in place and mark a line along the edge of the plywood on your saw table. The line should be on the fence side of the blade. What you have done is make a line that is exactly aligned with your blade. Now take your band saw fence and adjust it so it rests exactly on that line (without setting the clamp). You now have your fence aligned with the blade and should get a straight cut.
- If your line is so far off that you cannot adjust your fence that far, your blade is off-center on the wheels. You need to center it and repeat the prior step.
- Last of all, when feeding your wood in you should do it easily. The motor should NEVER slow down.

[Myk Rian]

My suggestion is to get a 1/2" blade, maximum.
I use a TW 1/2" x 3tpi blade.

[Dan Mitchell]

[QUOTE=Here's something to check: hope I'm not insulting you with this; I only mention it because I almost did it last night! Are your teeth facing the right direction? Out of the package, it's possible to open the blade inside-out, so the rake faces up. The blade can and will cut 'upside down' like this, but it'll be painful...[/QUOTE]


HA! And that's possible with more than a bandsaw. Not long after I got my 1st TS about 10 years back, (Unisaw) I was cross cutting a bit of the packing to use as a leg for an outfeed table. "My god, this Delta blade's a POS!" I thought, as I shoved like mad & the smoke poured out of the kerf. Turned out I had the blade on BACKWARDS. :rolleyes:

Dan

[Paul Atkins]

Not sure what a HD bandsaw is. I assume HD to mean heavy duty - sort of a judgment call - Or does it mean Harley Davidson? OK, I didn't know Home Depot had their own brand. Maybe a picture of your setup and the results of the 'bad cut' could help here.

[Dan Mitchell]

Not sure what a HD bandsaw is. I assume HD to mean heavy duty - sort of a judgment call - Or does it mean Harley Davidson? OK, I didn't know Home Depot had their own brand. Maybe a picture of your setup and the results of the 'bad cut' could help here.


I'm wondering if he meant HF (Harbor Freight)?

[Prashun Patel]

I just assumed he meant Ridgid.

[peter night]

My suggestion is to get a 1/2" blade, maximum.
I use a TW 1/2" x 3tpi blade.


+2 on the blade size - despite what the book says; 100% of the posts I read say max 1/2" blade on a 14" saw

[Pete Bradley]

I have a 3/4 blade for resaw...
Probably too much for this saw. You'll see lots of advice to run the widest band you can for resaw, more often than not that's bad advice. Many saws can't run bands at their max width well and having the band run really well is key to good resaws. I use a 1/2" band for resaw on my 20" industrial machine.

when adjust the tension too much the blade starts to hit the shroud cover in the back.
Are you adjusting the tracking to compensate?


i can only get the bearings so far and it maxes out on thread depth too
As above, are you adjusting the band to track the center of the wheel with the guides backed off, then adjusting the guides?


can anyone recommend a class at woodcraft maybe? or just some good books? Seriously, read the Duginske book (or Bird's, you only need one), then start working with your machine. Experience is 10 times more valuable than advice.

We've all been where you are, don't sweat it.

[Jacob Mac]

Is your fence square to the table? Is your table square to your blade? Those are two easy things to overlook sometimes.

[Bruce Wrenn]

If you posted where you are located, maybe someone here is close enough to come over and help you. Sounds like you need to tune up your saw, not buy more junk. Band saws have been around for many years, before all the "aftermarket things" became available. Unfortunately there is no substitute for experience.

[David DeCristoforo]

+1,000 on the blade. I'm betting that you will find 90% of your issues disappear once you put "the right" blade on your saw. I have a really good 18" Griggio band saw with a 2hp motor and I cannot get enough tension (or power) with a 3/4" blade. I do almost all of my resawing with a 3/8" 3tpi hook tooth blade. Nothing special, just an "off the rack" blade. I can get enough tension on that width blade and probably could with a 1/2" as well. But over that, I can crank the tensioner all the way and the blade will still distort in the cut. Blade tension is probably the single most important factor when you are resawing. Better quality blades will certainly help. But if you can't get enough tension, even the best blades will not cut properly.