Resaw redeux.

[Kent E. Matthew]

A couple of weeks ago I posted about problems with resawing on a 14 inch saw at work. Since I broke the blade I was using (a bosch 4tpi cheapy from Lowes) I placed the metal blade back on. I really didn't change anything. I noticed today that the blade was completely behind the guide blocks. No wonder I couldn't control anything. I am motivated to try again upon this discovery. I am going to buy one of the blades recommended here, and set the saw on its highest speed. My question is how do you properly set up the blade in relation to the guide blocks?

How close to the blade?

Do you set them up with the teeth of the blade ahead of the guide blocks?

[Neil Brooks]

I'll start by recommending "The Band Saw Handbook," by Mark Duginske.

That said ... a few thousandths (think: thickness of a dollar bill, or a dollar bill, folded in half) from each of the guide bearings AND from the thrust bearings.

I like the bearings to be slightly behind the gullets.

Slightly.

[Bryan Morgan]

Search for "bandsaw setup" on youtube. TONS of great info there...

[Jim Rimmer]

I'll start by recommending "The Band Saw Handbook," by Mark Duginske.

That said ... a few thousandths (think: thickness of a dollar bill, or a dollar bill, folded in half) from each of the guide bearings AND from the thrust bearings.

I like the bearings to be slightly behind the gullets.

Slightly.
+1 on the book. And the bearing settings. The book goes into a lot more detail as to how and why, but Neil got it in a nutshell.

[Van Huskey]

Are they guide BLOCKS or BEARINGS on the sides?

[Bill Huber]

Without going thought the whole band saw set up here is the way I put my blades on.

Unplug the saw

Back the back bearing up so it can not come close to the blade, both top and bottom.

Back out the blocks so they do not touch the blade, top and bottom.

Put the blade on and turn the upper wheel by hand as I set the tension on the blade

With the tension set I now track it to the center of the crown on the upper wheel.

Turn the saw on and make sure the blade tracks in the center, turn the saw off and unplug the saw again

Now I adjust the blocks forward until they are just behind the teeth gullet, both top and bottom.

With some plan paper wrapped around the blade I set the blocks, making sure I do not push the blade one way or the other, both top and bottom.

Now with a strip of plan paper behind the blade I bring the back bearing up until I just touch the paper without moving the blade, both top and bottom.

Plug in the saw and test it to make sure it is running true.

That is about it for me.

[Kent E. Matthew]

Are they guide BLOCKS or BEARINGS on the sides?

A bearing supports the back of the blade. Two guide blocks support both sides of the blade.

[Van Huskey]

A bearing supports the back of the blade. Two guide blocks support both sides of the blade.

With blocks keep the block leading edge (closest to you as you face the cutting part of the blade) right at back of the blade gullet. The blocks should be about .004" away from the blade (1 thickness of US paper money), the blade should be about .015 behind the blade (~4 thicknesses of US paper money, just fold it twice).