Bandsaw guides setup

[Juan Rivera]

:confused: Good evening friends,

I've been reading quite a bit about bandsaws ( technical, setup , capabilities, etc...) and I've hit a bump when it comes to guide setup. In the book that I have it suggest that the guides should be set at .003" off the blade or by placing a piece of paper (or dollar bill) in between the guide bearing (european style) and the blade. Now if I do this one side at time the guides will end up .0015" away from the blade. Isn't this distance to close to the blade?

In order for the blade to be .003" from each guide I would have to place two dollar bills simultaneously ( one on each side). Is this the correct procedure?

Thanks

[Mark Singer]

I tension the blade, then bring the guides in contact and behind the gullets. Then back thef of a bit until the blade is just free....keep your doolars in your pocket:confused:

[Richard Wolf]

Jaun, you are to fold the dollar bill around the blade so that half is on each side. This method should give you the .003" clearence.

Richard

[Cecil Arnold]

Mark's right, or you could just fold the dollar.

[Bruce Overholt]

Please send your dollars to me. In return, I will send you my Guide Block Adjustment Kit, which includes two thin strips of Ink Jet Paper.

Bruce

[Charlie Plesums]

Careful... copy paper is about .004 inches thick, while dollar bills are heavier paper, about .006 inches thick. Ink Jet paper is sometimes a little better paper than copy paper, so maybe is .0045 or .005 inches thick. Which confuses me when people think they can use the dollar bill to measure .003 inches clearance between the blade and the guides. They way I was taught to set my roller guides is that the side guides, set just behind the gullet, should normally not turn when the blade is running free, but should be nervous (they will wiggle a little as the imperfect blade goes by). The bearing behind the blade should be close to the blade but should only turn when cutting.