Keep or remove riser block

[Rick Peek]

I have a 14" Ridgid band saw with a riser block. I have struggled with trying to use this as an
all around saw...with not great results. I finally pulled the trigger on a new griz G0513X2F. I
decided to keep my Ridgid saw and install a smaller blade for curve work. Do you see any reason
to remove the riser block? Will removing it do anything to increase blade stability.

[Bill Bulloch]

I have a Delta 14" with riser blocks that I use exclusively for curved work and I have never seen a need to remove the riser blocks. I do, however, have the Carter Stabilizer Guides on it and they do the job of stabilizing.

[Mike Cutler]

I'm not familiar with the rigid, but if all is correct with the saw in general, it is the distance between the guides that accounts for blade stability at the cut.
If you can correctly adjust your guides, I don't see any reason to take the riser off.

[Dennis Ford]

disclaimer: I don't own a similar saw. I think it would be easier to maintain blade tracking with the block removed. Probably only a marginal difference, might not be worth the trouble. I agree with Mike that when everything else is right the distance between guides controls the blade stability. Keeping "everything else" right is the key, perhaps that is why you bought a bigger machine?

[Jim Becker]

If you don't need the height, then removing the riser will make for a slightly more stable machine and your blade cost may be lower. I'm considering the same with an old HF bandsaw I have in storage. (a friend moved across the country and I took it in, either to restore and sell, or restore and use for "little" work)

[lowell holmes]

I have a 14" Jet with riser block and Carter guides. It is a non issue. Blade flutter is easy to control.

[Bill Orbine]

Part of that decision depends on the upper blade guide. Does this blade guide adjust close enough to the work piece with the riser block? If not, perhaps taking the riser out can help that.

[John TenEyck]

I have a Delta 14" with riser, as does my friend, both with stock guides. Neither of us has any trouble with blade stability. It's a non issue on a properly set up saw. And even though I have another saw with 16" resaw capacity, I still use the Delta for lots of work with thick stock where I don't want to risk the $150+ carbide blade on that saw, and for curved work.

John

[John K Jordan]

Do you see any reason
to remove the riser block? Will removing it do anything to increase blade stability.

My experience is a riser block on a Delta 14" had no downsides other than the small extra cost for the longer blades. There was no change in the blade stability. Much of the time I used it with the guides lowered but also processed a lot of green wood into turning blanks with the guides move all the way up. I use an 18" Rikon now but when I finally move the Delta into my new shop (for smaller work) I'll keep the riser block in case I ever need the capacity.

Note that if you remove the riser block you will probably need some of the parts that came off the lathe when the riser kit was installed.

JKJ

[Rick Peek]

Thanks for all the replies, I'm glad that the basic consensus is to leave the riser block. i don't mind the few extra
bucks for longer blades and think the extra space makes the visual on the work piece a little better.

[Chris Hachet]

I would remove it just because I like the aesthetics of 14 inch saws better without the riser block...but if visibility is better with it...keep it...