Cutting Circles on the Bandsaw

[fritz eng]

At what point on the bandsaw blade should I reference the radius.........the tip of tooth, the mid-point between the tip of tooth and gullet, or the gullet?

[Robert Hayward]

I use the tip of the tooth.

[Paul F Franklin]

I use the tip of the tooth.

+1. And to be more specific, the tip of a tooth set in the direction of the pivot point for the circle (the center of the circle).

[johnny means]

I draw my line from the front of the blade, but I don't think it's all that critical. What's more important is that you draw your line 90 degrees from the drift direction of your saw.

[Lee Schierer]

I draw my line from the front of the blade, but I don't think it's all that critical. What's more important is that you draw your line 90 degrees from the drift direction of your saw.

If you align your table to the blade and your fence to the miter slot, there is no drift. Once I followed the instructions in this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNdrkmx6ehI) all my drift problems disappeared. I cut a number of circles after the table alignment with no issues, the exact alignment becomes less critical in my experience.

[Wayne Cannon]

Agree with Lee. Michael Fortune explained this as part of a Woodworking Show seminar. I've never had to adjust my fence for drift since, regardless of blade or manufacturer.

My circle jig is clamped in place with the pivot aligned with the front of the blade.

[johnny means]

If you align your table to the blade and your fence to the miter slot, there is no drift. Once I followed the instructions in this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNdrkmx6ehI) all my drift problems disappeared. I cut a number of circles after the table alignment with no issues, the exact alignment becomes less critical in my experience.
I never considered drift a problem, just a natural condition of bandsaws. Your premise assumes things that aren't true of all bandsaws. My rule would apply to every bandsaw.

[Kevin Jenness]

I'm with you, Johnny. I have a Crescent 36 like the one pictured, and the guide position relative to the wheel makes it impossible to locate different width blades at the same point on the wheel. If I used the same blade width all the time as Michael Fortune does that would be a different story, as is I adjust my fence to match the drift rather than adjusting the blade location to keep the drift angle constant- no big deal. No miter gauge slot to worry about.

[Mark Hennebury]

Put it where it works.

I put a plywood or MDF sub table with a fence on the underside that, held tight against the edge of the bandsaw table, clamp it. Measure and place the pivot pin. Test it with a scrap piece , move the sub-table forward or backward until it is cutting properly, then put on the actual piece that i want to cut.



At what point on the bandsaw blade should I reference the radius.........the tip of tooth, the mid-point between the tip of tooth and gullet, or the gullet?