Carter Bandsaw Guides...??

[Joe Pack]

I watched the Carter bandsaw guide whiz do his demo at the Columbus Woodworking Show last weekend. The most impressive thing I saw him do was slice an almost perfect 1/8" veneer off a walnut board, then, after knocking his fence a good 1/2" out of square, make the same cut again.

Of course, he said the reason for the excellent cut was the Carter guide system. What I don't have enough experience to know is was I watching a snake oil show, or is the Carter guide system really that much of an improvement over stock systems?:confused:

[Mark Marzluf]

I saw the same demo at the show. I did purchase the guides (for resawing, not the small guide for scroll work).

I came home and installed the guides, then grabbed a piece of 4/4 cherry that was aprox 5" wide X 8" long. Not a big cut, but a first test non the less..

I set the fence so I was cutting a 3/32" (give or take, I just eyeballed it) veneer. Cut was perfectly even other than needing a slight adjustment of the table tilt.

I don't know about knocking my fence out of alignment. I don't have any plans of testing it that way, but I must admit, my stock guides have never held the blade so well..

For the record, I have a Grizzly G0555 with riser, Iturra high tension spring, and Kregg fence.

[Bob Aquino]

Joe
I retrofitted the carter guides to an 18" delta saw about 2 years ago. In my case, the original guides were so poor that anything would have been an improvement. The new guides and conversion kit are very nice, although I dont know that if the saw has original guides that are well designed and built that you would see that much more of an improvement. Here is a link to my original posting about the saw and guides: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=13094&highlight=delta+bandsaw

[Joe Pack]

I appreciate the information. Thanks.

[Jim Becker]

Good guides definitly help with making straight, predictable cuts. But saw alignment/setup and the condition/quality of the blade make a major difference, too. Good guides help blades last longer, too. But again...they are only part of the puzzle!

[Burt Alcantara]

I've got the Grizzly 0555 with a BCSaw 3 TPI blade. No other changes. Out of the box (with the new blade) I was, and am able, to take 1/32" slices with no sweat (up to about 7" wide).

I keep thinking something is wrong with me or the saw because I dont have the problems other people have with resawing. I use the stock fence.

My guides are stock Grizzly. I find myself using this saw to do more and more chores. Wouldn't mind more throat but that's just a nice-to-have.

Once I understand guides more I may find a change useful.

Burt