Bandsaw Advice with 3/16" blades

[Anthony Spotorno]

Currently have a Powermatic 1500 bandsaw that I use solely for thin blades, 1/4" 3/16" etc. I have a MM24 for resawing.

When running very thin blades, the roller guides are not very useful, blade jumps out continually. I have adjusted them perfectly but there is not enough surface for the rollers to be of real use.

Lately I've been creating some bandsaw boxes.

I hear a lot about ceramic guides.

Honestly, was thinking about selling the PM1500 and possibly getting something like the Felder 510 with ceramic guides.

Does anyone have any advice on a med power model (no bench tops) that will allow me to use a thin blade and make accurate cuts.

[Yonak Hawkins]

Anthony, this may have to do with tracking. I use 3/16" blades, as well, and as long as my tracking is correct and the thrust bearings are aligned accordingly, the blades don't jump out of the guides for me.

[Anthony Spotorno]

blade appears to track perfectly entered on the tire, and I do not see any drift... The roller guides just barely touch, ever so slightly spinning from the wind off of the blade. The rollers on the powermatic are pretty rounded, and I think that is part of the issue, they do not support enough of the blade to help.

[Yonak Hawkins]

What about the thrust bearings, top and bottom, and their alignment with the tracking blade and the guide bearings ?

[Edwin Santos]

Maybe the Carter Stabilizer accessory would be the solution to your problem. Alternatively, you might give Louis Iturra from Iturra Designs a call and solicit his advice.

[Bradley Gray]

I use "cool blocks" graphite blocks for my small saw with 1/8"/14 T blades when I make bandsawn boxes.

I also think the Carter Stabilizer looks interesting but have not tried it.

[Nick Decker]

I run 3/16" blades for bandsaw boxes on my 14" Rikon, no problems. Up until recently I was using the stock roller bearings, recently switched the side guides to ceramic blocks from Space Age Ceramics. The ceramic side guides seem to be working fine (quieter than the rollers), but I haven't used them a lot yet with the small blade.

Are you saying that the corners of your rollers are rounded? If so, that sounds like a recipe for having a small blade slipping out, especially on sharp curves.

[Tim Boger]

The Carter Stabilizer is made to do what your having issues with ... it's design is simple yet ingenious.

[Anthony Spotorno]

Thanks for all the idea's. I went ahead and ordered replacements from Carter and the stabilizer. I'll let everyone know how they work when they arrive.

[Jim Becker]

Late to the party, but I have a set of cool blocks for my MM16 that I bought specifically for narrow blades. Unfortunately...I actually forgot I had them until recently when I was doing some shop rearrangement. LOL 'Looking forward to hearing how the Carter stabilizer works out!

[tom lucas]

that's what I use. Works great.

Thanks for all the idea's. I went ahead and ordered replacements from Carter and the stabilizer. I'll let everyone know how they work when they arrive.