Replies

1. 
   forestgirl | Mar 28, 2006 07:19pm | #1

   I'm not an expert, but since nobody has replied I'll make a few suggestions.  First, though, what brand of blade are you using?

   Bandsaw blades don't shear the wood nicely the way tablesaw blades do, so it's normal to get a certain amount of marking on the surface of the wood.  I haven't done enough resawing or veneer work to know how much is normal.  Things to check would be (1) is the blade running in the center of the wheels?  If it's off to one side of a crowned wheel, the blade will be slightly twisted where it goes through the wood (you can guess how I know this).  (2) Are you pushing the wood through in the same direction the blade wants to take it, e.g., have you adjusted for drift?

   Drift, oh, drift.  If you use a high-quality blade on a properly tuned saw,  you will not get any drift!  But otherwise, it's likely to be there.  If you're feeding your stock a little off the line from the blade's inclination, I think the marks would be deeper than they would otherwise.

   My suggestion would be to make sure you're using a high-quality blade (on a 14" saw, Timber Wolf low-tension Swedish steel blades are fantastic) and be sure your saw is tuned properly.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   

1. 
   pcjohnd | Mar 29, 2006 03:42am | #2

   Thanks so much for your helpful response. I buy blades made by a local saw and knife genius that all the cabinetmakers and furniture craftsmen here in the SF Bay Area use, so blade quality isn't the problem. I have tuned the saw, although haven't bought expensive "cool blocks", and I don't get eny drift. The issue happens even when pushing gently using a (well-tuned) fence, so I guess I'll have to go with the solution you propose: sand the stupid cut after I make it! Ah well . . . again, thanks much!

1. 
   John_D | Mar 29, 2006 11:11pm | #5

   You can probably get this information from your saw guy, but it's important to know what sort of blade to use for different applications.  Suffolk Machinery has an interesting page that gives some recommendations; you could "translate" this to guide you on using your saw guy's blades.My goal is for my work to outlast me.  Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.

1. 
   pcjohnd | Mar 29, 2006 11:30pm | #6

   Love your slogan! Great advice too, thanks!

2. 
   BG | Mar 29, 2006 02:38pm | #3

   Pcjohnd,
   I only resaw up to 6" so I'm not sure this will help. However, the trick is to keep constant and consistent pressure on the stock as it goes through the blade.
   You can make a vertical feather board that keeps the stock up against the fense..and maintains pressure. Also, try to push stock through the blade non-stop...again, consistent pressure. I find the tooth marks to be mush less and planing and then scraping, afterwards, cleans things up quickly.

3. 
   mudman | Mar 29, 2006 07:36pm | #4

   Forrest Girl gave you good advice. I do however disagree with the statement the band saw blades dont "shear" the wood. Resaw blades generally have a more agressive hook tooth that cuts rougher, but more effecient. However what is sometimes refered to as a standard tooth blade does shear the cut and produces a much finer cut. The teeth on these blades have a triangular tooth where the under side of the tooth is parallel to the table, if that makes any sense. You will likely find that you need at least two blades and this will grow to three or four.

   There has been many articles written on the subject of band saw blades and the set up of the saw. Taunton has a GREAT no BS book about the band saw that is a must. Ultimately you will find that no matter what saw, blade, and setup combination you use jointing, planing or sanding will be necessary to clean up the tooth marks.

   Mike

1. 
   forestgirl | Mar 30, 2006 07:47pm | #8

   Hi Mudman.  I'm just saying the BS blade isn't going to shear "the same as" a table saw blade.  [Don't we wish it did!?]  Hence the need to "use jointing, planing or sanding will be necessary to clean up the tooth marks."forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

1. 
   mudman | Mar 31, 2006 02:38am | #9

   AH hah. Sorry for putting words in your mouth, and I agree completely.

   Mike

1. 
   forestgirl | Mar 31, 2006 07:35pm | #10

   "No problem" as the youngsters say. forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

4. 
   gb93433 | Mar 30, 2006 12:51am | #7

   Ther are numerous things which can cause problems. The big ones I have found are not enough tension on the blade and feeding too fast.

   Can you submit a digital picture for us to see?

   
   

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   Edited 3/29/2006 5:54 pm by gb93433

5. 
   PeteBradley | Apr 09, 2006 08:58pm | #11

   You're always going to get some marks, but I'm assuming that you're getting more than normal. One possible cause is a bent tooth. Normally you'd see this one only on one side of the cut.

   If you're getting marks on both sides, it could be a worn blade, or it could be that the blade is vibrating or chattering in the cut. You don't give a lot of details, but posible causes include insufficient tension for the band that you're using, too much clearance between the guides and the band, or an overaggressive tooth configuration for your setup.

   There's a natural tendency to buy the widest band your machine will take. My experience is that this can lead to problems with many machines if it puts you on the edge of what your machine can effectively tension and run.

   Pete

1. 
   pcjohnd | Apr 10, 2006 12:58am | #12

   Thanks, Pete. I'm beginning to think the marks I'm experiencing fall into the "normal" category . . . and that's why I have these nice sanders . . . <g>