Secondary/auxiliary bandsaw table
fledgling_woodworker
| Posted in General Discussion on
I have a cheap 10” Craftsman bandsaw/belt sander, and I’m struggling to flatten the table. The top is relatively flat aside from the surface surrounding the throat plate, which rises (unevenly) just before the rim of the recessed hole for the plate. My question is whether to continue flattening the surface or build a secondary top and shim as needed. Any suggestions? If the secondary top is a viable solution, could you point out any plans/ideas/starting points either here on the FW site or elsewhere? Thanks!
-Fledgling Woodworker
Replies
A secondary top is a viable option if you are not planning to use the rip fence.
If it a cheap saw it probably has an aluminum table. I'd say hit it with a file and call it good....maybe call it "good enough"? I'd say flat enough to not catch stuff is flat enough for a bandsaw.
Double check that the bolt leveling the edge of the table where you install the blade has a washer on it. A bolt with a head that is not flat can cause a problem when it is locked down.
As @_MJ_ says, a secondary top is viable, and really all you need is a bit of MDF.
Unless wood is getting caught on the rise though I'd not sweat it too much. I use my fence for about 1/3 of the cuts I make so i'd miss it.
If you have an aluminium table, flattening will be easy. Steel is not too tough, but will take longer.
Flatter surfaces can be created by using a large, stiff, flat board with sandpaper glued onto it. Worked over the whole surface with light, even pressure, eventually the high spots will wear down. You can take this further if you like with a thick piece of flat steel and diamond powder, but that is really for the truly anal.
An easy alternative would be to find a local machine shop with a surface grinder. The cost will likely be small as setup time is short and tolerances don't need checking; and you will also have a cheap flat reference surface afterwards, albeit not of a quality a machinist would look at.
If you want to see how to get AA grade reference surfaces, this video from Abom79 shows the process, and you can modify this method (without the tedious measurements) to flatten pretty much anything to a standard more than good enough for woodwork, or most machining for that matter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrodNx759oo
^^ Very good advice above ^^
The only thing I would add is to remove the table and unbolt everything attached to it. Especially the trunnion brackets. Then check for flatness.
Sometimes warped brackets bolted to the underside can make a flat table into a curved one.
Mike
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