Hello All !!! I have a King 14″ band saw not the best on the market, and at the time I purchased it I realy wanted the 14″ jet. But at the time the dealer didn’t have one in stock, and it was a $ 100.00 or so more than the King. So you know the rest of the story.
I am building a Federal card table, and I made a jig that I could tapper the legs on the band saw, but the blade keep wondering, so I ended up making them on the table saw.
So what I would like is some help as to how to set-up the saw ( blade ) so it will not ride in the ditch all the time. I am sure some one out in woodchips and sawdust land can help me.
Thanks Jack
Replies
Hey Jac,
My first question would be, how is the BS tuned?
Can you cut a straight line and square stock with it? My experience, although somewhat brief as compared to others in here, is that a bandsaw out of the box is quite unlikely to be able to do this without tuning.
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Have you adjusted you fence for drift?
Greg
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Exo 35:30-35
Sounds like it needs a good tune up first. Most 14" bandsaws are really kits in need of a lot of help.
Is your blade sharp?
Paul
sparky,
When my blade is always wondering, I find it curious....
Bandsaws are notorious for drifting, that is wanting to lead to one side or another. A fence (board clamped to the table) can be adjusted to compensate, or the piece freehanded if utmost accuracy isn't needed. Narrower blades are more prone to not track straight, so a 1/2" blade will rip better than a 3/16" one. A sharp blade will rip at an angle better than a dull one, which will want to follow the path of least resistance, not the line. Feed rate, and/or tooth style has an effect too, for if the gullets get full of sawdust, (too fast a feed rate, or too fine teeth) the saw will choke, and behave erratically. All this after assuming that the saw itself is set up properly. Are ye schared yet, boy?
Ray
IMHO, you need to tune from the ground up, put a good (excellent) blade on and then see if the problem persists. If you don't have a band saw book, get one (Mark Duginski, Lonnie Bird are 2 authors). Use that reference to guide your tune-up: Wheel's co-planar, blade riding on the crown of the wheels (if they're crowned), etc.
The quality of the blade can make a huge difference. For 14" saws, many, many, many people have found that a TimberWolf blade by Suffolk Machinery provides the best cut. It works with lower tension than other blades, and the quality of manufacture is quite good. Look for their 1-800 phone number, call and tell them what kind of work you're doing, and they'll help you pick out the blades. Best to order 2 or 3 while you're at it. If you're in Canada, I'm not sure what your resources will be.
These blades are tensioned using the "flutter method" which is described both in their catalog and on-line. Proper tension is important in preventing or greatly reducing blade drift.
sparky , The blade is #1 , if it is worn or dull try a new one .
Correct blade tension also needs to be maintained to eliminate drift .
The clearance on both sets of blade guides and thrust bearings is also critical.
dusty
A taper like this should be one of the easiest cuts on a band saw.
Are you still using the band that came with this machine? Many low to midrange machines come with a band that is low enough quality to make life difficult. II recommend a 3/8 X 4TPI PC band from http://www.suffolkmachinery.com as a good starter.
Follow the directions for tensioning the band and experiment a little. Running alone with the guides backed off, the band should track steadily in the middle of the wheel. If you need to adjust tracking, do it while spinning the wheel by hand only. Once the band is running well, set the guides according to your manual.
Drift should be negligible on a cut like this. Make sure your fence is solid and apply light pressure to hold the work against the fence. Take some practice cuts on cheap lumber. As always, think safety, use push sticks, don't take changes.
Pete
I often wonder what my bandsaw blade is wondering too. It used to wander, but I tuned up my bandsaw and bought a new blade and that fixed that.
Chris @ flairwoodworks
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