cmbp Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 I've been playing with a 12" bandsaw I picked up on Craigslist the other day. So, to get ready for some resawing, I tried figuring out the drift angle as I keep hearing I should do. As I work through a piece, however, I find I need to shift the board both left and right of center as I feed it in order to get anything close to a straight cut. The blade is a 3 tpi resawing blade, and I've used all sorts of thickness from 1/2" up to 6.5" as test wood. What could a wandering drift angle mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMarcel Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 I had that problem once on my bandsaw with a blade that never had the problem before. It turned out my blade tension was lower. Why it was lower, I don't know, but I cranked it back to where it is supposed to be. Give that a look. Also verify the blade is tracking in the middle of the wheels. Likely you've already checked both of those, though. hmmm.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
went_postal Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 I had that problem once on my bandsaw with a blade that never had the problem before. It turned out my blade tension was lower. Why it was lower, I don't know, but I cranked it back to where it is supposed to be. Give that a look. Also verify the blade is tracking in the middle of the wheels. Likely you've already checked both of those, though. hmmm.... Do you have one of those nifty detensioners? I have to loosen my blade up by rotating the screw for the tension after use. I try to do it 10 turns so I don't have to tune for tension every time... but that doesn't always work great. For the OP... what method are you using to set your tension? I have seen half a dozen or so methods that people use. I have always followed this and have had good luck: http://www.suffolkmachinery.com/six_rules.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Chris, I use the low tension method for my BS and don't even mess with drift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmbp Posted October 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Thanks fellas. I have the tension up past the 1/2" mark on the built in gauge, but will play with it and let you know how it goes. Thanks for the link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
went_postal Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Thanks fellas. I have the tension up past the 1/2" mark on the built in gauge, but will play with it and let you know how it goes. Thanks for the link. I have been lucky that my timber wolf blades let me set pretty dang close to the saw's gauge but the flutter method seems to tweak it just right for me. As for setting up for drift... I take a piece of scrap wood and draw a parallel line from an edge. Cut on that line without the fence and halfway through stop the motor. Then I draw a line along the edge of the wood onto the saw table. Then I just have to adjust my kreg fence to that line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMarcel Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Do you have one of those nifty detensioners? I have to loosen my blade up by rotating the screw for the tension after use. I try to do it 10 turns so I don't have to tune for tension every time... but that doesn't always work great. For the OP... what method are you using to set your tension? I have seen half a dozen or so methods that people use. I have always followed this and have had good luck: http://www.suffolkma...m/six_rules.asp Well, the Rikon 14" bandsaw has a detensioning lever. I used to use it. Now I don't. It was the only time it happened so I'm blaming gremlins who were mad I was out of Coronas (bandsaw is by the fridge). I actually want to look at tuning again as resawing some tray fronts over the weekend showed a lot more drift than I had set for previously. I just followed the center line anyway, but for anything more significant, I'd want the fence to compensate for drift for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Trace Posted October 15, 2010 Report Share Posted October 15, 2010 After replacing the tires on my bandsaw, I found the biggest diffrences in cureing drift were to use good nylon guides, properly set, and a wider blade with the proper tension. That worked for me. I use a 4tpi blade 1" wide, from a place that makes blades to the customers required length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domer Posted October 15, 2010 Report Share Posted October 15, 2010 I bought the Carter bandsaw tune up DVD. They say you should have the teeth centered on the upper wheel. That has helped my resawing quite a bit. Domer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie83 Posted October 15, 2010 Report Share Posted October 15, 2010 I bought the Carter bandsaw tune up DVD. They say you should have the teeth centered on the upper wheel. That has helped my resawing quite a bit. Domer The teeth or the blade centered? I thought the point of a crowned tire (or tyre, if you prefer) was too keep the teeth off the tire. ObTeethJoke: (courtesy of my friend from Fulton County, NY) - Q: How do you know that the tooth brush was invented in Fulton County? A: If it was invented anywhere else, it would be called a teeth brush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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