Straight Lines with a Band Saw

[jgfore]

Well, I have just used my new Grizzley Band Saw for it's first project. I found out really quick, that cutting a straight line with a band saw is like trying to thread a sewing machine and it running. I was sing a 3/8" blade to cut with and I thought that that would be thick enough to cut straight. Does anone have any suggestions on how to cut nice straight lines? I saw Mark use his band saw before to cut a parrell surface from a jointed surface, which I would ont use a table saw for. I would never trust a band saw to cut a pect cut like that.

My next attempt at a straight line will be with a 3/4" blade (which is the thickest one that I can use).

Again, any suggesions???

Jeff

[PaulMarcel]

If you push it through pretty hard, the blade will flex in the sense where the cutting side moves to the right (think of the blade rolling off the wheels). Make sure you have the blade tensioned for 1/4" deflection. Track the blade to the center of the wheel (center the part between the bottom of the gullets and the back of the blade). Let the blade do the work as in push pretty slowly; it is nowhere near the speed of a tablesaw... more like St Roy on (more?) caffeine.

For a 3/4" blade, you'll want to allow for a bit more flex in the blade when tensioning; counterintuitive, I know, but a long chat with Laguna just yesterday confirmed that with respect to the 3/4" Resaw King.

Lastly, is the 3/8" blade a stock blade that came with the saw or a "bargain" blade? Not that you have to spend Resaw King prices for a blade but cheaper blades aren't always consistent with their set. If the set is heavy on one side, it pulls to that side. If the set is inconsistent, you'll get a wandering blade. I have my stock blade still in a box; it wanders quite a bit. I kept it for crappy material like PVC should I ever decide I need to cut a lot of PVC

[Vic]

Well, I have just used my new Grizzley Band Saw for it's first project. I found out really quick, that cutting a straight line with a band saw is like trying to thread a sewing machine and it running. I was sing a 3/8" blade to cut with and I thought that that would be thick enough to cut straight. Does anone have any suggestions on how to cut nice straight lines? I saw Mark use his band saw before to cut a parrell surface from a jointed surface, which I would ont use a table saw for. I would never trust a band saw to cut a pect cut like that.

My next attempt at a straight line will be with a 3/4" blade (which is the thickest one that I can use).

Again, any suggesions???

Jeff

Jeff, there is a process to properly set up a BS. I use the one suggested by Michael Fortune (minimal tension). He has a DVD on set up. DJ Marks sells a DVD for high tension set up. For sure use a more appropriate blade. Can you go to at Least a 3/4", 3 TPI(teeth per inch)?

[samhell]

I read a lot of people have issues with a 3/4" blade on a 14" bandsaw. I only use up to 1/2" on mine, I don't think the spring could handle any more than that. To cut long straight lines I usually use a fence or just clamp a jointed board to the table as a make shift fence. If your bandsaw is properly setup the rest is just practice on your part. I notice cheap blades seem to "bounce" around as you are trying to cut. I've had good luck with Olson blades (I can get them locally and for reasonable cost) I also recommend The Bandsaw Book by Lonnie Bird. It will get you and your saw up to speed.

[John Anderson]

Carter offers an aftermarket tensioning spring for around $20. they claim that it virturally eliminates drift. i don't own one yet, but i read all of the reviews and no one has anything bad to say about them.

[DeanJackson]

Well, I have just used my new Grizzley Band Saw for it's first project. I found out really quick, that cutting a straight line with a band saw is like trying to thread a sewing machine and it running. I was sing a 3/8" blade to cut with and I thought that that would be thick enough to cut straight. Does anone have any suggestions on how to cut nice straight lines? I saw Mark use his band saw before to cut a parrell surface from a jointed surface, which I would ont use a table saw for. I would never trust a band saw to cut a pect cut like that.

My next attempt at a straight line will be with a 3/4" blade (which is the thickest one that I can use).

Again, any suggesions???

Jeff

Marc's video on Setting Up a Bandsaw is pretty useful here. It's a *really* quick process... once you've done it once or twice.

[Vic]

Carter offers an aftermarket tensioning spring for around $20. they claim that it virturally eliminates drift. i don't own one yet, but i read all of the reviews and no one has anything bad to say about them.

Ando, before you go and buy a new tensioner, check into Fortune's method. I can tell you it works extremely well. I get very good surfaces when resawing. When you use high tension, there is much more you have to do, including dealing with drift, that is a non-issue when using his system. I use low tension, only pushing the wood through the blade with very minimal force. This lets the blade do the work and clear the kerf.

[jgfore]

Jeff, there is a process to properly set up a BS. I use the one suggested by Michael Fortune (minimal tension). He has a DVD on set up. DJ Marks sells a DVD for high tension set up. For sure use a more appropriate blade. Can you go to at Least a 3/4", 3 TPI(teeth per inch)?

YEs, I can go as large as a 3/4" blade. I do not know what the problem is. There is so much "wiggle" in the blade that it looks like a beaver cut it. Seriously, I have purchased rough cut lumber fom the saw mill that had as smooth a surfce as this thing was cuting yesterday. It could be the tension, the blade, and most certainly there is some user error involved. I did notice that the blade pulled in evertime that I tried to push too hard, but mostly I just keep a steady and constant pressure. The cuts were much better when I was able to use a fence, but still was NO WHERE CLOSE to a table saw surface!

I will take some pictures of the surface and may be this will let everyone see wht I am doing wrong.

Jeff

[TonyV]

A couple of things.

In order to cut a truly straight line, parallel to a jointed surface, you have to use a fence & be able to set up the saw so it cuts with no drift relative to the fence. That means you have to be able to set up the saw properly & feed at a rate that does not cause the blade to deform.

The place to start is with the blade. Choose a blade with the right characteristics for the wood you're working: hardwood vs. softwood, and the thickness of the piece are the factors that matter. In general, the wider the blade, the greater the chance you have of cutting a straight line.

Next, you have to tension that blade & set up the guides. I have followed Mark Duginske's instructions for setting up my bandsaw in the past with good success. Mark believes that you should trust the tension settings on the saw's built-in tension scale. That's your starting point. I have basically always gone up one additional setting & have had tood luck.

Next, center that blade on the wheels as outlined by others. It's easier to get the tracking right if your upper wheel is close to being coplanar with the bottom wheel, though it's not absolutely required. It's just a lot easier. Next, adjust for drift. To do this, make some test cuts in some scraps. Try to follow a line drawn parallel to an edgeon the piece of scrap. You can adjust the tracking (which moves the blade forward or backward on the wheel) to adjust for drift, or you can clamp a straight piece of scrap to your table at an angle that compensates for the drift to use as a fence. I've used the tracking adjustment in the past & got good results.

Once you've got everything dialed in right, you can make 1/32" veneers all day long if you want to. Just make sure joint the stock after each slice so you've got a smooth face again & have fun.

Tony