Tuning a bandsaw

[Michael Reilly]

I have a nearly new Rikon 18" bandsaw that I've used for general cuts here and there, but I now want to tune it for optimal cutting, primarily for resawing. I watched a video and I've read online but I'm not sure what I'm seeing is the same.

I installed a 1/4" blade and found that it wanted to ride the tires in a different spot on the top vs bottom wheel. If I put a square on the side of the blade, it is square, but if I put it behind, it was clearly tilted. Adjusting the tracking knob would move its position on the top tire but wouldn't get it completely vertical. Is this normal? I need to cut a piece of wood with a notch so I can check square of the two wheels relative to each other, the cabinet prevents a simple straightedge from contacting both wheels. But if it's off, it's not clear how I would adjust it. The bottom wheel appears to have 3 bolts pressing in on the shaft from different directions.

Although I set the tension using the saw's gauge, the blade seemed to be under very little tension. It cut fairly well though. I was trying to do what I saw in the video where they drew a line down a piece of wood and then cut on the line. They stopped part way through the piece and stopped the saw. The angle the wood was at is the angle that gets you a straight cut. In the video, they were able to adjust their fence to this angle and cut straight cuts. While the fence is adjustable, I wasn't able to adjust it that far. I was trying repeatedly when I tried to back up within a cut and apparently pulled the blade off the wheel and/or caused the blade to contact the table edge. All I know is the blade ended up off the wheels with a series of zigzag bends in it. It wasn't broken, and I was able to smooth it out and put it back on, but not surprisingly, it doesn't cut as well as it used to. Before I invest in a new blade, I'm wondering if someone can tell me what happened. Was the blade under too little tension? Was it not tracking in the right place? I think I had it front of center on the tire as I thought that's what the video had instructed, though I need to re-watch and take notes this time.

Also, while reading tonight, I found this page:
http://www.suffolkmachinery.com/six-...of-sawing.html

It gives a tensioning process. Is that valid for any blade? It looks like I may need to change the saw speed to the faster setting for tensioning, but I assume not for cutting (wood)? The manual that came with the machine is surprisingly sparse. Here's how to change speed, but no info on when you would want to. Very little on installing new blades.

That page also suggests lubricating blades even while cutting wood. Is this a common practice?

[glenn bradley]

Bandsaw tuning discussions invoke as many opinions as there are woodworkers. One guru mentioned that he didn't bother setting wheels coplaner and folks jumped all over it. Another will use a special gauge to set tension while still others don't. All I can do is state what I do and how it works for me. This doesn't make it "right" and I think many versions are correct.

I use steel blades from Suffolk, Highland Woodworking's Woodslicer and others. My world would change if I pony up for a carbide blade which I probably will somewhere along the line. I can change from a 1/4" blade to a 3/4" blade and in between generally without having to fuss with anything except the guides and the tension. I took the time to get my wheels coplaner and can't remember the last time I adjusted tracking. Blade "drift" is a myth to me as I just set the saw to cut straight and don't bother with all the 'compensation' methods I see mentioned.

I use the flutter method described in the link you show to set tension. I wish I could find the video where the guy is slicing very tall veneer with his guides backed clear off after using this method. This video is more of just of an interesting 'watch' than a prescribed method of working. The guy is just making a point about adjusting your saw to cut true as opposed to forcing it to do so through aggressive, large surface guides and all that.

A blade change for me goes something like this:
- Release tension
- Pull throat plate
- Back off guides (mine are roller-bearings BTW. Speaking of which, keep them clean and check them during blade changes. Replace as required.)
- Pull table pin
- Remove doors (my saw has its spine against the wall and this just makes it easier)
- Put on gloves
- Slide blade out through table slot making sure to catch it on my pants or shirt
- Slide new blade into place
- Apply tension
- Turn top wheel in reverse by hand to position the blade on the wheels
- Put on the doors
- Fire up the saw and use the flutter method to set tension
- Position guides
- Replace table pin and throat plate
- Move on

It sounds like a lot when I list it as bullets but, actually takes very little time and I do not hesitate to change blades for one purpose or another. I do find it a blessing to have a little 10" saw that I picked up at a garage sale for quick, short or curvy cuts versus changing blades for one or two cuts.

I have my fence cursor aligned for my favorite resaw blade as I use the fence tape when resawing. To compensate for the change in kerf on various other blades I just keep a 6" steel rule by the saw and measure with that when not resawing. I have been known to touch a little chunk of Gulf Wax that I keep nearby to the blade when doing a lot of resawing in one session.

As you have discovered, shut down your saw and wait for it to stop before backing out of a cut. If I damage a blade I tag it as a "thrasher" and put on a new blade. The frustration of trying to squeeze decent performance out of a damaged cutter is a waste of time for me and my shop time is precious. You'll need to rip some 2x4's or something sooner or later and a questionable blade is just the thing for that.

So there you have it and as my uncle used to say; "that's one fool's opinion".

[Grant Wilkinson]

I don't know if you have watched the Youtube video by the Carter rep, but if not, that one may help you. It changed my way of setting up my BS and I've found that his method works well for me. You can find it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU

[Phil Barrett]

I'm no expert but the Alex Snodgrass video (aka, the carter rep) is a real eye opener for how to deal with a band saw. I know that some disagree with his approach but I used it and found it totally upped my bandsaw game. I suspect some people don't like his highly confident, no nonsense approach. But anyway he doesn't bother with tensioning gauges (1/8" deviation when tapped with a finger) and don't worry about the wheels not being coplaner. My BS wheels aren't coplaner and I was dreading dealing with it. He really does demystify the BS. Following his approach, I was able to resaw down to 1/8" pretty cleanly with my cheapo import 14" BS.

[Brian Tax]

I totally agree, I have read several band saw books, and I learned more in that video on how to tune the BS, than any of the books. He makes it seem so much easier.

[Erik Christensen]

of all the things i have tried to make my 19" BS work better - from dedicated books, tips from message boards like this, internet videos, tuning, tweaking, etc etc - the thing that made the huge jump in quality and dependability was forking over the $$ for a carbide blade

[Joe Spear]

I don't know if you have watched the Youtube video by the Carter rep, but if not, that one may help you. It changed my way of setting up my BS and I've found that his method works well for me. You can find it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU

Same for me. After I saw that video, the next day I spent a couple hours with my Rikon 325. It works so much better now.

[Gus Dundon]

I was not familiar with band saw until I bumped into his video and blade tracking made him really easy.

[Myk Rian]

I installed a 1/4" blade and found that it wanted to ride the tires in a different spot on the top vs bottom wheel.

That is normal. Center it on the top wheel, and use it.

[fRED mCnEILL]

Ive had a General nmetal cutting bandsaw for 40 years. This spring I took a woodworking course where I learned where to get a good resaw blade for 1/2 the price of a Woodslicer. That was step #1. Then I watched the Snodgrass video and spent less time setting up my saw that watching the video.That was step #2. Now I have a bandsaw that will resaw with the best of them. The secret is having the blade gullet run in the center of the top wheel.All the other adjustment just support that.

[John Donhowe]

I learned where to get a good resaw blade for 1/2 the price of a Woodslicer

Care to share your knowledge?

[Michael Reilly]

Thanks for the suggestion of the youtube video, it helped greatly! Luckily I watched it before I tried to adjust my wheels to be co-planar. I followed the steps he recommended and am getting good results with a moderately priced blade. Eventually, I will upgrade to a better one, but so far, so good!

[Ken Massingale]

I'm not fRED, but woodcraftbands has equal or better resaw blades than the Woodslicer for half or less $$$.

Ken

(They are not associated with Woodcraft)

[David Helm]

The Snodgrass video changed my life. . . And it only took ten minutes to set up my saw. Incidentally, I get my blades at a local saw shop I've been using for decades. $9 for a custom steel resaw blade (5/8 inch, 3 tpi).

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Michael, I'm not sure how the the move the fence method started however it isn't the way I was taught in industry.

Can you imagine having to realign the rolling carriage on a saw mill because you changed blades?

The mitre slot on your table should be parallel to the blade.

When you change blades you can adjust the tracking on the blade to move it slightly rearward which rotates the teeth on the blade to the right, conversely tracking the blade a bit forward rotates the teeth to the left.

That's how you track the blade properly, and you don't have to re-adjust your fence or rotate your table so the mitre gauge still works.

It is possible to get a duff blade, don't be afraid to toss them out, they're consumable.

I spent a few hours last Friday at Felder Ontario setting up an FB510 that I'm going to use for a band saw seminar next Saturday.

It cuts very well, I made some bridle joints with it that fit perfectly, and are perfectly square. That's the normal accuracy for a band saw, it should be accurate enough to make perfect tenons, veneer etc.

The photographs below show bridle joint components made with the rip fence and mitre gauge on the band saw. The pieces are straight off the saw except for the socket where I had to pare the bottom, the sides are untouched.

Keep at it, you'll get there............Rod.

Tenon.jpgSocket.jpgEnd View.jpgSide View.jpg