bandsaw problem

[Frank Fusco]

I'm experiencing my first discouragement with my Grizzly G0555 although I don't think the problem is with the machine. I just put on a brand-new Timberwolf 3/8"X4tpi blade and began cutting some 3/4" thick red cedar (very soft stuff). The blade bowed (wandered?) out away from the fence and after a few inches bound the wood to where it would stop the blade. I'm sure my tension is OK, in fact I cranked it down probably beyond what is reccomended . I plan on calling Suffolk machinery later today but thought I would ask the experts here. Wathoppen?

[tod evans]

frank, my first impression is that either the guides are adjusted to loose or tension is to loose, or possibly the guides are to far from the work? .02 tod

[Mac McAtee]

Possibly pushing too hard on the wood? Possibly the set on the blade is not up to specs and that makes the blade cut off to one side more than normal?

All bandsaw blades do not cut parallel to the fence. All bandsaw blades will cut off to one side or the other. Usually you put a similar piece of wood on the saw, say 18" long. Scribe a straight line down the middle and cut freehand right down the line, split the line. Half way through the board stop the cut, don't move the board from the place it was when cutting. Stop the saw without moving the board. The angle of the board to the table is how far off of right angles to the table the blade is cutting. Draw a line on the table with a pencil that you can see. Then set your fence parallel to that line. The fence is then set for the drift of the blade you have on the saw at the time.

Each blade is different, so if you change blades you do the same procedure for the new blade.

[Scott Steeves]

Is the fence adjusted for drift, or did you adjust the tracking to remove the blade drift? You may just be running into blade drift issues

Are the upper guides barely above the piece? If they're as low as possible the blade shouldn't be able to noticably bow in 3/4" stock. Wandering due to blade drift is more likely, I'd think.

[Charlie Plesums]

... I'm sure my tension is OK, in fact I cranked it down probably beyond what is reccomended . ...

Timberwolf blades like much lower tension than most blades, but if the saw is set up right, it does sound like you are way too low on the blade tension. Also, the G0555 has two speeds, be sure you are on the fast speed.

Try plucking the stopped but tensioned blade on the left side (away from the guides)...just below the upper wheel. You should get a musical note somewhere above mid scale... perhaps one that you could sing, not a thud or screech.

[Allen Bookout]

Frank,

I am on my first bandsaw and when I got it I found a video at the library that is very good. It can save a guy a lot of headachs and time. Bandsaw problems are so hard to diagnosis on line and the description of the solution is even more difficult. If you are interested the title is: "Mastering Your Bandsaw. with Mark Duginske. An expert helps you get optimum performance from your bandsaw."

If it is not at your library a quick Google search will turn up several places to purchase it. I did end up getting one due to the amount of information included and I think that it is well worth the money. I also have a book by the same author, "Bandsaw Handbook" that is good.

Good Luck! Allen

[Frank Fusco]

The owners manual that came with the bandsaw calls the effect 'lead'. I rechecked the guides and found the lower was badly out of adjustment. Brought upper closer to work, adjusted lower and tried a couple cuts, seems OK. Will know better with more work. I had set this machine up four years ago and just used without problems until now. Found several things loose, one guide fell out. All seems better now. Thanks for help.

[Bart Leetch]

Something I've found is as the blade warms up you need to add more tension to compensate for it expanding.