Many Bandsaw Frustrations

[Porter Bassett]

I changed my bandsaw blade for the first time today and put on a skip-tooth timberwolf blade to trim the cracked ends of some split green maple so that I could paint the ends and let it dry without having any cracks in it.

I did my best to tighten the blades according to the timberwolf instructions, and started cutting.

After a handful of pieces, the blade caught in the wood. I turned off the saw, freed the blade to discover that the blade was now bent. I tried straightening it and then using it for a bit, but it didn't feel safe, so I took it off.

Luckily, I had bought two skip-tooth blades, so I put the second one on. And what do you know it, after even few pieces this time, the blade caught again, and it's bent. Not as bad as the first time, but I still.

I'm obviously doing something wrong. I have yet another blade I could put on my saw, but I don't want to do that until I'm reasonably sure that I'll be able to saw for more than a couple of minutes. Any ideas?

Also, once I have that figured out, is there any way to straighten out band saw blades, or are those really expensive garbage now?

[Ron Dunn]

These Timberwolf instructions seem to cause more bandsaw problems than they solve.

Your tension was far too loose. Increase the tension until you get a harmonic sound when you pluck it ... not a dull "plunk", but a sound like double bass or a guitar ... don't worry about the key, just get that sound.

Everything will work much better.

[glenn bradley]

I notice only one of Suffolk's skip tooth blades is for green wood. Do you have the 3/4" 2-3? I would certainly call Suffolk. They are supposed to be very good about standing behind their product. I run the silicon steel blades tensioned as they advise. Other folk's blades I run much tighter.

[Eric Larsen]

I'm lucky enough to have a bass player who lives two doors down.... I had him drop by and help me "tune" my bandsaw. Now that I know the sound, I can dial it in every single time.


-E

PS -- Someone should record the sound of a stand-up bass e-string and archive it here. "Tighten your blade until it sounds like this (more or less) when you pluck it."

These Timberwolf instructions seem to cause more bandsaw problems than they solve.

Your tension was far too loose. Increase the tension until you get a harmonic sound when you pluck it ... not a dull "plunk", but a sound like double bass or a guitar ... don't worry about the key, just get that sound.

Everything will work much better.

[Ron Dunn]

*LOL* ... perhaps there IS something in the key ... my saw is a small Inca, and the tension I set sounds the E above middle-C.

Here's a cunning business idea ... we'll buy cheap guitar tuners, and re-label them as "pinless bandsaw tension micro-tuners" ... we'll probably find people with more money than sense prepared to pay a fortune

[Pete Bradley]

I'll second the notion that your tension might have been too low, but another very likely cause is that the workpiece isn't flat on the bottom and it's rolling during the cut. The band grabs, the motor pulls down, and the band gets a kink in it instantly...not that that's ever happened to me.
The solution is to firmly attach it to a sled or joint the bottom face.

Pete

[Burt Alcantara]

All you need is a tuning fork for the "correct" pitch. Hit it on your knee (never anything hard or sharp) then place it on the table. You'll get a good audible sound. You can also place the fork on the bone behind your ear for a louder experience.

Regarding the bends, I've experienced that with my TW blades until I began increasing the tension knob until I can't turn it anymore. For green wood you should be using the 1/2x3AS blade.

Burt

[Kurt Forbes]

you need to make a sled to secure your stock to prevent that roll. I broke too many blades to rolll before I decided to prevent any roll.
Just a additional board screwed to the side of your stock will suffice to keep it from rolling and damaging your blades.

[Bob Hampton]

I have a really easy way to cut a round log up to 6" diameter on the bandsaw that does not require u making a sled and sure beats the hec out of bending blades and having the log thrown at u ...not fun!

I use a large jorgensen wood furniture clamp.....lay the log on the bandsaw table or a bench...put the clamp endways on the log up to the first screw ...the clamp is flat on the table with the log clamped inside so it wont roll or twist ...the cut off what u want ...this works great for me..try it! easy and works great.

Bob