bandsaw help

[Brendan Toohey]

This is a first for me ,so here goes. I hope that someone can solve my little dilemma.
My bandsaw, although an inepensive one , I would expect to cut a straight line.
Whatever I do the blade turns and forces the cut to the left. I know the band is flexible but there is a limit.Surely it will break if I keep this up. I feel I have triple checked everything that is adjustable.I have pulled all the coverings off and observed closely.The only part that bends is that in the wood......oven in 5mm ply.( my test piece. It is as if the band has a mind of its own.
I am quite frustrated by this.
Am I just stupid.?
Is there something I am overlooking?
I'll admit to being a novice but thats all

Any help would be valued.
Brendan

[craigb]

I'm far from being an expert, but I think you'll find that it's just in the nature of bandsaws for the blade to wander a bit.

I beleive that you can reduce the amount of wander by properly tuning your machine and having a sharp blade correctly tensioned.

If you have a fence that you can angle, then it's possible to set it to the angle of the wander so that you compensate for it.

HTH a bit

Craig

[joez]

Hi Brendan,

This link shows you how to compensate for blade drift:
http://www.rd.com/americanwoodworker/articles/200008/main/page4.html

Hope it helps, you should also checkout a book called "The Bandsaw Book" by Lonnie Bird ISBN: 1561582891 if you really want to get the most from your bandsaw


Joe

[derekcohen]

Brendan

The blade should not wander in 5 mm ply. While you may have a poor blade (too much set on one side), first check that all is set up correctly.

Look at:
.... whether the blade is sitting squarely on the wheels and that the wheels are in line with one another (use a straight edge).

.... whether the blade tension is sufficient (crank it up high - it will not snap).

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Rocker]

Brendan
You could try installing guide blocks with roller bearings. I bought the $35 set from Carbatec (AB-199021) and found they made a big difference.

[AlexS]

What Derek said.
If the band isn't sitting on the crown of the wheels it will tend to run off line. Also, rack up the tension - it's not going to break.

If it's a used blade, check that there's not a build up of resin on it. You can remove it with non-caustic oven cleaner. (Take the blade off the saw first.) Depending on the blade TPI, you may be able to sharpen it with a Dremel or similar and a chainsaw sharpening bit.just a quick touch in the gullet of each toot. Don't ty to reset.

[Kevin2003]

Hi Brendan,

I know exactly how you feel. I had the same problem a while ago with a brand new saw and blades. At first I thought it was the ¾” blade that wasn’t getting enough tension or was faulty. After changing blades (and different size blades), going over and over the machine, buying “The Band saw Book” By L. Bird (worth getting), going over the machine again, I still couldn’t get a straight cut which was cutting to the left in the thinnest pieces.

The next thing to happen was a loud knocking noise appeared from the bearings in the bottom wheel. I took the f**king thing back to where I bought it from, as it was only two weeks old and I hadn’t got any use out of it. I paid a little extra and exchanged it for one of the steel frame European type machines, which cuts like a dream.

The saw that I first got was a SBW 3051 14” Cast iron Band saw, which appeared to be one of the better Taiwanese machines. Funny thing is, I gave the ¾” blade to a friend who also has one of these and he said it rips perfectly on his machine!!

I’m not to sure why this was happening but it seamed as if the tensioning of the blade was pulling the wheels out of alignment or maybe it was just one of those Friday afternoon machines.

I’m interested to know what saw you have and where you got it from?

Good luck,
Kevin