Thread: Bandsaw Buddy

everyone uses a steel ruler and a rare earth magnet (behind the blade's gullet). Less colorful but quite effective.
Its probably even better to just do a test cut with some 1" hardwood, moving the blade until the kerf is aligned with the table/fence/machine/miter_slot or whatever you want it aligned with

Both my bandsaws are well tuned up and cut perfectly well.

I have never even considered the need for such a thing.

Looks to me like it's a solution for a problem that doesn't exist.

When engineers get bored they create problems and then solve them.

Yeah T91, I thought that would do the trick too.

A steel ruler would be great, if you could actually find one that is flat, and has some thickness to it.
Most of any suitable length are out by a lot more than a sheet of paper or two.

These bandsaw buddy's are handy for a few things.
Differing blades can be good to troubleshoot with this tool,
I will say that it got some use when I was using thin gauge blades, if you've got flat tires that need some dressing
these are finicky and trying to find a nice spot on the flat tires isn't as easy as it sounds.

If you've a need to adjust your trunnion, for whatever reason, like levelling table, or other reasons to sort
out a used machine.

Maybe their intended for small machines, with cambered tires, as they are much too short to be used as is.

So I suppose I use the thing I made, but its only because I have a machine that is a lemon.
It's not a magic bullet.

Time will tell, but it may prove its worth down the road, if I find myself needing to change from the wide blade to the narrow one and back again quickly, with my flat tired machine, that means the tracking adjustment gets more turns compared to a cambered wheeled machine.

Here's my thing that was knocked together in a few mins
It's not longer or nicely made, because I only had normal magnets

Here's another similar product.

F.A.S.T. (Fence Alignment System Tool) - YouTube

Is it worth it? That's in the eye of the beholder

Just as fishing lures are designed to catch fishermen rather than fish ...

I must be doing it all wrong I have never had use for such a device.

Count yourself lucky!
That was only the start of the jiggery for my saw, as for my use just suggested a problem,
and was an attempt to try and remedy.
Misaligned parts, worn tires combined with a broken trunnion turned out to make this a time consuming
process sped up, as thinner blades tracked very differently, requiring table adjustment.


Maybe I should get into this tool making malarkey
There's one that would make a few quid, that isn't exactly mentioned as far as I am aware of.
Most folks would never see the need because their saws has worked for them.

This tool (just a block of timber) sits on the rim of the wheel with rare earth magnets,
(I swear I made this in anodized coloured aluminium and it has sliding rare earth magnets to suit the wheel)
(C) [email protected]

It doesn't need to be clamped, as it's counter productive if adjusting, having to remove it straight away due to upper wheel
positioning, and is useful for not only getting the wheels co-planar,
and also in line with the frame, (seems obvious best policy for belt alignment)..
when tensioned with stout blade at max setting,

but also, for checking the alignment of the wheels for the east/west jacking setup.
Hence the magnetic blocks instead of the clamped block, since adjusting lower wheel affects tracking.

SAM_4584.jpgSAM_4642.jpgSAM_4632.jpg

Seen any deals on bandsaws, possibly too good to be true ?
You might be making quite a few jigs that's not out there.

Currently prototyping custom levelling blocks for plumb lines, first batch should be in production in an hour or so..
Cuz ya can't be waiting on that string to settle.
Spent an awful long (embarrassingly long) time trying to get this machine level, and failed so far.
Heard many say that a non issue, my saw is tippy on a good day, tried swapping my base end for end with no luck.
Turns out trying to level a machine like this for troubleshooting, you need have the thing in the middle of the floor.
Hopefully these blocks I make will do the trick, so I can be 100% ready for the next plumb line guidepost job, and do a better job of it the second time round.


Tom

Quote by Van Husky from "the creek"
Why bandsaws?...

" Why? I don't know it is kinda hard to explain but it has to do with the fact that they are sorta like dogs. Each has its own personality, not just every make and model but each individual saw but when you get to know them they become like an old pal. When you first adopt them they can be kind of angry and/or scared but with a little love they begin to open up and do what you ask of them."

Not sure if its doing the same as that but I made up a stick with two magnets and capped it in brass sheet as a fence as I have no fence of any sort on my medium bandsaw with 20 inch wheels. Its a good useful thing for quickly sticking it down at whatever distance off the blade for when I want to cut multiple lengths of dowel or pegs . 60 at a time may be needed for the pegs on a job . 60 x 50mm long x 7mm pegs in Oak is a common job .
I also find that fence real good for ripping long things down to width rather than following a pencil line. It ends up straighter than following a pencil line. Its just a 3/8 blade on that saw.
I can just tap it across if its not cutting parallel to the edge on the go . Its a time saver .

Hopefully these will be regarded as good buddies to have around, and get the job done.
SAM_4729.jpgSAM_4733.jpg
They may never leave the saw or be good for anything, but seem like they will work.
Certainly better than hearing that little voice mentioning it'll be easier when stooping over with a block or ruler a hundred times, and then knocking the thing

Obviously done the customary schoolboy error and didn't think about the orientation of the magnets on one of the blocks, one won't stack on top, so I have two magnets to clean if I were to bring them elsewhere.
(no difference in strength seemingly, suppose that's a given for those more knowledgable than myself)

Did I say its a heck of a lot easier even trying to level a machine with it away from the wall?