Thread: Bandsaw table height

Hi Big Shed,

My Felder bandsaw has a table saw height of 890mm and I have always considered it too low...

...but then again it also depends on what you are doing. I suspect the larger bandsaws have a lower table because the predominate use is resawing of larger timbers. These are easier to handle at about waist height. Then again, if the predominate use of your bandsaw is cutting cabriole legs then you will want a higher working height so you can manipulate smaller timbers carefully.

I solve the problem by using a stool when doing the smaller stuff -- that way I don't have to bend down over my "low" bandsaw table. Then, with the big stuff, I remove the stool, stand back, and let the big sucker do its thing...

Hope that helps ... ... somehow...

I asked the same question a while back. Good reply here.

Tex

while I don't disagree with Groggy about working heights for wood work, I do disagree with the idea of using power (force) to feed wood through a bandsaw blade. Most bandsaw blades have a positive rake which has the effect of drawing the wood into the cut. Also any force against the blade will distort and deflect what is a fairly flexible section and/or push the back of the blade back against the rear guide. I have seen more than one rear bearing scored by the back of the blade riding against itI use blades from half inch down to one eighth and do a fair amount of resawing to thin sections and have found it best to let the blade determine the rate of feed. As an outfeed table I have made my router table the same height as the bandsaw table so each can act as an outfeed to the other. I find the height helps me to sight the cutting action of each of the machines without too much bending. Hope I haven't misunderstood Groggy needing th table at a force height

jerryc

Also any force against the blade will ... push the back of the blade back against the rear guide.

Isn't that the point of the rear guide?

Depending on what I'm cutting, I find sometimes I have to use a bit of force to get things moving. Sometimes it cuts like butter, but others, especially when resawing an 8" board, I find I need to push fairly firmly at times. I imagine this could be a question of technique or machine adjustment. It's cutting pretty well, but I find that with some of the very dense wood I've been working with lately, it just wont cut unless I shove it through.

SilentC, this thread could easily be deflected into a discussion on the function of guides. The main thrust of my argument was that the height of the bandsaw table is more conditioned by the need to follow the sight line of the cut than it is to apply grunt to the wood. My table is 1070 mm high with the 12mm wood table attached and suits my working height. I am 6ft 1" on the old scale. The need to sight the cutting action is why I made my router table the same height. Look at a sewing machine operator and see where their sight line is.
I use a variety of blades for various purposes, they are cheap enough.

As to the function of the back guide, I treat it as a guide and not as a steel backstop to the blade. My comment was that I"ve seen too many back guides badly scored by over enthusiastic "helping" the wood through the blade. If the wood needs grunt to help it through I would look at replacing a blunt blade.

The photos attached are of a seventy year old stump taken from under the house for fire wood. Believe me it was incredibly hard, but as I hope you can see the wood cut was polished even though I was using an old blade discarded from normal wood work.

Jerryc

Originally Posted by jerryc

while I don't disagree with Groggy about working heights for wood work, I do disagree with the idea of using power (force) to feed wood through a bandsaw blade. ....snip... Hope I haven't misunderstood Groggy needing th table at a force height

jerryc

Let me clarify what I meant - If you try and move a heavy log at chest height you will have safety issues because you are in the 'precision zone' and cannot utilise a blend of strength and precision. Bandsaw table heights need to allow you to lean forward enough to utilise your weight to push the work piece smoothly and slowly into the blade under a great degree of control.

As Jerry indicates above, you should never push (force) the work into the blade (any motorised blade), the speed of cutting is determined by a number of things: blade condition, tpi, tension, sharpness, thickness of workpiece, type of wood, tendency to warp/twist, power of motor etc

Regarding the comments about the back guide roller/bearing, I prefer not to push too hard as the blade will create excessive wear on the guide and back of the blade. If you are having trouble with cutting hardwoods, next time see if the kerf is full of sawdust - if so, get a blade with fewer but bigger teeth and deeper gullets.

With deeper cuts the gullets fill up as the tooth goes through and it slows the cutting process, making you think you need to push harder, which really just forces more sawdust into already full gullets. Make sense?

Groggy I decided to remeasure the working height of the bandsaw table in a more practical way --ME. Table height is level with lowest rib or, put another way, I can just rest my elbow on the table when standing upright. Seems we are in agreement that the best height is a compromise on the variety of work the saw encompasses.

On the matter of saw blades I also agree that they have a profound imput on the work. My blade collection ranges from half inch down to one eighth and I use them all. In my early attempts at resawing I used the wrong blade and yes the gullet clearance caused problems. A chat with Henry Bros ended with me buying a 3tpi bimetallic blade which looks coarse but resaws beautifully because it clears the dust efficiently and I keep it only for resawing.

Incidently I am not the greatest computer user and am fairly new to using the forum. The thread I took your comments from was on resaw fences and there I explained how I use a different fence set up to the point system you use. It might be helpful to some to draw attention to it.

The bandsaw, in my opinion, is perhaps the most versatile machine in the workshop and often the most misunderstood.

jerryc

3tpi bimetallic blade

That's exactly what I am using, also from Henry Bros. I have no doubt that it is still quite sharp, because it does cut beautifully. But on occassion, I find that the saw bogs right down and whatever I am sawing will not move unless I give it a firm shove. I try to let the saw determine the feed rate, and sometimes it screams along quite quickly with no effort from me.

I think part of the problem is that the blade is a bit too long for the saw and I have the tensioner wound right up. The upper guides on the saw are also a bit sub-standard and deflect easily. There is an upgrade available for my saw but I haven't gotten around to buying it yet.