Thread: So, where should the blade REALLY run on the top wheel?

Originally Posted by Andy Mac

The manual has some dodgy illustrations, but the point is clear, the factory recommends the teeth of the blade protrude or overhang the front of the wheel by 3mm. And that a 1mm gap is maintained between the rear guide and the blade.

I think that this bandsaw is designed (originally) to have flat tyres on flat wheels. Notice also that these wheels are not (it seems) co-planar.

I have a 36" bandsaw (from the 40s), and the tyres are flat if not even slightly dished.

I have just looked at it and - I hadn't looked at it this way before - the 1" blade runs from bottom centre to top front. There are videos and photos of it running in the forum and online, but I haven't had a chance to play with it for quite a while.

I also believe that running contact with the thrust bearing is normal.
Maybe something about a non-crowned wheel was allowing excess contact, or the material of the bearing wasn't ideal?

Re resaw bandsaws ... the blades are I think 200-300mm wide so I'm guessing the crown? and/or friction are enough. I think I have seen bandsaw mills with double-teeth blades so that they can cut the log on the return pass also.

Cheers,
Paul

Forgot the photos.

Looks like a beast, Paul. 36". That's what I want next.

Snodgrass' point, when he said that the wheels of a bandsaw should not be co-planar, was that the blade tracks between two crowns, rather than riding centred on two crowns, giving better tracking control.
Interesting, considering how many things I've seen related to totally eliminating co-planar misalignment for best performance.

Good to see you got it all sorted Hermit

Cheers
Rumnut

Originally Posted by tdrumnut

Good to see you got it all sorted Hermit

Cheers
Rumnut

Thanks, mate. I'm happy now.

And when I started this thread, I had no idea that it was the answer to my problem as well.
I started it for academic reasons.

Originally Posted by Hermit

I started it for academic reasons.

always a good endeavor.

I spent a while dismantling and reassembling the guides on my 14" Jet bandsaw today. I decided to try the Snodgrass method. I'm happy with the results, and think the saw is producing a better, more accurate cut when set up this way. Count me in as another convert.

ajw

Originally Posted by ajw

I spent a while dismantling and reassembling the guides on my 14" Jet bandsaw today. I decided to try the Snodgrass method. I'm happy with the results, and think the saw is producing a better, more accurate cut when set up this way. Count me in as another convert.

ajw

I'm beginning to lose count, but you're the 4th or 5th to try this and find it works better, counting myself.
I'm sort of surprised, but not surprised at the same time. He did sound confident and sure of himself in the video.
From now on, I'll listen carefully to anything Alex Snodgrass has to say about bandsaws.
Mine is still doing well. I got one of the harder, (for me as a beginner), cuts done OK yesterday - splitting a piece of 5/8" into 3 x 1/8", (after sanding).

HI All,

I am building a mail box for some friends, and I have an old piece of aluminum for the roof ,this requires some timber to be cut on an acquit angle .

I could not set the table to the angle , so used a piece of timber and the fence to set the angle , .

The saw is set up as per the video, and the cut was 450mm long and dead straight.

I had 2 to make so reversed the timber and cut the second angle , then 1 cut straight down the middle .

No waffles or wander, very happy.

Jeff
vk4

Further to my last, I had occasion to cut some feet for a desk I am building , the laeg are 70x35 pine , and I have made 4 small sections to attach across the bottom rail at right angles ,( stability).

I have cut a radius vertically on the 70m side, the cut remained vertical the whole way around the cut , on all 8 cuts.

The Band saw uses hobbyist blades 0.15" thick which used to flex every which way ,

with it running with the tooth gullet on the crown of the tyre, this saw has never cut so straight .

Jeff
vk4

Originally Posted by vk4

Further to my last, I had occasion to cut some feet for a desk I am building , the laeg are 70x35 pine , and I have made 4 small sections to attach across the bottom rail at right angles ,( stability).

I have cut a radius vertically on the 70m side, the cut remained vertical the whole way around the cut , on all 8 cuts.

The Band saw uses hobbyist blades 0.15" thick which used to flex every which way ,

with it running with the tooth gullet on the crown of the tyre, this saw has never cut so straight .

Jeff
vk4

Another happy customer.
Mine's behaving itself and going where I point it too.
Even if this does wear out rubber tyres a bit faster, it's worth it for the reduction in drift and increased stability.

Mine is cutting better too. I never thought of taking off the table before. It certainly makes it easier.

Originally Posted by Pagie

Mine is cutting better too. I never thought of taking off the table before. It certainly makes it easier.

You're not wrong. I can barely adjust mine at all with the table on, but when it's off - it's easy.
Mine takes a while to take off, though, so I compromise and just tilt the table to 45°.

To add to whats already been posted I found this neat little video it shows we are not the only nation on earth with the problems. I do like the table adjustment he makes wish mine was that easy.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAFMEg0Hmv0&feature=related]Bandsaw drift KERV[/ame]