Thread: Hoping for some help

Are you using a rip fence?

Originally Posted by Wild Dingo

Okay so I have taken the thing apart and put it back together Ive checked the flamin tensioner thing Ive checked the tracking Ive checked every flamin thing I can think of... and still it cuts wonky

Blade wanders to the left... EVERY FRIGGIN TIME!! no matter high thick the peice is what its made of or anything else start the cut away it goes... TO THE LEFT!! (toward the post)

So where was the blade sitting on the top wheel? Centre? To a limited degree, you can adjust the drift by tracking the blade toward the front or the back of the tyre (just can't remember which side moves drift which way?)

OR

You should be able to rotate the table on it's mount. Check out the bolts/screw arrangement that holds the table base to the body - should be adjustable.

I'm not an expert, but I understand that bandsaws usually do track off square when ripping.

Mark Duginske (US bandsaw guru who authors books and videos on bandsaws) says you start the cut - not using a ripping fence. Then once the angle of the tracking has been established - without moving the wood - you snug the rip fence up against the angled timber and lock it in place.

You obviously need to use a rip fence that can be angled. Duginske uses paper shims in behind a timber shop-make fence.

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by Wild Dingo

Blade wanders to the left... EVERY FRIGGIN TIME!! no matter high thick the peice is what its made of or anything else start the cut away it goes... TO THE LEFT!! (toward the post)

The only thing I havent yet done is to take the blade it came with off and put in anothery... cause its my stupid dumb belief that the blade it came with SHOULD BE good enough to cut friggin straight!... I mean its sharp enough cuts like butter just likes to wander

Swap the blade, mate, that's the next likeliest thing on the list, after checking the guides, tracking and tension. Even though it's sharp doesn't mean that the teeth were set properly... if one side has more set than the other, it'll always cut wonky. And always in the same direction, just like you describe!

Best if you can swap it for a blade bought seperately, a good, well-known brand. 'Cos if you swap it for a spare that was thrown in to sweeten the deal when you bought the machine, odds are it's the same brand and probably has the same problem.

If you use a blade that is known to be good and it still cuts wonky, well.. good luck in sorting it!

Reckon Skew has it. Get a blade from a specialist blade shop.

Some blades take a more savage cut on one side because of the way the teeth are cut. If this is the case, you may be able to reduce the problem by rubbing the side of the blade with an oilstone.

Bandsaws shouldn't cut off line, despite opinions to the contrary. It is almost always possible to adjust the ripping angle so it is parallel to the fenmce by adjusting the tilt of the top wheel so the blade runs on the crowns.

Or scroll down the forum a bit for this thread.

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=41911

The FWW article referenced is a top one, and available on line for subscribers.

Tex