Thread: wot am i doing wrong

the OB

For bandsawn box making you are using the correct tpi blade.

There are two suggestions (1) is the bs operating at it's maximum speed? Many bs manufacturers provide a Blade Tension placard - often it is a sticky label, whether it is accurate can only be determined over time. The correct tension is in my view only established by your own experience, sorry can't help any more on that issue; and is the blade properly supported by the side and thrust bearings above and below the table?

For mine the best bs operators are those who regard the use of a bandsaw in the same way an athlete prepares for a sporting event, e.g. practice / training.

If you are looking for additional information / support Bandsaws and Blades information sites

hey OB

i found the exact same thing when i cut my first piece on the bandsaw. the first this i ran through was a piece of scrap pine and i was surprised (and a little worried) by the BS marks! when i ran a piece of hardwood through it there were fewer marks, but still more than i had expected.

i bought a new blade from Henry Bros which greatly reduced the BS marks. im new to the game too and blade tension is such a mystery. i have been snapping a few blades and cant really figure out why... im pretty sure its a tension/support issue.

the other thing i found was technique in cutting. i dont really know what im doing different now from when i started but i feel like im moving the wood a lot smoother and the cuts are a lot nicer.

now, my biggest piece of advice would have to be get rid of the pine. just find some standard hardwood and laminate it. i dont think its much more expensive than the pine but if it is just start with very simple single draw designs until you get used to moving the timber through the BS blade.