Bandsaw Question

[Psamathe]

Following a moderately recent thread where some posted amazing carpentry works they'd done, I wondered if anybody could help me with a bandsaw issue.

I have no experience of bandsaws (never really used them before) but now have acquired what I believe is a moderately good quality one. I didn't really want it but it seems not easy to sell or worth much so I kept it (as only family member with adequate workshop space).

Problem: when I try and cut anything using the straight guide feed the blade almost immediately skews off and cuts an an angle and I have to stop as the blade is getting badly deflected off it's vertical path. It's got a blade maybe ½" front to back that feels pretty sharp. Only tried with hardwood (oak and iroko) over 1" thick.

I appreciate a bandsaw is not designed for cutting straight lined but this is maybe going off 15° (guess).

I've not played around with any settings as I don't know anything about bandsaws e.g. blade seems moderately tight but not tightened or slackened. Blade seems moderately sharp (to touch as well as compared to the couple of spare bldes - which are narrower). Is this a recognised problem with a straightforward solution or what should I start changing?

Many thanks

[Jdsk]

While we're waiting for the experts...

How hard are you pushing?

Check the band guides.

Please can you add a photo to show the type, and can you find a make and model number?

Jonathan

[Psamathe]

While we're waiting for the experts...

How hard are you pushing?

Check the band guides.

Please can you add a photo to show the type, and can you find a make and model number?

Jonathan

How hard are you pushing?: very difficult to judge as I have no real experience and it's hardwood coupe of inches thick? Did not strike me as a hard push and certainly taking is slow (not expecting similar cutting to a circular saw.

Check the band guides.: Guides look OK (remembering my lack of experience). Certainly not lose, no signs of wear and not allowing blade to flop around. Easy to check as they are open above the blade.

Make is "Inca"

When I say guides look OK - I really have no idea how close they should be to the blade. There are a set of guides directly below the table as well.

Got the bandsaw but no instruction book.

Ian

[Jdsk]

Thanks

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

Can you work out which Inca model from this?
https://machineatlas.com/guides/guide-t ... -band-saws

Jonathan

[Psamathe]

I think the 260. No measurements for the 205 and certainly not the v500. Table size, blade to back and max cut height are as for 260.

Ian

[Psamathe]

Can you work out which Inca model from this?
https://machineatlas.com/guides/guide-t ... -band-saws

Jonathan

Thanks for the link as the detailed link on the model also then includes a link to a scanned copy of the manual.

Ian

[Jdsk]

And a forum!

: - )

Jonathan

[Pebble]

if teeth are damaged or blunted on one side it wont cut straight. Sometimes just cutting curves is enough to stop the blade cutting strait.

the blade you have in looks about ½ to ¾ inch, so it should have been able to cut straight when new.

the guides in the photo look ok, but there should be similar just under the table, are they set up correctly? Sometimes people set the guides up (esp roller ones) so as they are touching the teeth, this soon wrecks the blade.

I have my own blades that I keep in my locker, this way I know the condition of them.

[Cugel]

Bandsaws are notorious for confusing the users with a whole range of refusals to cut aright. There are many things that can contribute to the tendency to drift off the straight line, such as that already mentioned of the teeth-set being spoiled by cutting curves. (It's best to keep one blade that never does anything but cut a straight line).

But so many other bandsaw foibles and naughtinesses are possible! Badly set up blade guides; not running the blade on the bandsaw wheel tyres in the right position; upper and lower wheels not aligned; too little or too much blade tension; an ovalised bandsaw wheel; etc.. The full answer is RTFM. But most bandsaw manuals are pretty poor on the details.

There are many good sources of info about how to set up (and keep it that way) a bandsaw. I always used magazine articles found on-line by good quality magazines, which are mostly American. I'll try and find you some that are not just some mad bloke making it up and which don't require you to subscribe to the magazine. It may take a while.

One way to deal with a blade that just tends to want to cut to one side more than another when you run work down the fence is to do away with the fence and cut free hand. (But many won't-cut-right issues are due to more than just a slightly wonky tooth-set, with the blade bowing, jamming and generally refusing to to what it oughta). You could try making sure the blade tension is right, getting the blade guides close (not too close) and adjusting the wheel cant & blade position on the wheels, then freehanding a straight cut by eye (no fence) down a pencil line.

Cugel

[Psamathe]

... There are many things that can contribute to the tendency to drift off the straight line, such as that already mentioned of the teeth-set being spoiled by cutting curves. (It's best to keep one blade that never does anything but cut a straight line)....
Cugel

That is a strong possibility as previous owner used it mainly for woodturning projects which would be cutting bowl blanks - circular cutting.

I'll have a dig through the other blades I found with it but I think most are very narrow ones.

I am in 2 minds about keeping it as it's not something I've ever missed not having and whilst I do have space, it does take-up space and space is always a premium. I only got it because other family members didn't want it, didn't have space for it and didn't want it sold. That said, often when you get tools you never thought you needed you soon end-up wondering how you ever managed without them; that was certainly the case for my planer-thicknesser which is probably the most fantastic power tool I've ever had (though maybe pillar drill and router up there as well).

Ian

[reohn2]

The guides should be set with no more than 1 to 1.5mm clearance each side,the rear blade support guide should begin to touch the blade before the blade's teeth come in contact with the guides with the blade running central on the top and bottom wheels.
Both top(on the depth of cut slide) and bottom guides(under the table) should be set the same.
This set up should be run with the blade running central on the wheels,it's advisable to first centralise the blade on the wheels when running before adusting the guides to their correct tolerances.

The blade should also be tight but not overly as it will cause wheel bearings to wear prematurely,too slack and it won't run true on the wheels.

The blade may appear sharp to the touch but as has been stated already,could be blunted on one side which will causd it not to cut straight.

With the a sharp blade and the machine set up properly it should cut reasonable straight,though hardwoods and particularly Iroko are hard on bansaw blades,especially timber thicker than 30mm,work needs to be fed slowly through the machine

If it's still cutting to one side oncw set up there should be means to adjust the table skew to the left or right to counteract it.

[Cugel]

... There are many things that can contribute to the tendency to drift off the straight line, such as that already mentioned of the teeth-set being spoiled by cutting curves. (It's best to keep one blade that never does anything but cut a straight line)....
Cugel

That is a strong possibility as previous owner used it mainly for woodturning projects which would be cutting bowl blanks - circular cutting.

I'll have a dig through the other blades I found with it but I think most are very narrow ones.

I am in 2 minds about keeping it as it's not something I've ever missed not having and whilst I do have space, it does take-up space and space is always a premium. I only got it because other family members didn't want it, didn't have space for it and didn't want it sold. That said, often when you get tools you never thought you needed you soon end-up wondering how you ever managed without them; that was certainly the case for my planer-thicknesser which is probably the most fantastic power tool I've ever had (though maybe pillar drill and router up there as well).

Ian

I've sent you a PM.

The bandsaw I used to have before I moved the West Wales, where there's no room for the monster, was a large Scheppach that resawed a great deal of plank. I did use it to cut the odd curve but frankly that can be done with many other tools, from a good jigsaw to a fretsaw for the smaller stuff.

Even resawing is now done by hand for the final separation of one plank into two or more. The tablesaw is used to part cut both edges then a large handsaw cuts the remainder that still attaches the part resawn planks in the middle. Smaller planks can be wholly resawn with a good Japanese saw, although I use a kerfing blade in a plough plane to provide a starting guide all around the plank edges. A vicious Japanese ryoba rip saw deals with the rascals.

Cugel

[Psamathe]

,,,
The bandsaw I used to have before I moved the West Wales, where there's no room for the monster, was a large Scheppach that resawed a great deal of plank....

My planer-thicknesser same make - good make.

Ian

[Cugel]

,,,
The bandsaw I used to have before I moved the West Wales, where there's no room for the monster, was a large Scheppach that resawed a great deal of plank....

My planer-thicknesser same make - good make.

Ian

I retained my own Scheppach planer-thicknesser. Resawing planks by hand is one thing but flattening, squaring and thicknessing a rough big plank with nowt but handplanes is masochism of the worst kind.

Cugel