Bandsaw Table

[cowboyplus]

to start I am calling left, the left side of the SS, the side the teeth of the bandsaw blade are on. My table seems to be titled left to right about 2.5 degrees. I noticed this when cutting a rabbit out of the end of a 2x4. I was cutting 3" by .75" rabbit. When I got to the end of the cut and removed the scrap I noticed the cut was perfect on one end but cut further into the wood on the other side. Any suggestion on how to fix? Front to back is within .1 degrees but I can not find anthing for left to right adjustment.

To me this (the blade at an angle, due to the design of the upper pulley) is an advantage of the SS bandsaw over competitors. This allows better tracking control especially when re-sawing, cooler running blade, longer blade life, etc., etc. The angle will vary with the size of the blade and the tire being used.

I keep an assortment of wedges equal to the angle to rest the stock on when cutting an occasional exact partial perpendicular instance. I want that blade angle 99% of the time.
.

[dusty]

I understand your logic, cowboy, but how much of an angle are you strivimg to retain? Is it the 2.5 degrees mentioned here or something less?

[gk777]

Finally made the adjustment just using the washers supplied with my bandsaw. Turns out they are 2 different thickness and I finally came up with a combination that gets me to about .1 degrees. Good for me:).

I used a 4 inch block for measuring my adjustment. Using the 4 inch side to cut into I would cut as deep as the blade adn label this as up. Then rotate the block 180 degrees so the cut is still facing the blade and cut again with a small over lap stopping when the blade is as deep as the first slot you cut. Flip it over and see if the 2 match.

[pascalore]

Dusty, I noticed you have washers on both sides of the table-the infeed and outfeed. This, if I am not wrong, raises the whole table by the lesser stack of washers thereby reducing your height of cut. Thanks to this discussion, I was able to realize the same problem gk777 started with and was able to put one extra regular, out of my collection, washer under each infeed side then had to remove the Shopsmith supplied thin washers on the outfeed side and my table is perfectly alligned.

I just got my 510 two days ago and had to put it together after cleaning all the minor rust and repainting the legs (and I had to bring it home in a Honda 2 door) so it was already in pieces. I had just finished adjusting the Mark V and decided to tackle the bandsaw. The 510 had never had any allignment done at all.

I started looking here for another solution to a different problem. My table wouldn't tilt. Much corrosion around the outfeed tilt bracket. I took off the table and had to loosten the back hold down screw (which wasn't easy-vise grips and a big flat screwdriver). Having loosened that bolt about one and a half turns and cleaning the bracket, I put the whole thing together again. I was looking for a good exploded view, which I found here also, when I stumbled across this post.

I can't wait to get the instruction manual for the bandsaw.

P.

[dusty]

pascalore, I set that band saw up, as it is now, many years ago. I do not know why I used so many washers. I obviously did not read the instructions.

Logic tells you, no washers are required on the high side.

If I ever have to take the table off, I will reinstall with only the "required" washers. Furthermore, I will use washers from the kit that Shopsmith provided with the band saw.

[billmayo]

Shopsmith now offers a set of black treated trunnions and hardware to use them. New bandsaws come with these trunnions. Customer Service personnel has the bandsaw with the new trunnions in the office so they know what is needed to convert. They look quite nice and should not rust like the chrome ones.

I started looking here for another solution to a different problem. My table wouldn't tilt. Much corrosion around the outfeed tilt bracket. I took off the table and had to loosten the back hold down screw (which wasn't easy-vise grips and a big flat screwdriver). Having loosened that bolt about one and a half turns and cleaning the bracket, I put the whole thing together again. I was looking for a good exploded view, which I found here also, when I stumbled across this post.

I can't wait to get the instruction manual for the bandsaw.

P.

[dusty]

Shopsmith now offers a set of black treated trunnions and hardware to use them. New bandsaws come with these trunnions. Customer Service personnel has the bandsaw with the new trunnions in the office so they know what is needed to convert. They look quite nice and should not rust like the chrome ones.

Nick:

How about a few words on this - maybe a Video Tip Do I want to further improve my existing band saw or is the one I have just as good with the old trunnions?

If Shopsmith made a change, they had a reason. I'm curious what that reason was.

After Thought: IMHO, changes like this should be made public via some sort of special bulletin to owners. Afterall, we might all want to upgrade.

[jmoore65]

It just so happens I ordered new trunnionsfrom the website this morning.

Armed with Bill's info, I called Customer Service to find out about the "new" black trunnions.

Unfortunately, the CSR I spoke with didn't know about the black trunnions - but offered to look into it and call me back.

The CSR (Jan) called back the next day. She said the new trunnions are indeed black - so probably no need to specify that when ordering.


Jim

[billmayo]

Shopsmith has made many improvements to the Mark V system over the years. I find, when repairing/rebuilding Shopsmith items, that Shopsmith has made many improvements to the 12" thickness planer, the scroll saw, the belt sander, the joiner, the bandsaw and the Mark V. I believe they just start using the upgraded parts as they become available. The QA Dept is continually improving the Mark V, SPTs, Attachments and Accessories. They do offer upgrade kits and individual items for some of the changes.

The bandsaw was set up in the customer service area with the black trunnions. You do need additional hardware to use on the older bandsaw tables. I did not get the part numbers as there was so much to do and see that weekend.

It just so happens I ordered new trunnionsfrom the website this morning.

Armed with Bill's info, I called Customer Service to find out about the "new" black trunnions.

Unfortunately, the CSR I spoke with didn't know about the black trunnions - but offered to look into it and call me back.

I'll edit this message when I learn more.

Jim

[dusty]

What would be nice to have, Bill, would be a difference data sheet. Something that could be used to determine which and how many upgrades had been made to any given piece of equipment.

Example: You say there have been changes made to the surface planer. I bought mine in 1992. What changes have been made since then and are they available in upgrade kits? This is a rhetorical question; I do not expect an answer.