Ceramic Bandsaw guides

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 12:57 pm

I know there was a discussion on bandsaw guides and such but now in the topic on resawing it was mentioned again.

I'm confussed ( I must live in that state or so it seems lately)

My bandsaw came with guides I guess were steel or something but in any care they did a fair job but I was told the graphite guides were better because you could run the blade deeper into the guide thus making the blade more supportted.

I was told the reason for this was with hard guides (I'll call them hard because I don't know for sure they are steel or not) you had to set them to just behind the blade teeth so as not to effect the teeth set. However with the graphite you could set them to support the full blade because the blade would cut graphite enough not ruin the teeth set.

That made sense the blade was more fully supported, therefore there was less chance of twist and you should get a better cut.

Now comes the ceramic guides. I believe they are hard almost like standard SS guides, so I would think you would have to worry about them effecting the blade set so I would think you would have to adjust them to just behind the teeth. That would make the blade less supportted. So we are right back to where we were with the standard SS guides aren't we???

My question is what is the advantage of the ceramic guides?

billmayo · Post by **billmayo** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 1:29 pm

The ceramic guide blocks operates quieter, cooler and last forever compared to steel guide blocks used in the Shopsmith bandsaws. See http://spaceageceramicguideblocks.com/ for more information. These guide blocks would be positioned just like the steel one. I would recommend the Shopsmith cool blocks (555374) for the 1/16" blade.

I am selling the Shopsmith guide blocks ($14 + $2.50 shipping) for the above company if anyone is interested.

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 2:14 pm

billmayo wrote:The ceramic guide blocks operates quieter, cooler and last forever compared to steel guide blocks used in the Shopsmith bandsaws. See http://spaceageceramicguideblocks.com/ for more information. These guide blocks would be positioned just like the steel one. I would recommend the Shopsmith cool blocks (555374) for the 1/16" blade.

I am selling the Shopsmith guide blocks ($14 + $2.50 shipping) for the above company if anyone is interested.

Bill, is that a set of 2 or 4 guide blocks for that price.?

billmayo · Post by **billmayo** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 9:15 pm

It is 4 guide blocks in each pack.

beeg wrote:Bill, is that a set of 2 or 4 guide blocks for that price.?

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 11:44 pm

I checked my guide blocks and I'll have to recondition them. If that doesn't go well, I KNOW where to get them now.