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Re: Bowed Cast Iron Bandsaw table.
Posted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 11:05 pm
by reubenjames
Puttn,
As ERLover alluded to, I am going to have an extra cast iron table on my hands here shortly, when I swap out for the aluminum table. The only thing we're waiting on is my laziness, but if I had good reason, I could be persuaded to try and tackle it tomorrow evening if nothing comes up. I guess I've never checked mine for flat, specifically, but I can give it a peek and snap a picture for you. You can PM me if you are interested in having it and where you'd like me to send it.
Re: Bowed Cast Iron Bandsaw table.
Posted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 11:37 pm
by putttn
Alec. Thanks for the help. PM'd you.
Re: Bowed Cast Iron Bandsaw table.
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 1:51 pm
by reubenjames
Just jumping back on this for everyone's benefit--replaced my table today, and looking at Puttn's images and comparing to my table, I'm not convinced my table is perfectly flat, either. Can anybody confirm having a flat cast iron bandsaw table?
Re: Bowed Cast Iron Bandsaw table.
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 2:56 pm
by dusty
Pictures, please. Pictures that reveal how you check the table for flatness.
I would say that a straight end placed diagonally corner to corner would be the first test.
The next two tests would be a straight edge placed 1) side to side and then 2) infeed to outfeed. Eachmoved incrementally across the table.
All the time checking for a snug fit to the tables top surface (I would expect less than .005" gap every where).
Re: Bowed Cast Iron Bandsaw table.
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 2:56 pm
by rpd
reubenjames wrote:Just jumping back on this for everyone's benefit--replaced my table today, and looking at Puttn's images and comparing to my table, I'm not convinced my table is perfectly flat, either. Can anybody confirm having a flat cast iron bandsaw table?
I just checked mine. It is dished a bit toward the center, I can't find a feeler gauge, however I can just slide a piece of paper under the straight edge (speed square) but not two thickness’s of paper, so maybe .005.
Thinking about it a bit, out of flat front to back should not affect re-sawing at all, and as long as the fence adjusted parallel to the blade I don't think that a small amount side to side will have a great affect either.
Re: Bowed Cast Iron Bandsaw table.
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 3:00 pm
by reubenjames
It was late last night when I checked, so I don't have pics. I'll try to get those tonight. Side to side definitely showed it being dished toward the center, but my feeler gauge is out at the farm. Might have to give it the paper test (I was going with flashlight test last night just to see how we were looking).
Re: Bowed Cast Iron Bandsaw table.
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 3:02 pm
by reible
Mine is pretty flat. Here is a picture of it with a light source from behind, as you can see not much light coming through. I have no idea how other machines look but this is my sample of one.
- IMG_0946sc.jpg (107.2 KiB) Viewed 5242 times
Ed
Re: Bowed Cast Iron Bandsaw table.
Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2016 4:22 pm
by putttn
My clamping did not help the dished table. The dished alignment is from left to right from the side of the blade, not the front to back of the blade.
Re: Bowed Cast Iron Bandsaw table.
Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2016 5:16 pm
by reible
putttn wrote:My clamping did not help the dished table. The dished alignment is from left to right from the side of the blade, not the front to back of the blade.
OK now I'm confused. You have posted a couple of pictures and it seems to me that your pictures and my picture are in the same plane. Or are you saying the dish is only the width of the blade?
Ed
Re: Bowed Cast Iron Bandsaw table.
Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2016 7:49 pm
by BuckeyeDennis
reible wrote:putttn wrote:My clamping did not help the dished table. The dished alignment is from left to right from the side of the blade, not the front to back of the blade.
OK now I'm confused. You have posted a couple of pictures and it seems to me that your pictures and my picture are in the same plane. Or are you saying the dish is only the width of the blade?
Ed
He posted pics of it in both orientations. His table appears to be bowl-shaped, assuming that the straightedge is straight.