Band Saw tension

kalynzoo · Post by **kalynzoo** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 6:42 pm

OK, I'm not a master with the band saw. My cuts have never been as smooth as obtained at the SS traveling workshop. Just broke my first blade, after many years, so I took time to clean and check the saw. What else can I do, or what might I be doing incorrectly, so that I can get a smoother rip cut on small hardwood stock.

ldh · Post by **ldh** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:41 pm

Gary,
Take the time to go through your SS Band Saw manual and check and double check each adjustment on your saw. Use the correct blade for the material you are cutting and pay close attention to the blade speed. Don't crowd the saw, band saws like to cut at their own pace. I guess in the end one just needs to slow down and let one of the best little band saws to be had do it's job. I am old and slow now and my saw has never worked better.
ldh

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:57 pm

kalynzoo wrote:OK, I'm not a master with the band saw. My cuts have never been as smooth as obtained at the SS traveling workshop. Just broke my first blade, after many years, so I took time to clean and check the saw. What else can I do, or what might I be doing incorrectly, so that I can get a smoother rip cut on small hardwood stock.

I've had one broken blade also - about 6 or 7 years ago. It was a quarter incher. I had tried to make too sharp of bends or crinked the blade by trying to back up - something like that! Anyway the blade was bent so it had a crease that could not be totally straightened. I had gotten by before by straightening bent blades. At the time of the break, I was using carbon blade blocks. After a considerable while of more use it finally broke.

After that incident I went to 1/8" blades for smaller radii and cool blocks for all uses. Have had no problems since.

Not even a bent or crinked blade. Also, now I'm a bit more gentle with band sawing.

greitz · Post by **greitz** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 1:04 pm

I agree with IDH- slowing down helps immensely. If I force myself to only feed the stock half as fast as I want to, the cuts turn out much smoother.

As far as breaking blades, I've broken two 1/8" blades doing the same piece of stupidity. (Some of us don't learn our lesson the first time.) I was cutting the tight curve between the bandsaw reindeer's antlers, and couldn't seem to get the curve tight enough, and I tried to back it out a bit to try again. Instead, the blade got pulled out from between the Cool Blocks, got jammed in the wood, I guess, and bang, time for a new blade. Now I drill a 1/4" relief hole at the tightest point of that curve first, and I haven't had problems since.

Gary

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:17 pm

So we can address the problem of smooth cuts, what blade are you using in the hardwood (standard, skip, hook...)?

With all good wishes,

kalynzoo · Post by **kalynzoo** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:09 pm

Thanks for the advise. I have a tendency to be agressive my my cuts. I will remember the relief hole. As for the broken blade, 1/4 came with the saw. I replaced it with SS #555419 1/4x025x6h. Heading out for a vacation with friends for a couple of weeks, but will work with the new blade when I get back. I kept this extra blade on hand, finally came in handy.

rubberneck · Post by **rubberneck** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 3:53 pm

Listen for the "tick tick tick" as the blade is cutting. As that sound fades away your going to fast...Bill...