Increasing Bandsaw Throat Size
Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2015 5:35 pm
For the hall table I am making, I have managed to flatten an 8 inch wide cherry board that will form the table top.
I wanted to have a 12 inch wide top made of two 6 inch boards joined. My standard SS bandsaw would only handle approximately 5 ¾ - 5 ⅞ inch boards in re-saw with a Carter Upper Guide installed.
Someone had mentioned an SS Online video of how to widen that throat. I watched it (Drew Ackerman did the video) but it only gained a little bit - not enough for my needs. So I looked at my bandsaw and what Drew did to his and concluded (correctly, I hope) the he was being very conservative on his cuts.
So in the interest of the old Press On Regardless rally, I removed more material from my Upper Guide Bracket than did Drew in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2muM2mgnSZM.
As Drew mentioned, more clearance would be available if you modified the Height Lock Handle. I had removed far more material from my Guide Bracket so I decided to cut away the Main Frame Assembly for more room.
Time to check new throat clearance.
With the Carter Guides:
6 ⅛ inches was a good improvement, but not enough to allow final milling the boards to 6 inches. So I replaced the upper Carter Guide with the original SS Guide (with Cool Blocks) and got:
I think that 6 ⅜ + inches will be good.
And to take Chuck's advice and SS advice I will clamp the Cool Blocks down on the blade.
Time to go cut some wood. I will test this first and report later on how things worked out on the hall table.
Forrest
I wanted to have a 12 inch wide top made of two 6 inch boards joined. My standard SS bandsaw would only handle approximately 5 ¾ - 5 ⅞ inch boards in re-saw with a Carter Upper Guide installed.
Someone had mentioned an SS Online video of how to widen that throat. I watched it (Drew Ackerman did the video) but it only gained a little bit - not enough for my needs. So I looked at my bandsaw and what Drew did to his and concluded (correctly, I hope) the he was being very conservative on his cuts.
So in the interest of the old Press On Regardless rally, I removed more material from my Upper Guide Bracket than did Drew in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2muM2mgnSZM.
- Upper Guide Bracket Cut 01.jpg (337.31 KiB) Viewed 2504 times
- Upper Guide Bracket Cut 03.jpg (444.29 KiB) Viewed 2504 times
- Housing Cut.jpg (400.49 KiB) Viewed 2504 times
With the Carter Guides:
- Throat Size Carter Guides.jpg (399.86 KiB) Viewed 2504 times
- Throat Size SS Guides.jpg (288.64 KiB) Viewed 2504 times
And to take Chuck's advice and SS advice I will clamp the Cool Blocks down on the blade.
Time to go cut some wood. I will test this first and report later on how things worked out on the hall table.
Forrest