band saw - how good is "good"?

[80spiders]

I suspect this question as been asked and answered a number of times on here - I have searched some but have not found my answer. I have worked with and remounted my aluminum table to my band saw and adjusted the fence to the 5/8 blade as directed. I took a scrap piece of pine 2x3 and ripped a thin piece that was 3" wide and 7/32 in thickness. I took my calipers and measured the accuracy. One side is .025 of an inch thicker than the other side or about 1.65/64 difference over the 3 inches of width. Please let me have your thoughts as I am new to this - "You can do better" or "That is about right." I do know that this cut is a lot better than what I was getting. Thank you.

[JPG]

Did thee create a straight side(flat plane) by planing first?

Is the workpiece "square"(bottom square to the side measured)?

Is the cutoff(wide piece) bottom square to the sawn side?

[edma194]

How long was the piece? If it was 3 inches long maybe you could do better. If it was 20 feet long it might be incredibly good. At any length you are still dealing with a bandsaw and the blade could easily flex by .025" between any two points.

[80spiders]

Did thee create a straight side(flat plane) by planing first?
----response - no, this was a piece of lumber from Home Depot - a cutoff scrap - it did not occur to me run it over the jointer first.

Is the workpiece "square"(bottom square to the side measured)?
---- response - yes

Is the cutoff(wide piece) bottom square to the sawn side?
..... response - yes - I think, but the surface area on one side (7/32 thick) does not leave a lot of area to be sure

[80spiders]

How long was the piece? If it was 3 inches long maybe you could do better. If it was 20 feet long it might be incredibly good. At any length you are still dealing with a bandsaw and the blade could easily flex by .025" between any two points.

the piece is 16" long.

[edma194]

I think that's pretty good for cutting wood with a fence if that's the worst of it. I would be checking how my cuts were holding to a line while using the miter gauge or moving the piece by hand.

[80spiders]

Edma194 - thank you for your input - have a great day.

[JPG]

Consider 0.025" over 3" is less than 1% variation over a relatively non precise work piece.

[80spiders]

Consider 0.025" over 3" is less than 1% variation over a relatively non precise work piece.

thank you, JPG

[chapmanruss]

That doesn't sound that bad to me. Correct blade tension and lowering the upper blade guide close to the top of the item being cut will reduce, as much is possible, the blade from wandering. Some wandering can be the blade trying to follow the grain of the wood. Just different factors that affect cuts. Different types of saws have their pluses and minuses for different types of cuts. The Bandsaw would not be my choice for a finish cut to width or thickness of a board. I would use your setup for resawing boards to thickness but followed by running them through the Planer for the finished thickness.