The amount of drift varies with every blade, but you can compensate for it by clamping your fence to match the drift angle. SINGLE-POINT FENCE. Another way to overcome blade drift is to use a single-point fence like the one shown in the left photo above and in the margin. SETTING THE FENCE TO COMPENSATE FOR BLADE DRIFT. FEED RATE & TECHNIQUES. With either style of fence, your saw will help you determine the feed rate for resawing.
Band saw blade drift is a tendency of the blade to veer to the left or right while making a cut using the rip fence. The point of the last paragraph is that if the band saw is not set up properly and/or does not have a good quality, sharp blade installed and tensioned correctly, the chances of accurately adjusting for drift are minimal at best. Since there is little that we can do about blade drift at the blade, we adjust the fence to match the drift angle to essentially cancel it out.
Being a happy bandsaw owner has a lot to do with your approach to coping with the fact that a bandsaw simply will not cut straight, or, in the sage words of veteran woodworkers, “Adjusting for drift.” Even the top performing 14″ bandsaw on the market, Powermatic’s 14 Bandsaw 1791216K, comes with a no-frills fence with 4 bolts on top rather than easy and obvious thumbscrews or knobs that say, “Adjust me here!”. Making the bandsaw cut nice and straight with this fence is a snap.
On a typical wood or metal cutting blade the hook or of point of the blade should be pointing down for a vertical blade bandsaw, or for a horizontal blade saw the hook of the teeth should be pointed such that they enter the workpiece first as the blade moves. During regular cutting on a well set up bandsaw the blade will move or bow backwards a bit as you press the workpiece into it. The side guides will assist in keeping the blade cutting straight, but they are not an iron lock on the blade forcing it to cut straight.
why does bandsaw blade drift Related Question:
What causes band saw drift?
Drift is cause because the blade buckles under the load. You can see that by stretching a ribbon between 2 points and applying a pressure to one of the edges, it will turn sideway easily. A sharp blade and high blade speed will help a lot with that.
Why does my bandsaw blade cut crooked?
Using too much force when feeding the work piece through the cutting area can cause the band saw blade to twist and cut the piece crookedly. Use light pressure when feeding the work piece through the cutting area to achieve a straight cut. A dull blade will twist when cutting the work piece and cut the piece crookedly.
How tight should my bandsaw blade be?
The blade should deflect no more than 1/4 in. A good place to begin is to tension the blade until the meter reads proper tension for the next wider blade. For example, if you’re tensioning a 3/8-in.
Why does my bandsaw spark?
Ceramics can cause sparks. Or, if your thrust bearing is too far past the blade, more toward the center of the bearing than the edge, then it won’t turn and you’ll get sparks too, and possibly wear a groove in the bearing.
Why does my bandsaw blade wobble?
The blade on a saw left idle for long periods of time can leave an impression in the rubber tire which might cause erratic tracking. Purchase and install aftermarket replacement tires. (Search for “bandsaw tire” at woodcraft.com.) If you still see a back-and-forth motion, the culprit is probably the wheel itself.
Why does my bandsaw blade burn the wood?
A majority of issues with wood burning is because of a dull saw blade. These blades may not be sharp enough to efficiently cut the wood, and thus create enough friction to heat and burn the wood. What is this? Dull blades make it more challenging to cut, which causes friction as you pass the wood through.
Which way should the teeth face on a bandsaw?
Installing A Bandsaw Blade Make sure the teeth point downward.
How long should a bandsaw blade last?
On average your bandsaw blade should last 6 months to as long as a few years depending on what your cutting with it. Make sure to match your blade strength and quality to the project and material your cutting.
Are bandsaw blades worth sharpening?
Since a carbide-tipped bandsaw blade will cost well over $100, spending a third of the cost of the blade (or more) to get it sharp and working like new again can make financial sense. However the majority of bandsaw blades, the Wood Slicer included, are not worth spending money to have sharpened.
Can bandsaw blades be sharpened?
If you’re looking to sharpen your band saw blade, you have two options: manually sharpen the blade yourself or use a mechanical sharpening machine.