Whether you’re a beginner or could just use a refresher, we’re going to walk you through the process for a perfect bandsaw blade adjustment setup every time, no matter what blade you install. Lower the upper blade guide, open the wheel housing(s) and blade guard and carefully remove the blade. So it should be no real shocker that you’ll encounter conflicting schools of thought regarding blade placement on the wheels and how it affects blade “Drift”.
A catalyst for this seems to be Jim Cummings article “Home Shop Bandsaw” in Fine Woodworking #63. From the hundreds of bandsaw owners I’ve talked with since the article appeared, it seems there are lingering questions on how to adjust a bandsaw blade, the blade choice and operation. “To find the correct tension, you can start with the tension scale on your saw, but you will probably need to fine tune the adjustment. With the saw unplugged, increase the tension on the blade until pushing on the side of the blade with your finger using a moderate amount of force deflects the blade about a 1/4” from its normal position. An interesting experiment is to set the side guys too far from the blade and notice how increased feed pressure and turning make the blade wander.
Knowing something about basic band saw blade alignment and tracking can be extremely useful information. The band saw blade passes through a set of steel or heavy plastic blocks, which keep it aligned as it cuts wood placed on the band saw table. The application of tension to align and provide good tracking of a band saw blade is the key in selecting the size of a band saw blade for its correct application.
Removed the table and aligned the guides as he recommended, set the blade with the center of the gullet in the middle of the wheel. The thrust bearing isn’t specifically mentioned so, maybe they mean you adjust that for larger blades and I’m wasting your time. “I do align the gullets with the center of the wheels. My wheels are co-planer. I aligned the saw to cut straight and don’t acknowledge drift as an acceptable condition. I generally set tension using the flutter method. I used to run an array of blades with varying tooth counts for various purposes. I now pretty much just stock 1/4″ high and low tooth count blades for curvy stuff, 1/2″ or 5/8” 2-3 tooth blades for resaw and I use Highland Hardware’s Woodslicer for thin-kerf / clean-finish cuts.
Even a low-end bandsaw blade tension meter can cost $300. If you use your bandsaw a lot or are doing delicate work, having the proper tension on the blade can be critical and the only way to accomplish this is with a bandsaw blade tension meter. With the bandsaw blade properly installed, and tensioned, and the blade guides properly set, the next issue is to make sure that the bandsaw table is square and level. We suggest that you go through the setup steps in this how to set up a bandsaw properly: the ultimate g guide before starting a new project and each time you change your bandsaw blade.
“If you put a reasonably wide blade and get it running cleanly where it belongs on the wheels, you can square the table using a straightedge to extend the blade and measuring to the miter slot. If the miter slot is square to the machined front of the table, you can just use a combination square on the table edge and visually verify that the blade and square are parallel.”You are not going to get.001” accuracy on a band saw, but you don’t really need to. Once you’ve got it as good as you can get, verify the alignment by freehand sawing with a sharp, properly set up blade a piece of hardwood stock a bit longer than the table is deep in a straight line marked parallel to the stock edge. If your saw is set up properly, the stock will be parallel of the miter slot.
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.
how to align bandsaw blade Related Question:
Why does my bandsaw blade wander?
If the wheels are worn and do not have a distinct top to the crown then the blade will not know where to go, and may wander around. This of course can cause poor cut quality and difficulty in setting the guides.
Why does my bandsaw blade keep falling off?
Blade Tension Is Too Loose The most common reason why the blade is slipping off is that there isn’t enough tension to keep it on. Blades can slowly become loose after years of wear and tear, and eventually, you’ll need to tighten or replace them.
How tight should metal bandsaw blade be?
For carbon steel toothed blades (cutting blades) this is typically 15,000 to 25,000 PSI. Slitting type blades typically are tensioned in the range of 12,000 to 20,000 PSI. In general bandsaw blades are never tensioned past 35,000 psi.
How do I get my bandsaw to cut straight?
Band Saw: Why won’t my band saw cut straight? When the band saw cuts crooked, a dull blade, improper feeding, loose blade tension or not using a work piece guide could be the cause. Use the rip fence or miter gauge to guide the work piece uniformly through the cutting blade to make straight cuts.
Which way should the teeth face on a bandsaw?
Installing A Bandsaw Blade Make sure the teeth point downward.
Why did my bandsaw blade snap?
Machine Defects Even the best blades can fail if there is something else wrong with your bandsaw, and even a small misalignment of bearings or guides can put a twist in the blade as it goes around. Resulting in tension being applied in all the wrong ways which will lead to early breakage.