I made the blade guides from pieces of UHMW plastic, since I found that works great for the wide blades I would be using. The blade above is 3/8″ and that is as small as these blade guides will allow – they can’t be adjusted any deeper into the holder without hitting the clamping screw. Second, they were still difficult to adjust, due mainly to how the screws tighten from above, right next to the blade.
I’ll be showing you how to make the guides for the blade and the saw’s table. This bearing will slow down the blade and stop it from going backwards when cutting with the band saw. I’ll use the band saw to make the four big knobs I need using plywood scraps I had left over from other saw parts.
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.
Bandsaw blade guides keep the bandsaw blade on track while cutting through materials. Blade guides should be set above and below the saw table to help reduce vibration by holding the bandsaw blade in place while cutting. Align the blade guide assembly with the bandsaw blade.
how to make bandsaw blade guides Related Question:
How far should the blade guides be from the blade of the bandsaw?
Set the front of the blade guide about one-sixteenth of an inch from the deepest part of the blade gullets (the spaces between the teeth on the blade). The blade guides must ride behind the teeth on the bandsaw blade.
What is the purpose of having blade guides on a band saw?
Bandsaw blade guides keep the bandsaw blade on track while cutting through materials. Blade guides should be set above and below the saw table to help reduce vibration by holding the bandsaw blade in place while cutting. This assures a precise and quality cut.
Which way should the teeth face on a bandsaw?
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.
How much space should there be between a band saw blade and the upper guide blocks?
The guide blocks should have an air gap on both sides of the blade the thickness of a piece of paper. The upper guide assembly should be anywhere from 1/4″ to 1/2″ above the work piece being cut. If too much blade shows, it becomes dangerous.
How much tension should a 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.
Why is it important to adjust the height of the blade guard on the bandsaw?
Adjust blade guard height to about 3 mm or 1/8 inch to 6mm or 1/4 inch above the top of the material being cut. Wider gaps will place tension on the blade and increase the risk of breaking. Ensure the blade is tracking correctly and runs freely in and against the upper and lower guide rollers.
How many teeth does a bandsaw blade have?
The general rule of thumb is: For wood and soft materials aim for 3 – 6 teeth in the workpiece. For metals and harder materials aim for 6 – 24 teeth in the workpiece.
What is a skip tooth band saw blade?
Skip tooth blades have widely spaced teeth at a 0 degree rake angle to prevent clogging when cutting soft wood, non-ferrous metals and plastics. Hook tooth blades have a deeper gullet—that is, larger teeth—and a positive 10 degree rake angle. This helps the blade to feed into the material more aggressively.
How do I get rid of drift from my bandsaw?
Try to adjust the blade to cut in line with the miter slots, then adjust the fence to the miter slot. probably not going to happen… if not, then adjust the fence for the drift of the blade.
Can a bandsaw blade be turned inside out?
Re: Turning a band blade inside out hi ,just get heavy gloves,an uncoiled blade ,step on the bottom and turn the blade inside out,and it will go right on a turner mill and just reverse the blade to sharpen. Thanks.
Why is my bandsaw burning 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.
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.