04-16-2017, 10:37 AM #4 If you’re cutting wet or resinous wood ceramic guides will help scrape sawdust off of the blade, while bearing guides will compress sawdust onto the blade. If you buy a saw with bearing guides and later decide you would rather have ceramic guides, you can replace the bearings with ceramic blocks. 04-16-2017, 12:08 PM #6 HI,. I don’t have any experience with ceramic guides, but have a question which may be of interest to the OP. I seems like as far as support to the blade to reduce twisting goes, that the ceramic guides would have a much wider contact area along the length of the blade than bearing guides would.
Any small blades MUST use cool blocks or else they will not track properly. If you do not maintain the cool blocks they can wear crooked and allow the blade to drift. “The Carter DVD on bandsaw tune ups recommends bearings. Their reasoning was that the cool blocks wear out and unless you constantly adjust them, they will not track as well.”
Although Iturra does not recommend using its Band Rollers with blades less than 1⁄8 “, I tested mine with 1⁄8 “, 1⁄4 “, and 1⁄2 ” blades, cutting thick stock and making tight-radius cuts to force the blade against the bearings. These bearing guides showed no signs of wear, a big upgrade from my square-block graphite guides. When cutting arcs and circular shapes-and especially in resawing-the bearings proved much better than my old graphite guides at holding the blade perpendicular to the workpiece with no twisting or deflection.
“The cheap blade guides from my 14” bandsaw were the easiest to adjust. The homemade guides work just as well, and, surprisingly, aren’t any more annoying to adjust than the fancy aftermarket blade guides or the big guides that Ted sent me. A properly adjusted set of blade guides will guide the blade perfectly well, and a fancy aftermarket guides don’t improve on that.
My Tannewitz has hardened blocks, they work great, wondering if Cool Blocks are an improvement. There are other sources for the material than the official “Cool Blocks.” Even the Cool Block branded ones are likely under $25 when bought as a direct replacement for the hardened steel blocks your saw probably already has. 02-13-2014, 05:04 AM #8 Building a resaw power feed gizmo that will include a bottom guide, and I’m wondering if I should use Cool Blocks.
Accura has always been among our top choices because they have been making these guides for a long time and in that time, they have mastered the craft of making guides. This model sports a premium build and has three bandsaw guide bearings. The main job of the guide is to ‘guide’ the blade so that it stays perpendicular.
bandsaw guide blocks vs bearings Related Question:
What are bandsaw guide blocks made of?
Cool Blocks are made of a non-metallic composite material– Graphite Impregnated Phenolic Laminate with three synthetic dry lubricants. Metal guide blocks create metal to metal contact, causing heat, friction, premature blade wear and breakage.
Why are the blade guides so important on a bandsaw?
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.
Where are Olson scroll saw blades made?
Olson Saw Company continues to manufacture in Bethel CT, making a wide range of band and scroll saw blades, band saw and power scroll saw accessories, handheld saw frames and other wood working accessories.
How much space should there be between a band saw blade and the upper guide blocks?
Do both the upper and lower guides making sure that they set as close to the same place on the blade as possible. 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).
What is a vertical band saw used for?
Generally the Horizontal saw is used to saw steel and other hard materials, while the Vertical Band saw is used for soft plastics, wood, and non-ferrous metal alloys. Always use the widest blade possible for the job being done. Blade guide must be set to just clear the top of the work piece.
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 should I look for in a band saw?
The two main things to consider when choosing a band saw are the depth of cut and the throat. The saw’s depth of cut is the distance from the table to the upper blade guides. Many band saws are marketed on this feature alone, which tells the prospective buyer how thick of stock can be cut using the band saw.
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.
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.
Are Olson scroll saw blades good?
Olson Saw Pin End Scroll Saw Blades are an excellent blade collection for any scroll saw user. This collection of a dozen standard in two sizes and six skip tooth blades is both easy to use and versatile, tackling hard and softwood, plastic, and even non-ferrous metal with ease.
Are all scroll saw blades the same?
Not only do blades come in different sizes, but the cutting teeth come in different configurations. Some manufacturers indicate this as the teeth per inch (TPI), while other manufacturers use more specific terms.
What is precision ground blades?
Precision Ground Tooth PGT Scroll Saw Blades are the best blades available! Tested and endorsed by experts, PGT blades outperform and outlast all other blades. Their razor sharp teeth cut faster, smoother, and more accurately in both straight and radius cuts.
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.
Where should a band saw go in a shop?
Use that space above your miter saw table for parts bins, shelving or real cabinets. Maximize your storage above and below. Mount the BS on a mobile stand and position it anywhere you need it, any time! Even out the door on a nice day!Roll it out of the way when not in use.