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.
Tim Inman: Because band saw blades ride on crowned wheels, they always have a little “Camber” angle relative to the vertical axis of the wheel. Using a rip fence on a band saw, like a rip fence you might find on a table saw, will nearly always cause grief – especially when you try cutting long boards. Chris Marshall: A point fence works wonders! My band saw’s rip fence can also be adjusted for front-to-back blade drift, and I’ve actually had good luck using it for resawing once I adjust for the saw’s drift that day.
Bandsaw blade manufacturers recommend a tension of between 15,000 PSI and 20,000 PSI for a typical carbon-steel blade. The cutting teeth on a bandsaw blade should always point towards the direction of blade rotation. Once you are satisfied that the blade is stable on the band saw wheels at full speed, very slowly reduce the tension on the blade while watching the blade between the wheels.
“Cutting tenons on a bandsaw seems like a fairly simple operation. Several woodworking articles have suggested the 1/4 x 6T blade for cutting tenons. Not sure why I can’t get these 1/4″ blades to cut straight. Since you only have this problem on the SS with a 1/4” blade I suspect the blade. “The first thing I did was replace the backup bearings. Next I aligned the fence to the miter slot. Once I had that squared away I then aligned the table to the bandsaw blade. To do that I used a new 3/8” blade and the Carter FAST jig to help better see the orientation of the blade.
I find it impossible to make a straight, linear cut with my bandsaw. I have to veer the wood off at an increasing angle to cut along a marked straight line. I’ve gotten good at this compensating, but it seems that it must not be adjusted correctly if I have to do that.
If you have the question, why does my bandsaw blade wander so often in mind, keep reading, as we discuss the reasons and possible cures for this problem. When the bandsaw blade is keen and sharp, pushing the material against the blade and getting a cut does not require much force from the user. A keen blade with a fast blade velocity, as well as a personal fence, will help a great deal when your bandsaw blade wanders when resawing and cutting.
A damaged rubber tier, worn wheel bearings, loose blade tension or a dull saw blade can cause the blade to slip off the wheel. This can be caused by many different things such as incorrect blade tension, incorrect blade, excessive feed, wheel diameter that is too small for the blade being used, or the blade rubbing on the wheel flanges. If you adjusted the tension, changed the blade and it continues to wander back and forth, the blade guides might be set too high.
why does my bandsaw blade wander Related Question:
What causes bandsaw blade 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.
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 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 can’t I cut a straight line with my bandsaw?
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.
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.
Which way should the teeth face on a bandsaw?
Installing A Bandsaw Blade Make sure the teeth point downward.
Why does my bandsaw bounce?
A lack of straightness in either the blade or weld could be causing the blade to bounce. Next, it is important to check the blade tension and make sure that it is high enough to keep blade bounce to a minimum. That way, your blade won?t take as much damage.
Is it worth it to sharpen bandsaw blades?
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.
How many times can a bandsaw blade be sharpened?
It often makes sense to replace a dull blade with a new one, but you can sometimes get the best value out of merely sharpening an old blade instead of replacing it altogether. You should typically be able to get two to three sharpenings before you need to change your blade completely.
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.