Bandsaw set up.

[Claud1]

I'm sorry Eric but the Snodgrass method has worked very well for me over the years on several bandsaws and even now on a (over rated) Hammer N400 and I would go so far as to say had I not seen the Snodgrass video years ago I would have got rid of the N400 by now and moved on.

 

[Eric The Viking]

I think you've rather confirmed my general point - a Hammer isn't exactly cheap. I'd expect it to at least be roughly set up to start with.

Snodgrass's "method" (which has varied, incidentally, over time) will probably help, but if the fundamentals are wrong, you'll still be stumped, as he seems to sneer at things like having the wheels coplanar, etc., to start with (he actually says this doesn't matter). The rest seems to be motherhood+apple pie stuff - make sure the blade is square to the table, and get the guides adjusted (for which he has only guesswork - use a slip of paper, it's much quicker!).

I commented because someone with a really out-of-whack small bandsaw will still be struggling, and none the wiser after watching the video. It's certainly not "the best" way to set one up as it doesn't come close to covering the issues you need to consider.

Butting out now, as I'm tired of the ad hominem nonsense.

E.

 

[DTR]

.....like having the wheels coplanar, etc., to start with

I'm not sure I understand the significance of this (not picking a fight, just curious). If I take the blade off of our bandsaws, I'm pretty sure the top wheel will flap around in the breeze due to play in the tracking and/or tensioning mechanism. As long as coplanar falls somewhere within that arc of movement, surely the blade will pull the wheel into the position it wants? If I get a chance at the weekend, I'll have a proper look to be sure.

 

[John15]

Not sure what all this Snodgrass thing is. When I bought my new bandsaw a few months ago - an Axi BS11 - all I did was tension the blade, make sure the blade was running centre over the top wheel and it was, checked the table was level and the blade was vertical to the table and they were, closed up the bearings, and away I went and it's performed beautifully ever since. No mystery at all.

John

 

[John Brown]

I don't want to join this particular discussion, as I have a flat tyred INCA, but it does amaze me that, although bandsaws have been around since the early 19th century, there should still be any question about centering the blade, coplanar wheels etc. This is physics, after all. Not politics.

 

[CHJ]

.....like having the wheels coplanar, etc., to start with

I'm not sure I understand the significance of this..

Regardless of the adjustment available from the mean location of the top wheel (tracking adjustment) you need both wheel axils to the parallel to each other in X & Y planes and both wheel ideally place one directly above the other not significantly in front or behind. (z axis)

What happens on a bike when the two axils are not parallel with each other and pointing in different directions.


Two areas I have found over the years that have caused frustration with machines I have sorted have been.

1. Someone or something has moved the Lower Wheel axil by playing with the 4 adjustment bolts and not getting the alignment back correctly. (rare on a new machine)

2. The Top Wheel tensioning slide mechanism has too much play in it allowing side and vertical play. (common on the DIY end of the market) This then allows the wheel to flip over a 'high point' when the blade is trying to ride on the tightest tension point when adjusting the tracking (because the axil tilts a few degrees out of control as the 'play' slack allows it) and slips the blade in an off direction either to the front or back of the wheel.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

My bandsaw (I won't mention the make as it's pointless - it's probably no better or worse than others) could not be set up properly no matter whose video I'd watched - it was impossible as some of the parts were not long enough and just couldn't be adjusted to be where they were supposed to be. I re made one part and shimmed a couple of others but it shouldn't be necessary out of the box. I also completely removed the winding mechanism as it seemed purpose designed - not purpose designed to wind up and down, but purpose designed to catch every atom of sawdust that came its way.

 

[pcb1962]

When I bought my new bandsaw a few months ago - an Axi BS11 - all I did was tension the blade, make sure the blade was running centre over the top wheel and it was, checked the table was level and the blade was vertical to the table and they were, closed up the bearings, and away I went and it's performed beautifully ever since.

I did the same when I got my BS300, and it worked like an absolute piece of junk, wouldn't even cut a straight line in a piece of 6mm ply. The Alan Holtham DVD that came with it didn't help at all. It was so bad I didn't use it for a year, then I found the Snodgrass video, took the table off and set the saw up carefully following his instructions and it 's worked great ever since.

 

[woodbloke66]

Not sure what all this Snodgrass thing is. When I bought my new bandsaw a few months ago - an Axi BS11 - all I did was tension the blade, make sure the blade was running centre over the top wheel and it was, checked the table was level and the blade was vertical to the table and they were, closed up the bearings, and away I went and it's performed beautifully ever since. No mystery at all.

John

I have the same bs (and a much bigger Ax industrial bs) and both are set up using the Snodgrass method. Using a fairly worn blade, the other day I was able to cut a bit of gash beech veneer on the BS11 to 0.8mm which was getting a bit hairy :shock: as the blade was running perilously close to the fence - Rob

 

[AES]

+1 for Eric the Viking's post.

I am a complete beginner when it comes to band saws, and before I bought my first (a pretty horrid Einhell bench top machine) I hadn't even looked closely at one.

But I did buy Steve Maskery's Band Saw videos and can honestly say without doubt it was the best few quid I've spent on this hobby - along with Tuffsaw blades (Ian John of this parish)

Stuff on the internet is all very fine, and of course it's free, but IMO it often helps a huge amount if you know exactly what you're looking at before you always blindly follow the advice given.

With the Steve Maskery videos, everything is very clearly explained, and if followed carefully, you just can't go wrong (and, as happened with me, if you need advice you just post here or E-mail Steve and you get a clear answer). Even I ended up with a bandsaw that cuts as well as it possibly can - possibly better than Einhell ever envisaged!

I stress NO connection whatsoever with Steve apart from through this Forum. Ditto re Ian John.

In short, if you have band saw problems, or don't know much about them (or even if you think you do!) the money you spend on those videos will NOT be wasted.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Thank you very much Andy.

 

[powertools]

Not sure what all this Snodgrass thing is. When I bought my new bandsaw a few months ago - an Axi BS11 - all I did was tension the blade, make sure the blade was running centre over the top wheel and it was, checked the table was level and the blade was vertical to the table and they were, closed up the bearings, and away I went and it's performed beautifully ever since. No mystery at all.

John

I have the same bs (and a much bigger Ax industrial bs) and both are set up using the Snodgrass method. Using a fairly worn blade, the other day I was able to cut a bit of gash beech veneer on the BS11 to 0.8mm which was getting a bit hairy :shock: as the blade was running perilously close to the fence - Rob

I think that it is correct to say that in the days before you started to promote everything Axminster you had an Inca bandsaw and there is no way you set that up in the Snodgrass way.

 

[woodbloke66]

I think that it is correct to say that in the days before you started to promote everything Axminster you had an Inca bandsaw and there is no way you set that up in the Snodgrass way.

That's true; I had a Euro 205 which was a good machine but with limited capabilities; it might have possibly been better set up using the AS method but it's now residing in 'la belle France' apparently doing sterling work. What's not true is that I'm promoting 'everything Axminster' as I've mentioned a couple of times recently that I have no affiliation or connection with the business. I'm quite happy to pass on the benefit of my experience to forum members, but if there's anything which isn't up to par, I'll discuss it. For example, in one particular post on Rider planes I mentioned that they're a bit of a 'curate's egg'; mostly reasonable but sometimes absolutely atrocious. So yes, Ax does get mentioned but I hope in a fairly even handed way - Rob

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Off tack, I know. I do wish people wouldn't use the phrase "curate's egg". It misses the whole point - how can an egg be good in parts? It's either all good or all bad. Sorry , I've my pedantic head on.

 

[MikeJhn]

Rob

I think you ought to make it clear that you did work for Axminster as admitted on the Axminster Forum.

Mike

 

[woodbloke66]

Rob

I think you ought to make it clear that you did work for Axminster as admitted on the Axminster Forum.

Mike

Thanks Mike, agreed. I'll add something to my Signature Block for clarification - Rob

 

[woodbloke66]

Off tack, I know. I do wish people wouldn't use the phrase "curate's egg". It misses the whole point - how can an egg be good in parts? It's either all good or all bad. Sorry , I've my pedantic head on.

I have to say the expression is weird and not one that I fully comprehend, so I did a G search before I used it :lol: :lol: - Rob

 

[Peter Sefton]

I met up with Alex last month in Atlanta and watched him cut a couple of his famous reindeer for our girls (very impressive) . We had a quick chat and I took a look at the Carter products, the stabilizer is very good for really small stuff and very narrow blades.

The set ups I have seen Alex do are generally aimed at small and narrow blades where a cambered wheel is most helpful but a lot of bandsaws don't have cambered wheels including Carter Products own.

Not all bandsaws can be set up with the gullet centre on the wheel/camber as recommended by Alex, wide blades often won't fit as they will fowl on the thrust wheel behind. I aim for center of the blade centre of the wheel which on a narrow blades is much the same as gullet in the center of the camber. But if your wheels are not co-planer then the blade can't be center of both top and bottom wheels, so some adjustment of the bottom wheel might be required . Don't beat yourself up about it aim for the middle I would say within 3mm or so, if your wheels are cambered the blade will climb to it natural mid point.

Other people advice having the blades teeth over the front edge of the wheel this will work on blades 5/8" ish or wider but will be a devil of a job on narrow blades as they will keep popping of the front of the wheels. I have never had to change a bandsaw rubber or seen one changed in my career, my feeling is excessive tire wear is down to poor co-planer set up or bandsaw body twist.

I don't think any of these points can be looked at in isolation as all bandsaw are slightly different, I covered a lot of these points in my bandsaw videos trying to cover as many issues as I could, with over two weeks worth of filming on three videos. Very pleased to say they have received all 5 start reviews from both customers and the Woodworker magazine this month.

Cheers

Peter

 

[MikeJhn]

The voice of reason at last.

Mike

 

[Beau]

Yes nicely put Peter =D>