Do my BS300e guides look 'normal'?

[Neil S]

I posted a month ago that my guides on the BS300e were rubbish.
Malcolm kindly sent me a PM explaining the guides operation in more detail. I promptly ignored him for a month as I didn't know I had a PM sent to me. I've not used the PM system before. Sorry Malcolm.

I've now replied but it doesn't appear if you can sent images in the PM system so I thought I'd post a picture of my guides and ask if everyone elses are the same as mine. :lol:

As you can see from this picture my guides wobble about quite a bit especially the right one. (this isn't sounding right at all :roll: )
Is that a normal amount of slop for these guides?
I cant get a small blade to fit nicely between the guides without the back of the guides touching then jamming up.

-Neil S

 

[Ttrees]

That's a warped casting !
Ask Record power for a replacement
On premium bandsaws the housing for each guide is a separate part, and is completely adjustable.
That is a hazard the way it is warped :shock:
It should have not got out the door.

 

[Neil S]

The individual housings do come off. They look very similar to your photo, a lot rougher but functional.

It's the disc that wobbles from side to side inside the carrier.

Hope that makes sense.

-Neil

 

[Ttrees]

Is there slop in the screw ?
I would take a guess that the rollers are a press fit

 

[sunnybob]

All of the disc type guides I have seen have quite a lot of side to side movement.

Just to check, you do know that the large threaded rings are locking nuts?
Once adjusted with the end adjusters, those rings should be tightened down to stop the thread from undoing by itself.

 

[Peter Sefton]

I have a Hammer 4400 with side bearings now 12 years old and have never had any wobble in the bearings, I would say they are faulty and incapable of a good setup for your blade.

Cheers Peter

 

[Alexam]

Hi Neil,

The guides you have are very similar to the ones on the BS400 ....

If you remove the inner part on both sides, you find a brass 'part' that holds the actual guide section. That needs cleaning and oiling and then putting back so that it can move freely. When you set the guides, you need to make sure that the part thet almost touches the blade is set right back into the (whats it called? Ferrel?), otherwise you will always have 'slack to enable the guide to move sideways. Then lock the outer nuts so that nothing moves. Remember to ensure that the teeth of the blade cannot receed into the guides otherwise the teeth will be damaged. The thrust bearing should prevent that.

My own guides are not exaxtly parallel but guides are only there to 'bump back' ther blade if it drifts sideways. Hope this helps a little but your guides may work, or get them changes as suggested.
Malcolm

 

[pops92]

Hi Neil
I have the BS300e and can confirm Alex has the info spot on. What works for him on the BS400 is the same for me on the BS300e. Every time I have had a problem it's been down to me rushing the set up.

 

[Tetsuaiga]

I have the BS400 and have a similar issue, I even made a topic on it not that long ago.

What I would recommend doing is to run the saw and then slowly move the guide toward the blade with the screw mechanism. It will have to actually touch the blade but only glancing and not spinning in order to remove the off blade parallel slop.

That's what i've found works best though i'd rather there was no contact instead. Someone said they just used exotic hardwood guides they made themselves. Wouldn't be all that surprised if they do the job just as well.

 

[Alexam]

DANGER - DO NOT RUN THE SAW WHILST ADJUSTING THE BLADE

It should be unpluged but turn the top wheel by hand whilst adjustment is made. The wheels of the guides and the rear bearings should not turn when power is applied. They only turn when the saw is in use and the blade is moved by the timber being cut.
Malcolm

 

[Tetsuaiga]

Right you can do it by hand turning the top wheel. Personally I don't feel it'd that dangerous to do it while running, the screw mechanism allow you to move the guide at an extremely slow progression. Of course I wouldn't even think about moving the guide back and forwards while it's running.

 

[Neil S]

The top guides consist of a housing with a 14mm hole into which fits a brass ferrule. The brass ferrule has a 10mm hole in it which receives the pin of the guide disc. Most of the slop is the fit between the guide disc pin and the brass ferrule.

The bottom disc is held in a brass housing which has a 10mm hole in it. These seem a bit better but of course you don't get the fine screw adjust like the top guides have.

For now I have removed all the guides and pushed (with a vice) a 10mm wooden dowel into the carriers. The dowels are a really firm fit because they are fluted (which normally lets out the glue when dowelling). I then soaked the dowels in some light oil to give them some lubrication. This arrangement seems a bit better and I can snug them up as much as I like because if the blade teeth touch the guide then it's only wood.

I shall be asking record for some better machined guides.

-Neil