Squaring Bandsaw Fence

[ajayre]

The factory fence on my bandsaw is rubbish. When I press down the latch it can be up to five degrees off from square. I will have to dump it for a DIY fence but right now I am under pressure to get this project done.

Are there any tricks to making this easier and reliable? I have the blade lined up with the pencil mark then I add in an engineer's square and now it is awkward pushing the fence up to the wood and latching it. There has to be a better way?

Thanks!

Andy

 

[Orraloon]

A lot of them do that. Well mine does anyways. I get around it by pressing up to the front rail before tightening up the handle. Dragging it sideways by the handle tends to cant it a bit. I dont mess about with a square for every cut and am happy as long as the cut does not wander. Now that said the saw itself needs to be reasonably well set up. Mr Snodgrass has the answers for that and about any other bandsaw problems. Check out his other clips too.
The Best Way to Set Up a Bandsaw! - YouTube
Regards
John

 

[--Tom--]

The fence wants to be aligned with the blade, which may or may not be with the table. Using your square to set it how you have pictured may not work.

The snodgrass link above will give you the process.

If you do need to adjust the fence for parallel that’s what the two screws on the top are used for - slacken them, line up the fence and then tighten them up again.

If you want to get the table square and true to the cut too that’s more involved, and only really relevant if you cross cut with a mitre gauge. Bandsaws aren’t great for cross cutting and it’s easy enough to cut to a marked line if you want to cross cut roughly so I’ve never bothered

 

[Mike Fletcher]

I use a magnet on the blade FLAT AREA ONLY, not on the teeth. Then a 250mm steel ruler on the magnet. Set the fence parallel to the ruler. There is also a thing called a "Bandsaw Buddy" which is essentially the same magnet / ruler set up.

 

[robgul]

I use a magnet on the blade FLAT AREA ONLY, not on the teeth. Then a 250mm steel ruler on the magnet. Set the fence parallel to the ruler. There is also a thing called a "Bandsaw Buddy" which is essentially the same magnet / ruler set up.

The Bandsaw Buddy (Axminster) works well - I have a Record 250 and yes the fence tends to move - I position it and then hold down the end away from the lever with my right hand to keep it in position and then use my left hand for the locking lever.

 

[Lons]

As soon as you cut any sort of curve you introduce a twist to the blade and the chances are the guide will have to be re adjusted again. Bandsaws aren't really designed for accurate rip cutting though it can be done especially if you need to re saw large lumps to smaller thickness. You can't get a satisfactory finished cut anyway so why not cut freehand to a marked line and finish with a hand plane. Quicker, easier and far more accurate.

I'm not saying that's what should be done just the way I work and I'm biased because if I want accurate straight cuts I use my table saw or track saw though out of the three it's the bandsaw I'd keep if I could have only one, because it's more versatile Mine is a Startrite 352 so I have no experience of your saw.

 

[ajayre]

I use a magnet on the blade FLAT AREA ONLY, not on the teeth. Then a 250mm steel ruler on the magnet. Set the fence parallel to the ruler. There is also a thing called a "Bandsaw Buddy" which is essentially the same magnet / ruler set up.

Oooh, I like this idea - thanks!

 

[ajayre]

Many thanks for all the helpful replies! Andy