bb

"brianlanning"

06/11/2006 10:54 AM

Bandsaw Hyjinx

The other day, I saw where someone had cooked up a router height gauge
that used a dial indicator. I had to have one of these. So I figured
this would be a great quick project that would use my bandsaw and drill
press, two tools I've been wanting to use on a project. (you see, I've
been making a lot of cabinets and such lately...)

So I head over to my bandsaw. It's a Delta 14" with a riser block. I
Noticed that I had my 1/2 inch blade on it. No problem, I'll switch
over to that 1/8" blade which should be perfect for cutting out this
curvy piece of hickory.

An hour later, I had it working. But I learned a couple things:

1. Bandsaws are difficult to adjust correctly.

2. I suck at adjusting bandsaws.

And I've read Larry Byrd's book. I guess I need to read it again.

My main problems were that the tension wasn't right, and I had the
thrust bearing too far forward. And even if I hadn't made these
mistakes, getting the tracking just right was difficult as well.
People talk all the time about dedicating routers to certain bits. I'm
ready to pick up a grizzly 14" bandsaw just so that I can have a 1/8"
blade and a 1/2" blade installed and tuned at the same time. Maybe I
need a third one with a bimetal blade for metal work. And a big fourth
one for heavy resawing.

The VS drill press worked perfectly the first try. :-)

brian


This topic has 6 replies

bb

"brianlanning"

in reply to "brianlanning" on 06/11/2006 10:54 AM

06/11/2006 1:27 PM

tommyboy wrote:
> On 6 Nov 2006 10:54:45 -0800, "brianlanning" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
> Well there's your problem. Larry Byrd's books are about basketball,
> not bandsawing.

I'm having a bad day. I just posted a "nerbie" question over in the
metalwork group.

brian

Lr

"Leon"

in reply to "brianlanning" on 06/11/2006 10:54 AM

06/11/2006 7:47 PM


"brianlanning" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
Snip

>
> 1. Bandsaws are difficult to adjust correctly.

Most are, the better ones are a snap.
I went from an old hard to adjust Craftsman to an 18" Rikon. The Rikin was
better but still a PIA. Now I have a LT16HD Laguna and adjustments take
little time and tracking is almost a non issue. I seldom have to adjust
tracking unless going from a 1/4" blade to a 1" blade. That adjustment
takes about 1/4" turn of the tracking wheel.

>
> 2. I suck at adjusting bandsaws.

So did I . You need a much better band saw. :~)


>
> And I've read Larry Byrd's book. I guess I need to read it again.

Yes, some times it is the equipment and not you.





tt

tommyboy

in reply to "brianlanning" on 06/11/2006 10:54 AM

06/11/2006 9:18 PM

On 6 Nov 2006 10:54:45 -0800, "brianlanning" <[email protected]>
wrote:


>And I've read Larry Byrd's book. I guess I need to read it again.
>

Well there's your problem. Larry Byrd's books are about basketball,
not bandsawing.

Ll

Leuf

in reply to "brianlanning" on 06/11/2006 10:54 AM

06/11/2006 2:29 PM

On 6 Nov 2006 10:54:45 -0800, "brianlanning" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>People talk all the time about dedicating routers to certain bits. I'm
>ready to pick up a grizzly 14" bandsaw just so that I can have a 1/8"
>blade and a 1/2" blade installed and tuned at the same time. Maybe I
>need a third one with a bimetal blade for metal work. And a big fourth
>one for heavy resawing.

Right next to my 14" Delta with the 1/2" blade is my 9" Ryobi with a
1/4" blade, and right next to that is the scroll saw. Chances are one
of them can do it. I do still have to put the 1/8" blade on the big
one for thick stock, but it doesn't happen that often.


-Leuf

Pp

Prometheus

in reply to "brianlanning" on 06/11/2006 10:54 AM

07/11/2006 5:15 AM

On 6 Nov 2006 10:54:45 -0800, "brianlanning" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>The other day, I saw where someone had cooked up a router height gauge
>that used a dial indicator. I had to have one of these. So I figured
>this would be a great quick project that would use my bandsaw and drill
>press, two tools I've been wanting to use on a project. (you see, I've
>been making a lot of cabinets and such lately...)
>
>So I head over to my bandsaw. It's a Delta 14" with a riser block. I
>Noticed that I had my 1/2 inch blade on it. No problem, I'll switch
>over to that 1/8" blade which should be perfect for cutting out this
>curvy piece of hickory.
>
>An hour later, I had it working. But I learned a couple things:
>
>1. Bandsaws are difficult to adjust correctly.
>
>2. I suck at adjusting bandsaws.

Don't get too hard on yourself. They can be tricky, and it takes a
fair amount of practice to get it tuned in just right quickly.

l

in reply to "brianlanning" on 06/11/2006 10:54 AM

07/11/2006 4:34 AM

In article <[email protected]>,
brianlanning <[email protected]> wrote:
>The other day, I saw where someone had cooked up a router height gauge
>that used a dial indicator. I had to have one of these. So I figured
>this would be a great quick project that would use my bandsaw and drill
>press, two tools I've been wanting to use on a project. (you see, I've
>been making a lot of cabinets and such lately...)
>
>So I head over to my bandsaw. It's a Delta 14" with a riser block. I
>Noticed that I had my 1/2 inch blade on it. No problem, I'll switch
>over to that 1/8" blade which should be perfect for cutting out this
>curvy piece of hickory.
>
>An hour later, I had it working. But I learned a couple things:
>
>1. Bandsaws are difficult to adjust correctly.
>
>2. I suck at adjusting bandsaws.
>
>And I've read Larry Byrd's book. I guess I need to read it again.
>
>My main problems were that the tension wasn't right, and I had the
>thrust bearing too far forward. And even if I hadn't made these
>mistakes, getting the tracking just right was difficult as well.
>People talk all the time about dedicating routers to certain bits. I'm
>ready to pick up a grizzly 14" bandsaw just so that I can have a 1/8"
>blade and a 1/2" blade installed and tuned at the same time. Maybe I
>need a third one with a bimetal blade for metal work. And a big fourth
>one for heavy resawing.
>
>The VS drill press worked perfectly the first try. :-)
>
>brian
>

Perhaps on a more practical note, how about a scrollsaw?


--
Often wrong, never in doubt.

Larry Wasserman - Baltimore, Maryland - [email protected]


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