Anybody proficient with a bandsaw?

Mark Barone

Mark Barone

Well-Known Member
I was given a small craftsman bandsaw. It doesn't appear to scroll to well, even trying to do mild turns. I have thin and thicker blades. Does that mean the blade is too loose? I really don't seem to see any adjustment to loosen or tighten the blade. Btw I'm cutting wood for knifescales, not metal.
 
There's a guide for the blade that can be adjusted up and down. Set it so that it's close to the piece that's being cut while still being able to see what's going on.
PhotoPictureResizer_181225_145109489_crop_356x367.jpg
 
I have a Craftsman bandsaw as well. If yours is the same as mine you should have a knob on the top that will loosen or tighten the blade. I can post a pic later if that will help
 
You have 2 good responses. Here is one more response for ya. Look at the photo Ty sent you. At the bottom of the guide you will see a few rollers or maybe a flat guide like mine. They too need to be adjusted to keep the blade inline.
 

Attachments

  • 20181225_175626.jpg
    20181225_175626.jpg
    733 KB · Views: 5
Sean Jones said:
I have a Craftsman bandsaw as well. If yours is the same as mine you should have a knob on the top that will loosen or tighten the blade. I can post a pic later if that will help
Click to expand...

Yes I have that. Does that just have 2 settings... loose to take off the blade and turn a 1/4 turn to tighten the blade? No rush in the answer, I won't be doing anything until tomorrow.
 
springer82 said:
You have 2 good responses. Here is one more response for ya. Look at the photo Ty sent you. At the bottom of the guide you will see a few rollers or maybe a flat guide like mine. They too need to be adjusted to keep the blade inline.
Click to expand...

Oh I think that might be the major culprit. I think I have a big space in there. I'll check tomorrow and also adjust the other response ideas.
 
Retroguy said:
Yes I have that. Does that just have 2 settings... loose to take off the blade and turn a 1/4 turn to tighten the blade? No rush in the answer, I won't be doing anything until tomorrow.
Click to expand...

On mine there is actually a total of four knobs. The three that are marked with arrows on mine are for opening the doors to replace the band-saw blade and only require a quarter of a turn. The black knob on the very top is for loosening and tightening the band-saw blade. It will turn more than a quarter of a turn and will be tighter to turn as you tighten the blade with it. You want it tight but not too tight. Too loose and it won't cut...too tight and you might break the blade..which is never fun. It takes a bit of practice.

Hope this helps
Bandsaw.jpg

Bandsaw-closeup.jpg
 
Last edited:
It could also be what has been done to the blades before you received them/the saw. I was told that once a blade has been used to do a radius it can only really be used for a radius in future as the blade has a memory as such once side used that way. So if you want to do straight cut you need two separate blades.

Also cheap blades are junk and when put up against a good quality blade there is no comparison. If you going to do a lot on scales I would use a table saw with a decent thin blade as even a cheap table saw beats a band saw from my experience as the blade does not wander.
 
Yes I am having no luck. I tried all the adjustments above and it's a new blade. It's the smallest cheapest craftsman. Maybe my expectations are too high.
 
If you haven't or don't know how to adjust a bandsaw Google "bandsaw clinic with alex snodgrass" this is the best adjusting video I've seen. The other thing, for cutting right curves, take a small knife sharpening stone and round the corners on the trailing edge of the bandsaw blade. This allows easier turning corners.
 
Jesse Latham said:
If you haven't or don't know how to adjust a bandsaw Google "bandsaw clinic with alex snodgrass" this is the best adjusting video I've seen. The other thing, for cutting right curves, take a small knife sharpening stone and round the corners on the trailing edge of the bandsaw blade. This allows easier turning corners.
Click to expand...

That was a very helpful video. I can see there's a lot I've been doing wrong on my own band-saw.
 
Retroguy said:
I was given a small craftsman bandsaw. It doesn't appear to scroll to well, even trying to do mild turns. I have thin and thicker blades. Does that mean the blade is too loose? I really don't seem to see any adjustment to loosen or tighten the blade. Btw I'm cutting wood for knifescales, not metal.
Click to expand...

What do you mean by “scroll well”? Are you saying that you cannot cut shapes/curves very well?

A bandsaw has two challenges: to cut curves and to cut straight lines without wandering. It is nearly impossible for the same blade to do both very well.

If you want to scroll cut, you want a very narrow, thin blade. However this blade is going to be terrible for resawing (cutting scales from a block, for example) and they are a gigantic pain to get the tracking right.

A blade this is 1/2” or wider will track straighter but isn’t going to do tight scroll work.

As a blade dulls it is going to want to pull to one side all the time when you cut.

I have a small 9” Grizzly bandsaw. It’s great for what it is, but there’s a reason companies make bigger, better saws. We have to be realistic about our expectations on these little mini-saws.
 
This is off topic, but, every time I read the title of this thread, I think to myself.... there are probably people here who are Picasso on a bandsaw lol.
 
John Wilson said:
What do you mean by “scroll well”? Are you saying that you cannot cut shapes/curves very well?

A bandsaw has two challenges: to cut curves and to cut straight lines without wandering. It is nearly impossible for the same blade to do both very well.

If you want to scroll cut, you want a very narrow, thin blade. However this blade is going to be terrible for resawing (cutting scales from a block, for example) and they are a gigantic pain to get the tracking right.

A blade this is 1/2” or wider will track straighter but isn’t going to do tight scroll work.

As a blade dulls it is going to want to pull to one side all the time when you cut.

I have a small 9” Grizzly bandsaw. It’s great for what it is, but there’s a reason companies make bigger, better saws. We have to be realistic about our expectations on these little mini-saws.
Click to expand...


Yes John , I meant cutting curves. I cut most of my straight cuts on my table saw. I do have a narrow thin blade, aybe 1/4 inch or less, but still it starts to twist as I do a moderate curve. I think I understand the adjustments from the help above and I am convinced my tiny band saw has its limitations.
 
Retroguy said:
Yes John , I meant cutting curves. I cut most of my straight cuts on my table saw. I do have a narrow thin blade, aybe 1/4 inch or less, but still it starts to twist as I do a moderate curve. I think I understand the adjustments from the help above and I am convinced my tiny band saw has its limitations.
Click to expand...

It is going to twist. The way you prevent that as much ad possible is to close down the top blade guides to allow the shortest unsupported length of blade that you can.

Your blade may also be too thin. Extremely thin kerf blades are for sheet materials.
 
John Wilson said:
It is going to twist. The way you prevent that as much ad possible is to close down the top blade guides to allow the shortest unsupported length of blade that you can.

Your blade may also be too thin. Extremely thin kerf blades are for sheet materials.
Click to expand...
I do have it all the way down, I think you are right on it being to thin and flexible. I didn't know they came in different thicknesses.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top