Getting a straight cut with a bandsaw?

[Rich05]

I have a harbor frieght metal bandsaw 4x6 i think . Is there a trick to getting clean straight cuts without a guide. This bandsaw only has a small metal plate for a table. I am thinking of making a bigger table with a guide to be able to hold the part. Any suggestions appreciated, not getting good cuts right now.

[automizer]

replace all the guide blocks with bearings this helps alot

[fpworks]

First of all, how good do you need your cuts?

Have you taken a machinist's square and an indicator to it yet?

[Mr.Chips]

Band Saws even after aligning all the guids and tracking still (at least my experience) do not cut parallel to the edge of the table. They have a "natural" tendacy to cut the way they want. I start a cut and angle the piece side to side until you find the natural angle where you no longer have to keep making little sisde to side tweaks to have it cut straight. Then put your fence on and secure it and it will cut straight. Change blades, you need to do it all over again.

Anyway band saws are not well suited for really straight cuts. Use a table saw.

Good luck.

[Rich05]

just put a cutoff wheel in a table saw?

i found this link the owner made a nice guide for a table saw

http://www.finelinehair.com/home/bandsaw.htm

[ger21]

I think MrChips is talking about cutting wood on a bandsaw.

[Geof]

....Is there a trick to getting clean straight cuts without a guide....

Yes, practise, practise, practise.

I have never had success with guides, I find the blade always wants to run off one way or the other and the guide stops you doing the tweaking to keep the cut straight.

An important part of technique for good cuts, I find, is to push the material into the blade a lot slower than you want to.

If you do a bit of experimenting making straight cuts pushing at different speeds you will find that up to a certain speed the blade seems to 'float' through the material, and if you try going faster than this you can feel it fighting back; always push a little bit slower than this limit and you will reduce the tendency of the blade to wander.

And always use a sharp blade.

[DareBee]

It is possible you are using to fine a blade as well. If so it will create excessive cut resistance and make the blade want to wander more than usual.
Rule of thumb is 3 teeth engaged.

[Mike Horne]

My original blade on the HF bandsaw wore badly on one side, due to me abusing the limits of the machine After that, it cut beautiful curves... just not in the correct plane. Nothing to do but replace the blade. A higher quality blade had much better life.

Check to see if one side of your blade is dull. There should be alternating little bends in the teeth to provide kerf, if one side is more worn, then the side that cuts more aggresively seems to pull the cut in that direction.


Mike

[martinw]

IMVVHO, it always helps if you put the blade tension into the "red zone". We are talking violin strings here...

Best wishes,

Martin

[Geof]

IMVVHO, it always helps if you put the blade tension into the "red zone". We are talking violin strings here...

Best wishes,

Martin

A above middle C

[budP]

You must break in a metal cutting bandsaw blade in by first cutting on a fairly large round bar so as not damage the teeth with the first cut..You dont need to cut the round piece off just cut enough to make sure all the teeth are fully engaged in the sawcut.

budP