HOW TO SET UP BAND SAW

Reality said, bandsaw setup is no child’s play! Though it’s a pretty simple piece of machinery, yet most budding workers have greater trouble in arranging the tool altogether and begin working. Astonishing as it may sound; many people have faltered in setting up the best bandsaws at the last step and kept wondering what exactly went wrong. Few vital areas like blade tracking, adjusting bearing and blade guides and more requires careful attention. Abiding by the manuals provided in the box as well as learning the art from professionals can make one adept at setting up bandsaws, in addition to ensuring that the cuts made are accurate and effortless. Few things to keep in mind while setting up bandsaws for availing optimum performance can be listed as under:

Table

A flat level table is the best bet for getting straight edges. Tables are required to be square in relation to the blade. To make it 90 degrees, trunnions attached under the table are meant to form the table from a square to almost any angle that’s required. Besides, table insert must be a little lower at the front end while the rear can have it in a higher position.

Blades

With the range of blades available in the market, selecting the most appropriate one can be a real headache! Anything ranging between 6mpm to 25mpm and having 1.5 TPI to 12 TPI will work to the best of their capacities. Generally, larger blades having smaller TPI make larger cuts on deeper woods while the reverse works true to aid in curved cuts. At the time of setting up the blade, one thing should be kept in mind- adjusting the top wheel, as that makes the maximum impact on the cuts.

Guide posts

Basically, the blade guard, thrust bearing and guide bearing are fitted to the post. To ensure that the wood is cut thick and uniform, the post moves up and down and thereby clears the space as well. If the column is nit square to the table, a change in gap means that the guides and bearings need to be rested every time when working. The top guide having two side guides are all on metal, so that heat and friction are reduced substantially.

Bottom guides

Not all bandsaws have this. For those with bottom guides, they must be adjusted well to ensure proper saw run. Some even have the guides fitted to shafts, which can be removed as per the convenience of users. Setting up this is a tad time-consuming. Once it’s mastered, the best results can be had. Bandsaws differ and so do their features. In order to fit the tool properly, a wise decision is always to practice thoroughly before going ahead with the operation.