How to Set Up a Bandsaw | Paul Sellers
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- Опубліковано 3 чер 2024
- These instructions on setting up a bandsaw should get you going with your machine. Paul swaps the blade in his machine and then goes through the process of aligning the blade and bearings as well as adjusting the tension for a pristine cut.
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The fact that you take the time to unplug the machine before working on it models the safety we should all follow...every single time. Thank you, sir.
You’re like the bob Ross of band saws just a really calm easy to follow voice
One thing I really respect about this channel is how the little "oops" moments don't get edited out. The fact that Mr. Sellers openly admitted he may have spun the adjustment wheel the wrong way and how he made a little error in setting the lower thrust bearing, then just goes on to say "oops" and fixes it. Doesn't make it a big deal, just the way life goes. These details really make his woodworking feel more accessable and open armed, especially to untrained hobbiests like myself. Thank you and your team!
as you say we are all human and its good to see someone make mistakes AND how the correct them
I concur. It is often of more value to see what can go wrong than seeing a picture perfect instruction and then realize your own tools don't behave perfect, like on the video.
Craig Clapper agree!
Thanks Paul. I got my first bandsaw yesterday and your video is just what the doctor ordered.
Ahhhh wood shop all over again except it way better. Good job Mr. Sellers. I really love your channel.
WRESTLING WITH A COBRA. LOLOLOL. You are the best Paul.
I have a small scar on the bridge of my nose from wrestling with a meat cutting bandsaw blade while trying to fold it!
Brilliant, clear instruction! Great tutorial Paul
Tim
Thank you very much, Paul, for your enlightenment!
Thanks Paul, quality instruction. This is a keeper. 👍👍
Very informative! I'm enjoying this series on the bandsaw, and I look forward to seeing what wonders Paul will work with it in future.
Thank you soo much, been waiting for a video just like this. My bandsaw might actually get some use now.
Great addition to the workshop,
looking forward to enhancing low level, existing woodworking skill,
very entertaining channel, certainly lots of wisdom and thanks for sharing!
Long live this channel and it's team
Thank you for all your videos. I learned a lot from you. I even started my on workshop :)
Spent many an hour on a Doall 2012 rough cutting mostly aluminum for a precision machine shop in the '80's. And then on to the Bridgeports and the big NC Cincinnati Milacron that read g-code on paper tape output by a flexowriter. Great videos. Keep em coming.
Great advice Paul, can I just add, that releasing all the blade guides first before fitting a new blade , will enable easier tracking on the wheels, as quite often the rear blade guide bearings cause the blade to be held too far forward, thereby stopping the blade tracking back far enough,once tracking and tension is OK blade side and rear thrust bearing ' adjustment should be done last. Not trying to criticise you Paul, just adding my 2 cent's from my own experience. Love your program's. Best wishes. Stuart
First thing I thought of. You can't set the tracking accurately when the bearings are pushing the blade out of position. Also much faster to make sure neither upper or lower bearings are pushing the blade out of position before trying to set the other. And yes, I've done it in the wrong order and it takes a lot longer. :)
Exactly my thought, but didn't want to criticize Paul, for whom I have great respect.
Thanks for showing and sharing that
Very helpful and easy to understand. Thanks
Thank you, much appreciated.
This is very helpful for me. I bought a smaller bandsaw for the first time a month ago and I was afraid to start it. The manuel is very confusing since I have never used one. Now I have a general idea and will attempt to get it running this weekend. Thanks for the clear explanations!
I bought a Scheppach Basa 3 recently (wish I hadnt) and the manual is SHIT. The things with this bandsaw that really piss me off you woud not believe. German Engineering? Bollox.
Great video !!! Thank You so very much !!!;
Check for square with a block of wood. Make a cut in the block of wood then turn off the saw. Turn the block over and re-introduce the block to the blade. 21:40 If the blade is square to the table the blade will slide into the cut. If not re-adjust the table as required. The test, repeat and necessary.
Love your channel and your humor. I too have relaxed muscle. Requesting you tape a show with the subject ‘poor woman’s log slicer jig for the bandsaw’. Kidding aside, your keeping it simple approach, and great teaching skills would help this new woodworker.
Tank you so much, that will help.
Great vid! I just bough my HOLZMANN HBS 470 and this would help me to setup properly. Need to make a wheeled support for moving around workshop.
Whatever you do “DO NOT OPERATE WHILE ON WHEELS”
rusty nail agree! I need this only for transportation in workshop.
Use a couple of clothes pegs ( clothes pins for our friends in the US of A) to hold the blade on the lower wheel while fitting on the upper wheel.
That is a nice bandsaw
i have an inexpensive harborfreight sawmill ...the blades i was using were 1.25 wide but just reasonatly i was encouraged to try a 1 inch wide blade ...i didnt know till this video why that blade worked better till watching this ...i can see where the narrower blade doesnt require as much tenssion ....im gonna stay with the 1 inch wide blade ...ty for the info
I have never used a harbor freight bandsaw myself, but they are often criticized for not being stiff enough in the frame. Especially if they have a riser block too.
If you have metal working skills, bolting some reinforcements on the frame could be the answer to make your saw perform better.
I like the emphasis on cutting the power properly during adjustment. In my woodworking class the tutor said that a bandsaw or a table saw with a sharp blade in it can cut through a human finger in less time than it takes to feel it happening. So you may only know it is happening once it is too late. Safety is important around such powerful tools. You can't do nearly as much woodwork with parts of your hands missing.
I'm not saying this to say safety is not important. But it is way easier to have an accident while actually cutting wood. At the time you are replacing a blade, your attention is on the saw itself and not what you are doing. If you suspect the switch on the saw is unsafe by all means get it fixed at once. But I have never ever seen a saw switch itself on in my lifetime of working several places with saws that were over a hundred years old.
Personally, I feel quite confident in tracking the blade with the cabinet open and the saw running under power.
Practicing safe habits when cutting wood, like using a push stick and never ever have your fingers in front of the teeth is more important in my opinion. Accidents usually happen when you are tired or are doing a lot of repetitive work at the same machine all day.
@@Zigge Mostly we set up protocols surrounding safety so that they become patterns and good habits early on. On some machines with 'On' buttons in daft places, especially older machines that often had protruding buttons, it can be possible to catch the on button and turn on a machine with an elbow, an arm or a knee. So it is indeed best to start out with safe patterns and that is mainly the reason we start with the machines unplugged.
Also, people forget that wood splits at the worst possible moment. This alone has caused more near misses for me after using a bandsaw every day and sometimes eight hours a day. When the wood split last second I was always glad for patterns of safety I had set up as a direct response to near misses that could have gone badly wrong. The push stick has always given me the safe distance I needed.
Paul Sellers (this comment aimed mainly at Jens) Yes safety protocols bring about good habits. When you work on your own, perhaps your risk is low. But if you did this in a workshop with multiple people moving pieces of wood around, the worst could easily happen. The point is - get into good habits when you are working alone, and they will set you up for life.
@@MatSmithLondon I've worked as a professional carpenter for a couple of decades, mostly in shops with between 3 and 12 other carpenters.
Safe habits are good and so are properly maintained equipment and common sense.
Poul is 100% correct that there is old machines out there with household wall switches and worse. I would rather prefer he advised people to get those replaced with a safety switch designed for machinery.
@@Zigge Reason I replied that way was your comment "Personally, I feel quite confident in tracking the blade with the cabinet open and the saw running under power" - this seems pretty risky to me as surely the blade could spin off whilst setting up the angle of the wheel? It travels pretty fast.
Hi thanks great video really clear explanations! I have a Startrite 502s (looks older than yours, and bigger). I was hoping you would include how to change the blade speed. The manual doesn't make it clear how you get behind the lower band wheel to get to the band wheel pulley... would be interested to hear your thoughts! Many thanks. Charles
Video was good
I am surprised you didn’t mention that the rear of the gullet or tooth of the blade should be aligned with the centre of the blade as many people wrongly align the blade in the centre of the wheel thus leaving the teeth unsupported and hence have a wandering blade.
Also if the above is adhered to, the side adjusters never need altering even if a wider blade is fitted.
Another point is that it is worth removing the table, to make it easier to see how the blade aligns top and bottom and it is also easier to get to the adjusters resulting in perfect alignment every time.
Would it not be better to loosen both top and bottom bearings before starting the adjustments. Doing this will remove the need to go back and re-adjust one or other of the bearings
How do you get on with the rack and pinion rise and fall of the blade guide? I have a new 13”. The rack clogs up after half an hour and it takes the same time to clear it out. My 30 year old Startrite of the same size has a slide and clamp system which I have never had to service.
The rack system seems to be ubiquitous now. I guess they are all made in a couple of Chinese factories. Your saw is bigger and the teeth on the rack probably larger. If I follow the tension indicator the blade falls off. Otherwise it cuts well. I only get no drift when the blade is new. If I can figure it out I might be able to use a T nut and remove the rack.
My set up procedure now is1 set fence to mitre slot, 2 set blade on upper wheel with guides out of the way. 3 set guides. Test cut and adjust whole table to eliminate drift. Very few videos mention the last essential step
Always avoid cheap blades
Hi Paul, great video. I have a small garage workshop so I need to move my machines around. What system do you use for the bandsaw?
Great video, love all your videos. Have you ever tried the Alex Snodgrass method of adjustment, and what were your thoughts if you have, or try it and give your feedback if possible. Thanks Mr. Sellers
Hi Paul, great videos. Can I ask how you feel about this bandsaw now that you have owned it some time. I am close to buying a new bandsaw but can’t decide between this model and the Record power Sabre 450
Useful, thanks. Nice, big bandsaw (StartRite?) & tall fence . What diameter are the wheels (they look about 16"-18" to me)? Seems like most amateurs in the UK make do with relatively small bandsaws, maybe 8"-12" diameter wheels (or 3 wheel alternatives) but in the US, folk seem to consider 14" the size to go for (perhaps with a riser to lift the top wheel higher). So, by comparison, this seems like a big one (although I 've seen pictures of huge, old, industrial bandsaws). BTW 3-phase or single-phase? I have a 12" bandsaw, which is handy, but it can't quite manage 12" wide cuts (throat width limitation), perhaps that is why our American friends aim to get 14"+ bandsaws (they also tend to have more space, lower prices, lower taxes and a bigger secondhand market, which no doubt helps).
And of course each adjustment top or bottom can affect the previous adjustments, so go through the entire set of adjustments until you don't have any to still adjust. Would have been nice to see if the blade came back onto the lower wheel once your adjustments were done on the guides and tension.
Paul have ever come across the Indian version of bandsaw which has no tyre a flat and no curve steel wheel. They work well, but how, no body could explain if the science of both types is same or different. Old model Makita was also tyreless. Will very much appreciate if you shed some light on this. Regards.
Hi Paul. Happy holidays from Texas! Hey you mentioned in this video setting the alignment of the mitre slots on the table to run coplanar to the saw blade. Could you walk us through the steps to test and do this? It would be much appreciated. All the best. John
Mitre gauge slots in the same plane as the blade?
Parallel
Hi Paul, Great video and tutoring. May I ask rather than discard the old blades could one resharpen them? Bob.
Not too well without special equipment, grinders and such. it is a shame but it isd what it is. The steel is too hard for us mere mortals.
Great vid yet again Paul. Thank you. One question, is it possible to over tension a blade?
You can tension a blade more than is necessary to cut well which then puts added stress on the main machine frame as a whole, on the bearings in the two main blade carrying/drive wheels top and bottom and on the blade itself, be that at the weld point or generally on the whole blade. When the machine is on and making its thousands of revolutions in its general cutting action all of the component parts are effectively in a throwing motion which increases fatigue as the blade and the bearing age. Constant over tensioning will speed up the wear and cause ever increasing fatigue. Usually the blade will snap at an unpredictable point. Because of the spring pressure, the top wheel shoots up and makes an almighty bang as it hits its limiter. I have more videos coming out together with a PDF to discuss different issues in greater detail soon.
Thanks Paul. That makes perfect sense.
As others have commented, you should back off the rear guides before fitting a new blade. This enables correct tension to be set and for the guide clearance to be set just once.
Not explained in the video, is that "centred on the wheel" means that the bottom (rear as seen) of the gullet should be centred on the high point of the tyre. This point is not necessarily the middle line of the blade, and the tyre is not necessarily centred on the middle line of the wheel.
I was pleased that Paul did not mention the ridiculous "co-planar" demand often cited in bandsaw set up videos (mostly American, with the notable exception of the excellent Alex Snodgrass video) that can dog the effective and efficient setting up of a bandsaw. Proper running is achieved by adjusting the top wheel such that it will seldom be co-planar with the bottom wheel.
Unfortunately, Paul did not include setting the speed of the bandsaw, neither did he go into tensioning the drive belt, nor did he mention backing off blade and drive tension if leaving the bandsaw unused for a long time (as many hobbyists might do) to prevent flat-spotting the tyres and stretching the drive belt.
Finally, a typical Paul Sellers quiet, unassuming but hugely informative and very watchable video on what to do when, despite an apparently correct set-up, a >1\2" blade skews a cut being made with the workpiece against the fence (e.g., resawing) might be helpful to many.
Absolutely. Have the bottom of the gullet at the very "high spot" (crown) of the tire and then irrespective of blade width you are always gonna be right with the side bearings, or as near as dammit and minimise the adjustment that is required.
What would be the problem of cutting a slot in the fence so the blade fence can move up and down through the big fence?
I love your video and love the way you talking.
The mask in the end of the video really made me laugh out. :)
Paul, I didn't see in the video how you find and compensate for the natural drift of a bandsaw blade. You set your fence and table up square, that's a good thing. But unless you have some trick that you didn't cover a bandsaw blade will run to the left or the right when you cut long cuts. If you could address this in a future video it would be appreciated.
I think that you seem to expect drift with your bandsaw whereas a bandsaw set up correctly will cut straight a good percentage of the time. I am currently running four bandsaws, one a fifty year old, one a rinky dink model and then two 16`' models and I never expect blade drift until my blade begins to dull or I have something miss-set, or I am cutting some grains that divert the blade. Are you sure you have the right tension on your blade. This is a major cause of direction shift mid cut and indeed what is commonly referred to as drift.
With bandsaws the blade must be equally sharp or dull on both sides and the tooth set must be the same. No amount fiddling with guides etc will make an unequal sharpend or set blade cut straight. This goes for blades in metal cutting saws as well.
Adjust the whole table to eliminate drift after all the other adjustments are correctly done
How did you square the vertical back ?
I wonder why you say that the blade you removed was no longer good. Dull or because it has already been tensioned?
Thank you Paul for the video.
In this case the blade was becoming dull which affects straight cutting greatly. Straight cutting with a fence can be negated by the blade being less sharp even though the blade can still be sharp enough for use in other work. In this case I had ripped two thousand linear feet of plywood for a job. By the time I was done it had just started to waver ever so slightly. When this happens I change blades automatically but do not at all discard them. I will save these blades for rough cutting scraps into firewood sizing and also for freehand curved cutting which allows me to alter from direct thrust to counter any imbalance. I can still cut circles and woodturning blanks with them also.
@@Paul.Sellers Do you ever have them resharpened or just buy new?
@@Paul.Sellers It is possible to re sharpen a band saw blade using a bench grinder, and it might work with saw files as well. The bigger the teeth the easier it is, so 3tpi or 4 tpi is great, anything smaller it gets a little bit tricky! This takes a few minutes as you have maybe 300 to 500 teeth to sharpen but well worth doing. You can extend the life of a blade by 4 or 5 times.
Hi Paul. Q- After tension is set w/new blade, does it stretch after considerable use, which would require readjustment on occasion? New Band Saw Purchase! Thank You in advance.
They do need periodic adjustments because of pressure against the blade but generally the tension or stretch to the blade between the two wheels relies on the tension spring tensioning the top wheel upwards. The amount of stretch or pressure is fully compensated for so additional adjustments to tension could be as much a combination of things including things such metal fatigue allowing shifts and changes.
How do you know when it is inside out (might be useful for beginners)
The teeth will point up at the side of the cut.
When the blade is open and with the teeth facing you the teeth to the right will be facing downwards. If they are facing up you can simply twist the band outside in to change direction. You'd be surprised how many think the blades were made backwards.
Funny you mention that! A friend and I split the cost of a bandsaw last month, the guy was selling it cheap because, "It never really works right." I asked what he meant and he told me it cuts real slow and burns the cuts all the time. Turns out both the blades he had were upside down and he never noticed. So we got a nice bandsaw super cheap because it was "broken"!
I had instructed a young cabinetmaker on installing a new band saw blade by having him watch me as I explained. The next time the blade needed changing he volunteered to change it. When a test cut was made, it was discovered that he had installed it perfectly except that it was inside out. Embarrassed, he re-did it correctly and I'm quite sure never made that mistake again.
Paul have you ever had any table misalignment after pulling your band saw by the table? Personally I have had this very problem which became so frustrating not realising what was causing the table to move by just a small amount. Hands up, I didn’t work out the problem for myself initially, I had watched another channel that mentioned this problem and then the penny dropped.
What brand of saw is this Paul ? Looks like a Craftex with all the Rikon features ? As usual Great video sir, thank you
It’s a Startrite bandsaw.
@@PetterPJ3W , Thanks Mike for the clarification, looks like most saws or at least the decently built bandsaw are based and resemble 3-4 different type models , with the exception of a few bells and whistle and colour of paint. Cheers 🍻
👍👍👍👍
What fence system is that?
It's the Record Power Sabre fence.
Being fairly new to bandsaws, I have no confidence in opening up a new blade at all - as you say they are extremely sharp and I just couldn’t risk opening it up for fear of it springing into my arms or face! I ended up throwing it outside to open it up. Are there any tips on doing this properly? It looks complicated!
It's not complicated. Keep your arms covered especially when new to it. It is more a question of careful 'unfolding' the springy blade. You will feel its natural tendency as you do this and follow it by crossing your hands and releasing the tension as it opens up. Basically you are leading it out of twist.
Paul Sellers thanks for your reply. I’ll have a go next time with gloves and a jacket on!
@@joshjenkinson1929 How large is your bandsaw, Josh. The larger industrial bandsaws are the difficult ones because often these must be double looped to reduce diameter. We're talking bandsaws with wheels 30" on up here though.
It’s just a small one but the blade i had problems with was a large one I bought to make a heavy duty rip framesaw with. Now you mention it, I think I’d be okay with a smaller one. Could I thank you for taking the time to reply - I know you must be inundated with them. Also for enabling me to learn woodworking skills for free online. You really are an excellent teacher.
@@joshjenkinson1929 At a minimum, until you are experienced, wear leather gloves, eye protection, or better yet a face shield. And after you are experienced do the same thing.
Is there any reason you turned the top wheel when adjusting the bearings...why not turn the bottom wheel when adjusting the bottom bearing? Do you leave the tension on the blade when you know you won't be using the bandsaw for more than a day or two? Do you double check the bearings each time before you use the saw, or do the bearings hold, for the most part, once they're set? Thanks Paul!!
Mostly, hand turning is to see if the back of the blade is 'kissing' the back or thrust bearing. On most machines these days you cannot run the machine to watch as in times past. Many woodworkers used to do this to see how the blade tracked on the wheels. Many machines made now have an automatic off switch integrated with the doors so if a door is open it disallows a circuit. Once the blade is centred we often close everything up and run the machine for a minute to check that the full power has not sent the blade off centring and we adjust accordingly. The bottom wheel is fixed and not adjustable. The blade is centred and balanced between the top and bottom wheels. Once centred on the top, the bottom will be aligned also. There can be exceptions but usually this is caused by misaligned welds to the blade joint. I never take the tension of the blade and never have done and have never seen any degrade in any aspect of the blade or the machine. I generally keep my eye on the bearings just in case but mostly they remain aligned. That said, blades can alter over the lifetime of their use and sometimes things do need alteration but mostly to the tension.
@@Paul.Sellers Great explanation! Thanks again Paul for this and all of your other fantastic videos.
It's good practice to disconnect all power to the saw before changing blades. As for opening folded blades, I never try to open with my hands - I take them outside and toss them on the grass and let it spring open.
Hi Bob, At 0:53 we actually show disconnection from the power supply so it is very clear for safe practices.
I stand corrected. But please take my advice as a former research prof of surgery: "Especially with electrically powered tools, there are no safe machines. There should be only mindful and cautious operators."
Bob Blarney very bizarre caution, Bob. Paul covered safety very clearly
@@MatSmithLondon Perhaps you wouldn't consider it so bizarre if you'd seen some of the injuries that I have over the years - often sustained by very experience personnel.
Bob Blarney no, I don’t find it bizarre to give safety warnings. I find it bizarre that Paul did just that, and you are still asserting he didn’t!
Nice. I am about to inherit one. Paul is always my best teacher. But, that faceguard helmet looks ridiculous. Looks like it was cobbled from a hockey helmet.
Ridiculous??? I want good lungs all the way to the end of my life, Kevin, and I don't care how I look doing it. My air is clean, clean , clean. This mask is an air filter taking any air I breath through filtering pads in the top, overhead region and passing a nice waft of cool air over my face so there is no misting up.
@@Paul.Sellers LOL, fair play. On closer inspection I see the tight form fitting area around your jaw. But I am curious about the helmet. What does that do for you? A common respirator will not work? Please teach me as you always do.
I always thought that because of the offset of the teeth if you are parallel to the blade and you are close enough to going dead on you should be good. The reason is that the only part that cuts is the teeth and as long as you don't hit the back of the blade with the offcut the front will stay on course. Now I understand why you do what you do because it's doing the same thing just easier to explain I guess.
There's people that will do runout tests and really spend hours setting a handsaw up.
B