13 – Bandsaw Setup & Rust Prevention

Video - March 31, 2007

In this episode, I cover the basic setup and tuneup of one of the coolest tools in the shop: the bandsaw. Whether you plan on cutting veneer, re-sawing lumber, or cutting curves, the quality of the cut will improve if your bandsaw is properly tuned. Learn how to properly tension the blade, set the guides, adjust for drift, as well an many other tips can tricks.

Having trouble deciding what blade to buy? I’ll help you with that too! For most woodworking tasks, I recommend:

1/2″ Wide – 3 TPI – Hook Configuration – Minimal Set

Products Used

Wood Slicer

Discussion

Scott Martin March 31, 2007 2:45 pm

Wanananana – Nanananana – Nanananana – Nanananana
- colin May 30, 2009 3:30 am
  
  When will the USA catch up with the rest of the World and go METRIC !!
thewoodwhisperer March 31, 2007 2:59 pm

I can’t understand you when you speak in slow motion like that. :)
Herman March 31, 2007 5:20 pm

Marc, Could you please elaborate more on the dry lubricant you used on your new “drool” bandsaw you have aquired.
Mark March 31, 2007 7:08 pm

Wonderful tips Mark. I tune band saws for a living and you have some very good advice.
Jim March 31, 2007 7:38 pm

So did Powermatic hook you with with the sweet saw? *Jealous*

Just got a craftsman 14″ a while back. My fist BS, so some of the things you may consider common sense are new to me. Thanks for going through the setup. (shopping list; T-9 Boeshield, renaissance wax, silicon carbide stone :)
thewoodwhisperer March 31, 2007 7:53 pm

The dry lubricant I use is Super Lube and I got it from Lowes. It goes on wet and dries within seconds. Good stuff.
Geoff March 31, 2007 11:14 pm

You’re a drummer???
thewoodwhisperer March 31, 2007 11:31 pm

You know it! Kept me sane in college. :)
McKay Sleight April 1, 2007 4:01 pm

I have five bandsaws (1 14″ powermatic–my own) and 4 (2 Laguna’s, 1 Yates-American and one Ricon) at the school that I teach wood working. Your information is good and accurate. I prefer the ceramic guides of the Laguna. The carter on the Yates-American is adequate. The Ricon sucks. It would be nice to have the time to do all that you suggest. But alas, most of the time I am not sure what my name is. It reminds me of an old wood worker and wholesale wood salesman that had a triple exposed picture of a rooster that said, “I am so confused that I do not know where to put my pecker”. Thanks for the good work.
Darryl April 1, 2007 5:15 pm

nice episode! it again shows how your show is so completely different than any other woodworking show I’ve ever seen! Keep up the great work.

Now I need to go out and get myself a bandsaw so I can put all these tips to good use!

…oh and I hope Nicole didn’t beat you too bad for poking her!
Jeff Jackson April 2, 2007 7:49 am

Marc,
What blades do you put on your bandsaws for resawing? BC Saw? WoodSlicer? Lennox? Laguana? What has been you best performer?

Thanks,

Jeff
thewoodwhisperer April 2, 2007 7:59 am

I like Lennox, but that is primarily because David Marks always used Lennox and I like their cut quality. I occasionally play with Timberwolf blades as well. THe other brands you mentioned all have great reputations too, so I would not recommend against them. In general, as long as you stay away from the cheapie brands, you can’t really go wrong.
Frank April 2, 2007 1:10 pm

Marc,

Excellent job. This is actually one of the best videos that I have seen regarding tuning up a band saw. I will be sure to pass it along.

One final comment, I understand Woodcraft also sells something equivalent to â
Charles Beland April 3, 2007 6:16 pm

Mark,
i can’t watch the videos at all. I am using Firefox browser. I have Windows XP, quick time, & windows media player.
thewoodwhisperer April 3, 2007 8:11 pm

Hey Charles. There are two ways to view the videos, either right on the page with the flash video, or either one of the two quicktime MP4’s. If you have updated versions of your browser and Quicktime, you should be able to see the files. If not, there could be any number of reasons why. And unfortunately that goes a bit beyond my troubleshooting expertise. You can always try to download ITunes and subscribe to the show that way. The videos will all play withing ITunes.

Sorry you are having difficulty.
Lance Chase April 5, 2007 5:42 pm

Marc, I want to thank you for this pod cast on tune up for band saws. I went and made all the adjustments to my band-saw after watching it and ,what do you know, It actually can re saw wood now with out drifting. Even with my bad eyes I was able to re saw a piece of willow with little to no drifting. Again I thank you.
Lance
(charger1966)
nick April 9, 2007 12:06 pm

concerning blade width, wouldnt a 3/4 inch blade give you even better results in regards to cutting uber thin veneer?
thewoodwhisperer April 9, 2007 1:57 pm

Hey Nick. Some folks certainly do believe that the wider blades would be better for thin veneer. From my experience, I have seen little difference in cut quality between 3/4″ and 1/2″ blades. So since 1/2″ blades are cheaper, I stick with the 1/2″. Plus the 1/2″ blades are more versatile in terms of cutting tighter curves.
Thomas Porter April 11, 2007 10:06 pm

One of the things I was waiting for you to talk about with regard to the bandsaw blade tension was detensioning the blade after use. I always seem to forget to do that, and I’ve been told it is better for the saw and the blade to do so. Is this something you practice?
thewoodwhisperer April 12, 2007 8:46 am

Hey Thomas. I personally think it depends on your usage. If you use the saw at least once a week, (or just spin the tires a half turn), I dont see any issue leaving the bandsaw tensioned. And unless you have a quick release mechanism on your saw, tensioning and detensioning every time can be a real pain as well as lead to an inaccurate tension setup. I know you can count the number of turns, but after a while, that going to get pretty old. So call me lazy, but I usually dont worry about it too much.
brian April 23, 2007 7:18 pm

Marc, great site and I love the videos. You showed how to fold the blade, but what I was waiting for was the safe way to unfold the blade. I don’t have a bandsaw yet (but I’m always keeping an eye out for a deal!), so maybe unfolding a blade is not a big deal.
Chris Norman July 5, 2007 1:14 am

Hi from the wood mimer ie i’m just getting back into it. thanks for your inspiration
Dawg September 10, 2007 9:28 am

Great Podcast, you do a great job of adding touch of humor to the woodworking, and not to mention that you offer very good informaiton.

I see that you got the Super Lub at Lowes, where did you get the other items (T-9 Boesheild, Silicon Carbide Stone and Renaissance Wax)?

Thanks and keep up the good work.
Mike Kunkel October 30, 2007 7:18 am

It’s generally a very bad idea to start a bandsaw before adjusting the guides. This can often lead to destroyed blades and/or bearings. We have come across many bandsaws that the owners believed to be no good, only because the owner never adjusted the guide bearings and they were severely damaged as a result.
Jordan November 23, 2007 9:32 pm

I saw this video when it first came out, but didn’t own a BS at the time. This past week I assembled my new BS and thought I’d gotten it set up good enough. Alas I was mistaken and disappointed when I tried to slice my first veneer. So I watched this video again it was a tremendous help in understanding the concepts. Back to the owners manual with this knowledge, and in about an hour I’d gotten the blade tracking properly, set the bearing guides correctly, lubed my blade, and sliced some veneers that while not quite perfect, were so much closer to what I expected that now I’m ecstatic with my new purchase. Thanks so much Marc…I might have gotten it done without your help but it never would have been as easy as it was.
Mike Kapotsy December 30, 2007 3:55 pm

I have a 14″ Powermatic bandsaw. The tire keeps coming off the upper wheel and I cannot seem to keep it from doing it. The guards keep it on but this is making my saw unusable for fear the blade will jump off. Why is this happening and what can I do to prevent it?

Also, the saw was in storage from some time and developed quite a bit of surface rust on the table. What is the best method for removing this surface rust and cleaning the table up to a smooth clean surface?

Thanks! Mike K.
thewoodwhisperer December 30, 2007 4:29 pm

Hey mike. If the tire is actually coming off, I am afraid there is a serious problem. A tire should be fit so snugly that its a real pain to get off. I hope you meant that the blade keeps coming off. If it is the tire though, I would not hesitate to call Powermatic and get their tech service to help you out. That’s an unusual issue.

Now if the blade is popping off, there are only so many things that could cause it. And most of those things were covered in this video. You blade should be free of any kinks. The tracking should be set so that the blade stays on the tire. And the the guides should be set properly. Also, the upper and lower wheel should both be in the same plane. So run a long straight edge to confirm this. Now if you’ve set all this right, the blade should track properly. If it doesnt, check everything again. :)
thewoodwhisperer December 30, 2007 4:31 pm

Oh and for the rust, I like to use the same treatment as I described in this video. Only start by using some sand paper and WD-40 to remove the heavy rust. I might go as low as 180 or 220 grit if the rust is really bad. Then wipe it down with mineral spirits and proceed through the rest of the process from the video.

Hope that helps.
Mike Kapotsy December 30, 2007 8:32 pm

Marc,

Thank you so much for the reply and so quickly! Well unfortunately I did mean the tire is coming off. As I mentioned, it was in storage for a year or so and I think the tire is getting old. It has a few spider cracks when you look at it really close. I was reading on some websites after I posted my question where the tires are typically glued on with a type of adhesive. I was hoping your answer would be I need to reapply some adhesive. Can I just order a replacement urethane tire or rubber one and throw the old one away? Which type would you recommend?

Thanks for the info on the table also. I will have to use some sandpaper for sure because it’s got quite a bit of surface rust. The bandsaw was my father’s and he purchased it in 1999. Up till now it has worked great for me.

I appreciate your help! Mike
thewoodwhisperer December 30, 2007 9:06 pm

Wow. That is scary Mike. Replacing the tires sounds like a great idea to me. Now i have never needed to use adhesive with my tires, but I have heard of people doing that. Truthfully, I would only do it if you notice the new tire slipping. And I would not try to salvage the old tire. Rubber is rubber and as you no, time and weather are not rubber’s friends.
I have never used them, but if I were replacing my tires I would buy these:
http://www.rockler.com/product.....;sid=AFN86

And if they fit nice and tight, then skip the adhesive for now. Of course there may be some logical reason to apply the glue anyway that I’m not aware of…… And with those new tires, I bet that thing will perform like a champ!

Good luck.
Marty Weis June 27, 2008 3:55 am

Thanks for the link to the wheel tires. The price is right, beware all you that are hunting wheel tires that not all of them are sold in pairs. The link provided previously is a good price for a pair, plus if you sign up for a year of Woodworkers Journal you get the second year free. No clue if it is a good rag or not but will have to check it out. Just a heads up you soak the rubber in soapy hot water before you put em on, then run a dowel around the wheel inside the tire to even out the tension of the rubber. (Or so I’ve heard). Please correct me if I’m wrong. You might have covered this in the vid, I have not gotten it to run yet.
Robert Berendsen October 16, 2008 12:09 pm

Nothing more to add to what I’ve already read – I’ve had my Jet for a number of years and haven’t used it in about 5. My kids helped me move (downsize) into a retirem’t community, so nothing was taken particular care in the move – just get it in the truck and get him out of here. Can’t find anything, like the manual, so your video will really come in handy to keep me from cutting off a limb or whatever, but I was wondering how I could find other videos on the band saw on your site. I see there’s one on table saws and I would guess there probably is on a radial as well. I shot a ripped piece through the garage wall (glad no one was in front of it) because I’d forgotten how to prevent such mishaps. Got a lot of re-studying to do. Thanks to you, one has already been helped. Hadn’t de-tensioned the blade on the BS: have I created a problem? It’s probably been the same tension for 2 or 3 years!

Thanks Marc!

BB
John Range January 1, 2009 10:55 pm

Great work Mark – the videos are very helpful. This sort of content is amongst the best the web has to offer – expert people sharing their skills!
Kind regards
JR
Kevin April 16, 2009 8:30 pm

Thanks for another view on blade tensioning. All I’ve had to go by is the manual and it’s nice to see some more info.

I use an alternate method of folding a blade. Hold the blade in front of you with your hand at the top of the loop. Palm up and out. Rest the bottom of the loop on the floor and step on it with your foot. Twist your hand around the verticle axis (as best you can) while lowering it toward your foot. If you’re using your right hand you will twist it counter clockwise as you lower it.
karin corbin July 23, 2009 12:01 am

Would you please post this video on youtube.com

I would like to be able to include it in my blog.
Thomas Hansen September 28, 2009 1:14 pm

Hi Marc,

first of all thanks for your great videos. I
StratMan9000 December 13, 2009 9:23 pm

how do you get the table squared up for crosscuts with the miter slot? or do you just not worry about it.
- thewoodwhisperer December 14, 2009 8:35 am
  
  Actually, I never even thought about it. If I do a cross-cut on the bandsaw, its usually only rough anyway. Bandsaws don’t exactly leave the cleanest cuts when going cross grain. So its something i never really even take into consideration.
  - StratMan9000 December 14, 2009 11:11 am
    
    Oh, OK. I also noticed that the blade is really close to front, instead of sort of centered in the hole. Is that a valid concern, or nothing to worry about?
    - thewoodwhisperer December 14, 2009 11:14 am
      
      Well, that depends on how close it is. If its close enough that it might actually hit the insert at some point, then that is not ok. I would try to back the blade up a bit on your wheels. But there is really no pressing need to have it perfectly centered.
    - StratMan9000 December 14, 2009 11:19 am
      
      OK, cool!
      It’s our first bandsaw, so I don’t know much about it.
Johnny December 31, 2009 1:56 pm

Do you have a video on sanding the bandsaw tires? I can’t seem to find one online anywhere.

Thanks

Johnny
- thewoodwhisperer December 31, 2009 3:37 pm
  
  No, sorry Johnny. And I haven’t seen one on the web either.
shotgunn January 3, 2010 3:43 pm

Hey Marc,

I am absolutely addicted to your site. I just bought a Cal Hawk 14″ (I never heard of it either;). It was VERY poorly maintained and even more poorly setup. Since I saw this video, I knew that I could get this machine running nice and smooth.

I was all set to get the Carter ($169) upgrade for my $100 investment. Then I saw this video. I went for the graphite phenolic blocks instead. (still awaiting the shipment.

I also order a 3 pack of zero clearance inserts. (not to mention the blade lube, and file.) How do you recommend cutting the zero clearance insert? I am familiar with this process on a table saw, but have never thought of how it can safely be done on a band saw.

Any tips? Maybe you can add a short clip to the video…

Thanx for the added inspiration!!!

shotgunn
- thewoodwhisperer January 3, 2010 4:47 pm
  
  Glad you are enjoying the site Shotgunn! I actually don’t even have a zero clearance insert on my bandsaw, but it definitely is a good idea. I would probably just saw a kerf in the plastic using a hand saw. That should at least allow you to slide the insert over the blade. Then carefully turn the blade on and it should clear any excess material within a few seconds. I probably wouldn’t try to use the saw itself to make the kerf cut, unless you come up with some kind of jig to make it safe and accurate.
  
  Good luck!
  - shotgunn January 6, 2010 12:21 pm
    
    Marc,
    
    I got my blade, lube, table inserts, and blade file. I was setting up my bandsaw last night and I accidentally broked the lower guide mount. DOH!!!!!!! I hope this machine isn’t a lemon!!!
    
    Before I broke it, I had the machine running. (not cutting, just turned on) I noticed that the blade was moving back and forth, as in front to back. The top wheel looked to be running pretty straight, The lower wheel didn’t look as straight. Prior to realizing the I checked and adjusted the wheels to make sure they were coplanar.
    
    Is there any way to adjust the lower wheels usually? I know you can’t posssibly know every band saw, but is there anything I can do? Or is this not a major problem? It seems to me that this would not make for a clean or safe cut.
    
    Also, my throat plate hole in the table is just a hair less than 2 1/2″ in diameter. I bought 2 1/2″ inserts, any tips on how I can make them a bit smaller?
    
    Too many issues, aarrrggggg!!!!!!
    
    I just wanna cut some wood!
    
    Thanx,
    
    shotgunn
    - thewoodwhisperer January 7, 2010 10:06 am
      
      Troubleshooting bandsaw issues can be a real pain. In fact, a while back we had someone with that same oscillating wobble problem and pretty much everything I suggested DIDN’T work, ha. Now the only adjustment I know of for the lower wheel is simply moving it in and out. You can do this by placing washer of various sizes on the bolt. But if yours are coplanar, it doesn’t sound like you’ll need to do this. Now if you had the mount break, something sounds a little fishy to me. Why did the part break? I fear that if parts are already breaking on this thing, we can’t expect all the other parts to be precision milled and seeing some sort of wobble in the blade isn’t entire unexpected, you know?
    - shotgunn January 7, 2010 10:42 am
      
      I think the mount are made of lead… I tightened the mounts, evidently a bit too much. The metal around the bolt just sort of crumbled.
      
      I may have to get Carter guides after all.
    - shotgunn January 7, 2010 10:36 pm
      
      I have some potentially good news!!! I went to the Grizzly site, they have pretty much all of their parts available for order on the web. I searched the parts for all of their 14″ bandsaws… I found one that has what looks to be an identical lower support bracket. The great news is it is only $8 ($15.70 w/ shipping). So hopefully this will fit. I may have to tap new mounting holes, but that is totally doable.
      
      shotgunn
Elwood January 6, 2010 6:07 am

Nice videos. I recently aquired a old, but not too old bandsaw and recently fixed it up (previous user had half the table rested and had some spray paint on it? I replaced the tires with the urethane (works great), and my father in law helped me build a 6 inch extention block to install on it. It currently has a 3/4 horse motor on it. I have a 12 inch jet I will be using soley as a detail machine, and this one will be always set up as a resaw machine. With the 3/4 horse motor, do you recommend installing a larger motor, or see if the 3/4 horse works fine for resawing?
- thewoodwhisperer January 6, 2010 10:14 am
  
  Well, no doubt you’ll be better off with a full 1 HP. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do any resawing with 3/4HP. So I would probably just use the 3/4 HP and see how it goes. If you tend to use the full capacity with the new 6″ extension block, you’ll probably need to upgrade sooner than later. But I wouldn’t recommend buying a new motor until you determine that your work requires it.
Jim January 11, 2010 10:06 pm

I spent the last couple days messing with my band saw I have talked about it in the forum, Then I came back to this I do remember this video and it is great, I havw searched all over and read many articles on bandsaws you get so many diferant answers from diferant people. So I have a couple Qestions I hope you can answer, after watching david marks video I really want to make some veneers that is why I have been tunning up bandsaw. I got new tires from rockler, and installed very easy the problem and it might not even be a problem is after tracking the blade it is perfectly center on top but it is not center on the bottom it is to the out side but still well within the tire is this a problem or is it fine. I know yopu might say something about colplaner witch is a whole nother thing, the wheels are colplaner without tension or without the blade tracking in the middle I think it is imposable to get them colplaner with tention I am not really sure if you should check for colplaner with or with out tension. some people told me with and some told me without. but they defenetly are not colplaner when the tension is on. I do seam to get good cuts and the blade does not move around on the top or bottom, So am I good or should I be concerned.
- thewoodwhisperer January 12, 2010 1:15 pm
  
  Sounds to me like you’re ok. If the blade is tracking nicely and its not walking off the tires, and the vast majority of the blade is on both wheels, I think you’re fine. The one good thing about a bandsaw is that is something is a real problem, the bandsaw has a was of letting you know very quickly. So unless you have having problems with the cut or the blade walking, I don’t really see a reason to change anything.
  - Jim January 12, 2010 3:15 pm
    
    Thanks Marc That is kinda what I thought as well, I did add a washerto the bottom wheel just to bring the blade a little more to the center, and to day I cut some 3/4 inch cherry and got 2 perfect 1/4 boards. Man cherry is really hard
Larry Parker February 1, 2010 12:03 pm

Hey Marc,

I sure wish you would do that setup show on the jointer. Setting mine up now.

Thanks for all the good info!!

Larry
- shotgunn February 1, 2010 1:30 pm
  
  Yeah, same here. I just bought one myself. I put the knives in and followed the Jointer Pal Knife Setting Jig instructions. I did a test cut and it was AWFUL!!!
  
  Marc to the rescue!!!
  
  Thanx,
  
  shotgunn
Terry K February 14, 2010 4:39 pm

Someone gave me a Starrett “Saw tension gage”
would like to be able to use it on the bandsaw
But the instructions are missing
don’t know what the tension sould be for the various blade sizes
All the manual says on my machine is to set it to the indicator marks on the back of the machine
Since I have the unit, would like to be able to use it
I have a Jet 18″ bandsaw
- thewoodwhisperer February 14, 2010 4:43 pm
  
  Hey Terry. What you might want to do is contact the manufacturer of your particular blade. The tension will most likely be specific to the blade.
shotgunn February 27, 2010 9:46 pm

Marc,

I finally have my Cal-Hawk 14″ Bandsaw running pretty smooth. Through several suggestions from the guys over at sawmillcreek forums I found that the problem was actually my blades!!! Yep, brand new Olson blades. only one of the 3 blades that I purchased was any good. I also bought a fly cutter for my drill press so I can make some templates for my table inserts.

Here is a list of what I did to my saw.

Rebuilt the wobbly base. 2×4″ and carriage bolts. $17 (nuts&bolts)
All new lower & upper guide assemblies. ($45)
New Urethane tires. ($30)
New On/Off safety switch. (Had one already)
Installed a light. (had one already)
Mobile wheel base. ($60)
Shock absorbing motor mounts. ($5)
Power Twist Drive Belts (on order) $30
New pulley. $15

Spending too much $$$ on a sub par saw, priceless!!!

I should have just bought a new saw to begin with. Oh well. At least it runs pretty good now. I hope the twist belt reduces vibration further.

Thanx,

shotgunn
Anthony March 12, 2010 1:32 pm

Marc,

I have watched this video many times! I just got a grizzly 14″ extreme bandsaw and seem to be having a strange problem. I followed your setup tips(and the manufacturer) and I still seem to be having a cut that is very rough to the touch. I also feel like a have to apply a good amount of pressure to push the wood into the blade. When I watch you, you seem to have the wood just “glide” into the blade. The cut doesn’t seem to leave a nice enough surface to say use as veneer.

Any help you can give will be appreciated.
- thewoodwhisperer March 14, 2010 2:30 pm
  
  Hi Anthony. Sounds like this might just come down to your blade. Many stock in an low-priced blades will produce rough cuts. They just don’t cut efficiently. So that might be my first recommendation: try a better blade. Something Timber Wolf, Lennox, or Wood Slicer would be great places to start.
  
  And just an FYI, the surface will always need work after bandsawing, regardless of your setup or blade. I always run my veneer sheets through the drum sander to clean them up.
Josh Cole March 17, 2010 6:27 am

I just bought a bandsaw off of craigslist and can’t seem to find anything on it anywhere (quite possibly some knockoff bandsaw) but not sure only things on it say “Precision Woodworking Bandsaw 18″ then it gives a model and serial number but no brand name nothing useful on the motor either. was wondering if there is anyway or anyone you know of that might could help me with identifying it. The guide blocks are 5/8″ kinda oddball size and blade is 128” again lil oddball size. Thing is rock solid, would just like to know more about it. any help is appreciated.
- thewoodwhisperer March 17, 2010 8:14 am
  
  My recommendation would be to take a few pictures and post them in a forum, such as our Community site: http://community.thewoodwhisperer.com/
  
  That might get you a few clues.
Chris March 26, 2010 5:56 am

Hey Marc-
My 14″ Powermatic Bandsaw arrived yesterday afternoon and I spent the day setting it up.
Pretty beautiful, american made machine! I am very excited.
Your video was, as always, extremely helpful.
I have one big problem though: the belt is riding off the motor! I believe I have the wheel pulley and the motor pulley aligned, but the belt keeps riding off the lower pulley. You have to be a contortionist to get two wrenches in there and put enough downward pressure on the motor, so perhaps i don’t have enough tension. Do you think tension is my issue? I googled and read a little about the same issue. Although this is an early step in the assembly, I gave it a rest and moved forward.
One more question regarding drift compensation: are the four bolts on the top of fence what I need to adjust? that’s enough?
Many Thanks!
Chris
- thewoodwhisperer March 26, 2010 2:53 pm
  
  Hey Chris. It does sound like a tension issue. So do what you can to tighten that up and see if it improves. Aside from that, you should definitely contact Powermatic’s technical service. The saw is way too new to tinker with it too much. Get them involved just in case something is wrong with it.
  
  As for the drift, the four bolts at the top will allow for some adjustment, but not much. So just hope that your blade doesn’t have too much drift. :)
  - Chris March 28, 2010 6:46 am
    
    Thanks Marc-
    Indeed tension was the issue. You need 3 hands! and my 8 year old son, while well intentioned, didn’t have the weight to help me get enough tension. Luckily my brother-in-law paid a visit.
    the powermatic is now up and running and and the fence is perfectly aligned.
    
    now to shop for a real blade!
anthony March 26, 2010 7:53 pm

I just have to write to thank you makr. I took your advice and got a wood slicer 1/2 for my new grizzly saw. Now it cuts so well i dont even need to sand barely when i make vaneer. You were also right about the tension gauge on the bandsaws. I was getting a bit more deflection then what you recomended at the 1/2 setting. One wierd thing is at start up i am getting a quick squick, almost like the belt in a card. It is just for a split second. Can see anything out of whack, think i should be concerned?
- thewoodwhisperer March 26, 2010 9:08 pm
  
  Glad its all working out for you my friend! And I wouldn’t be too concerned about that. I have had several tools over the years that made that split second squeak.
Deke April 27, 2010 4:37 am

I realize this thread is years old, but having just bought a new bandsaw this weekend (Rikon 10-325) this was a great video to watch (at work!). Don’t worry, those I work with are quite low in competency and very often I have to slack off so they can catch up! :-)

Seriously, a nice video with great information. This is my second bandsaw so I am versed in a lot of this, but you put it together nicely and in a very logical/usable sequence. While there are books on the subject, nothing helps a newbie more than these types of demos. I think we need more of this type of video content out there. That may or may not be your focus these days, but I think you do a better job of covering safety + tool use than any one around.

P.S. You forgot one important tip on buying a new bandsaw. Having good and healthy friends to help you carry the thing into your basement shop!
jack May 9, 2010 12:12 pm

I watched the show on Bandsaw setup and loved it.
I have a 10 Jet bandsaw and tired to upgrad with a tire but was unable to install with the wheel in place. I decied to for go that upgrad and invest in cool blocks.
The saw seems to track fine but always looking to upgrade my bread and butter tools.

Jack
brands July 27, 2010 4:47 am

I have a Jet 18? bandsaw,too.
laco Don July 30, 2010 3:20 pm

Thank you for the tune up proceedures for the ban saw, I almost got 100%. I forgot to stone the back of the blade and wipe it off with a solvent then lub it.
very helpfull thank you.
Nava September 2, 2010 5:41 pm

i love your site and i learn lots from you. About a month ago I looked up on Craig list for a used Band saw, and I bought a used 12 inch bans saw Craftsman from a guy. I used it a few times since and as of this weekend the belt that makes the engine turn keeps coming out of its place. So it is not working.I am a woman and do not have lots of engine knowledge however I read the manual I bought and I cannot figure it out. also the bans saw I was told was bought 5 years ago but I searched and found out that that models was sold 15 years ago. So I decided to let this one go and buy a new one, the one I can afford is sold by grizzly a 14 inch band
- thewoodwhisperer September 2, 2010 10:50 pm
  
  Hello Nava. So glad you are enjoying the content. Its very difficult for me to say whether that is the right bandsaw for you. But I lots of folks who use and enjoy their Grizzly tools. At 3/4HP you’ll be able to cut any kind of curve and do a little light resawing. So if that’s the way you expect to use the tool and its in your budget, I say go for it.
  - Nava September 3, 2010 1:31 pm
    
    Thanks for your answer but I have one more question, if I read it right I should probably go for a stronger HP since I would like to also cut some logs when I can find them ,and I would also like to be able to cut through a 2 inch hard maple or Oak etc. Can a 1 HP do that job? Or do I need to go higher? Nava
    - thewoodwhisperer September 3, 2010 2:31 pm
      
      If you are going to do any type of resawing regularly, I would recommend at least 1HP. If you are going to be cutting lots of logs, you may want to go for something closer to 2HP. Most of these cuts can be made with a 1HP, but there just may be times when the motor start to bog down or you need to cut very slowly. The higher powered machines will cut faster and more efficiently.
Nava September 2, 2010 5:45 pm

I watch many of the videos and I look forward to new ones all the time, I built the end grain cutting board and I love it. Please don?t stop and tell us more about all the products and companies that are selling what you are using, it is very knowledgeable to women like me. NG
Dirk December 5, 2010 6:20 am

Hey Marc, great vid, my HAMMER BS will be delivered and installed next week. So your vid will be a very good tuningstarter. My Q: dovetails with BS? Do you have some good / bad results? Maybe a vid on this. Thx Greatings from Belgium
- thewoodwhisperer December 5, 2010 7:59 am
  
  Actually never tried it before Dirk. But it might be interesting for the show. Thanks for the suggestion and good luck with the new saw!
Dave January 5, 2011 6:08 am

Great tips!!! I just purchased a new band saw and used the Boeshield and Renaissance Wax on the table and the other cast iron tables in my shop. Just a tremendous change.
Pete S January 14, 2011 12:51 am

Have seen your videos on You Tube and thought that your website had shut down. Glad to see it is active and you are doing something you enjoy.

I too Watched this video. I have firefox 4 beta and 3.6 and had no problems with either one. I have a 20 year old 1/2 horse 14″ bandsaw that I had not used because it never cut straight. I am please to say that after following your hints and tips it was cutting just fine until my saw blade broke. The saw is not very good and a decent saw in Canada costs $900. Even without a lot of bells and whistles it will be a good investment.
Dean February 24, 2011 3:57 pm

A lot of good info. I am going to upgrade to a new bandsaw and am trying to make up my mind as to what to buy. I am looking ar powermatic 14″ Ricon 14″ Grizzley 14″ The powermatic has a free riser block. What would you recommend. Thank You Dean
- thewoodwhisperer February 24, 2011 6:48 pm
  
  Well truthfully you can’t go wrong with those choices, although I would probably go with either the Rikon or the Powermatic. If you can get a better deal on the PM, then that would be the one to go for.
Paul July 19, 2011 7:53 am

I just got a grizzly 14″ i love it. I find that in a lot of my cuts i have to plan it to remove the rough edge. I bought a new saw blade which improve the cut a bit but still I am getting a fairly rough cut. and hints?
- thewoodwhisperer July 19, 2011 9:00 am
  
  Depending on the amount of roughness, that could very well just be the nature of the bandsaw cut. It usually creates a washboard effect and needs to be worked more after the cut. Even my Resaw King, which has carbide teeth, still needs a little work after cutting.
Richard T. Dolan October 20, 2011 9:44 am

Hi, enjoyed your bandsaw setup. It was,’t for my Grizzely457. My problem is adjusting the thrust bearing. The bearing is turned opposite way as your video. The back of the blade actually touches very little of the bearing face and to me seems very wrong.
There is vertually no thrust supporn! Can you help me?
- thewoodwhisperer October 20, 2011 9:50 am
  
  Regardless of the manufacturer or style of the thrust bearing, there should be at least some forward adjustment. I would suggest trying to move the bearing forward or moving the blade back a bit. You can usually adjust the tilt of the upper wheel slightly to cause the black to track either forward or back. Also keep in mind that you really only want contact with the bearing when pressure is applied.
Paul October 26, 2011 8:49 am

I have a Grizzly as well and the thrust bearing should only touch when doing a cut and the guide bearing should bearly touch the blade. I do suggest getting the ureathane tires though
Marshall November 17, 2011 12:59 pm

I was given my Dad-in-laws 12″ Craftsman Bandsaw.
After changing blades and replacing the key and setscrew on the drive pulley and a new drive belt it worked great for about 3 weeks.
Now it keeps throwing the drive belt off when I start it.
Any help would be appreciated I’m trying to get some gifts done and I need this working
Ryan November 25, 2011 11:43 pm

Hey Marc, Great, helpful video. I just ordered a Grizzly 17″ bandsaw and it should arrive in a week or so. As far as cleaning the table goes, I haven’t got any mineral oil, is there any substitute?

Thanks
- thewoodwhisperer November 26, 2011 1:13 am
  
  Hey Ryan. I think you mean mineral spirits, right? Just about anything that dissolves oils will do the trick. Naptha, paint thinner and even kerosene will work.
Ryan November 26, 2011 9:04 am

That sounds great, I have some of those in my shop.

Thanks for you quick reply.
andrew August 6, 2012 10:15 pm

Thanks! ive bin trying to get my band saw to cut straight for the longest time but i was missing the drift part of it!
Al September 17, 2012 5:36 pm

Thank you for the great video. I didn’t watch this when I first got my bandsaw and now it’s covered in rust spots. Any advice on how to clean it up?

Also if the blades have drift then how does this affect the mitre gauge? Do I just reference off the adjusted fence?

Many thanks
Al
- thewoodwhisperer September 18, 2012 6:08 am
  
  To clean up rust, you can use some wd-40 and steel wool. Should do the trick. As for the miter gauge, yes, you’ll need to make an adjustment there. I don’t really use my miter gauge for any sort of precision cut at the bandsaw saw it doesn’t often factor in for me.
Chris Royer December 10, 2012 3:22 pm

Hi Mark,
I’ve watched this video a couple of times. Just recently, I have purchased a 14 in bandsaw and I have to admit, it feels like a real step up in level for me. I have a visual impairment (and all ten fingers still as well!), and I have been slowing moving my way into trying to improve my projects. Your bandsaw video helped me feel much less apprehensive, and I’m spending my time now with practice cuts. Still a looong way to go before comfort level is reached but getting there. Thanks for the great resource!
Michael Dunn December 21, 2012 9:53 am

Not that you look old now, but watching this video now, I realize how much younger you look. For some reason this video won’t play now. It stops after the Wyoming ad. Am I supposed to go skiing in Wyoming first? LOL!!!
- thewoodwhisperer December 21, 2012 10:17 am
  
  Imagine that. I aged over the last 6 years. I would like a refund for that fountain of youth I purchased!!
  
  As for the video, I think Blip still has some servers down from the hurricane.
Tony January 1, 2013 12:28 pm

Mark,

Just bought a bandsaw and plan to buy some Timber Wolf blades. Are there any particular size blades that you think I should start with?

Tony
- thewoodwhisperer January 1, 2013 3:21 pm
  
  I think a 1/4″-1/2″ blades are good for general use. If you plan to cut lots of tight curves, you should lean more toward the 1/4″ size.

13 – Bandsaw Setup & Rust Prevention

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