Damn Olson blades.

[Leon]

Oh., Well some blades are wider then the tires.... From there I don't know.

[Leon]

And to bring you up to speed on this. I visited the home office at Minimax to demo the MM16. Unfortunately for both of us, me and the rep showing me the saw, there were no guides on the MM16. We sawed with guides anyway per his comment that you can saw with out guides.

[Leon]

We sawed with OUT

[Leon]

Ask Mr. Bird how this band saw would cut with guides. Hint, it does not have guides.

Or how the thrust bearings and guides work on this blade.

[Puckdropper]

Leon wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Lonnie Bird wrote a book on bandsaws. The typography and pictures were better than the same vintage Duginski book, but I don't remember enough about the content to give you an idea of its quality.

Puckdropper

[-MIKE-]

Who is Lonnie Bird?

I think we've all seen lots of book by supposed experts that contained false information or thing that had been excepted practice for decades and decades which were taken as the Gospel truth simply because they'd never been challenged or changed.

Not to take anything away from Mr. Bird, but I wonder if he ever even tried it. BTW, I think the post about him saying what he did was complete bull$h!t anyway, so my last point is kind of moot. I'm guessing Leon fell for some troll bait which we all do from time to time.

[Leon]

I fell but proved my statement correct.

[-MIKE-]

Who is Lonnie Bird?

Yours, mine, and the experience of many others proved it. I just think this "meeting" never happened and if it did, Lonnie never said that, certainly not the way it was quoted.

Since I've re-sawed dozens of board feet of stock, having to remove the upper guides to an extra inch of cut, my experience confidently outweighs anyone's ignorant opinions on the subject.

[Brewster]

Yep.

2003

What brand?

MiniMax 16

I wonder if the tire is worn.

Nope, just SOP for these saws.

I fried (melted) my tires when I was resawing some really tough wood with a 1-1/4" 0.035" thick blade, about the max I'd ever try to tension on that saw. Usually the tires are supposed to last "forever" (_they_ say), but other then the melted sections, the rubber was nice and pliable. Bummer is new rubber ran $40 each.

I could run in the center, but the teeth would tend to eat up the tire surface given the minimal crown. I have a 1960's 14" Powermatic that is more typical in that the blades need to run in the center. This saw has flat machined wheels so the tires supply the crown. I replaced the original rubber with urethane, which were also flat. The tire mfg. suggested building up the crown with strips of tape placed in the center of the wheel (under the tire), 1/4" strip on top of a 1/2" strip. The crown is visible and the blade loves to seek out that high point.

That second saw lets me keep a 1/4" blade on the 14" saw for general cutting and curves and leave the MM set up for resawing. BIG time saver not having to swap out blades in the middle of a project.

-BR

[Brewster]

I've done the same, no issues. In all fairness, I can see how narrow blades (< 1/4") with limited beam strength might bend enough (without guides) to derail when being pushed (i.e. resawing). The strength of the saw frame probably factors in too, especially if it begins to twist ever so slightly when loading up the blade.

-BR

[Leon]

And in all fairness I don't recommend running with out guides either, I just know that better saws and blades can.

I made this comment when some one mentioned that the saw did not look like it is aligned correctly. The running bearing isn't turning at all. No touch.

The fact that the blade was not touching parts of the guide is what prompted me to mention that the guides are not a part of proper tracking, and or necessary.

[dpb]

On 11/22/2016 7:04 PM, Leon wrote: ...

...

I've known Lonnie for nearly 40 yr now; first met him when he was still in Berea, KY. Besides a superb craftsman he's a real gentleman. Yes, he runs a commercial woodworking school as well as his shop and has some endorsements but everybody deserves to make a living without impugning motive.

[woodchucker]

Lonnie Bird makes some beautiful furniture. He's not your typical writer, he's the real deal.

I have not read his book.

[woodchucker]

I have not had to replace the urethane tire on my Delta . I would have thought the urethane tires have the crown built in. But I don't know as I've never taken off the tire. Maybe some do and some don't.

I usually run a 1/2 blade unless doing something curvy. So my narrower blades get much less use.

Thanks, for the info, I had never heard of that, but I guess it makes sense.

[-MIKE-]

A gentleman, yes, which is why I believe the alleged from him is fictional. I don't believe he would ever have said that.

[-MIKE-]

Who is Lonnie Bird?

I have no doubt. Nothing is my post is meant as any disrespect to him. A. As I said, I have serious doubts that he even said when the troll said he said. B. He probably has gone his entire life without ever having and reason to use a bandsaw without the guides, so as with anyone who's never tried it, your initial thought is probably, "Well, that sounds dangerous, I wouldn't recommend it."

So if this fiction encounter did in fact take place, I suspect his actual response was more in line with that. However, if he ever tried it, he'd be in for a pleasant surprise. :-)

[-MIKE-]

Like you said, strength of frame. All I ever said was with a good, properly set up saw and good blade, you can cut without the guides.

I'm not saying you did this, but it's funny how when someone says something like that people take it to mean, "You shouldn't use your guides" or "Guides aren't necessary on a bandsaw."

I do contend that guides are often used as a crutch and/or make for for poor design/manufacturing of cheap saws. Some people buy a bandsaw and never actually set it up or adjust it properly. And some manufactured don't bother "getting it right" at the factory because they just figure the guides will fix all that.

I also believe that more often than not, people are trying to do too much with a blade and/or using a dull blade and that's why they expect the thrust bearings to do all the muscle work.

[Markem]

Yep he is selling something, but the thing about the internet is true. I heard that on the internet so YMMV.

I think it is about Travis's ego though.

[Leon]

Perhaps if my statement had not been taken out of context it would have made more since to Mr. Bird.

[woodchucker]

When cutting with blades narrower than 1/4" I don't use the guides. I don't think there's enough purchase on them to hold them. I do use a carter narrow blade guide on top which is just a thrust bearing with a slot in it, it keeps it from pushing back, and from traveling offline. But it doesn't keep it guided into the wood.