I've come into the possession of 14" bandsaw. I've installed and tured new tires, adjusted the guides, ran a tuning stone on the blades. I have about a 15 degree drift when I try to resaw a board. This drift is present with a 1/2" and a 3/8" blade. Can anyone offer a solution?
So what's the problem? Follow the drift...
Solution to drift? Adjust your fence to compensate. Drift is normal.
What causes drift? My new bandsaw has no drift. Will it stay that way?
Depends. The blade can make a difference too.
Try more tension. Make sure it's riding on the wheels properly and running square to the fence and miter slot.
I'd say a blade with proper tension, tooth set, and sharpening, which is running square to the fence, should not drift anywhere near 15 degrees! Even a bad blade under reasonable tensions shouldn't be that bad.
-------------------- Steve Jensen Abbotsford B.C. snipped-for-privacy@canada.mortise.com chopping out the mortise. BBS'ing since 1982 at 300 bps. Surfing along at 19200 bps since 95. WW'ing since 1985 LV Cust #4114
Nothing catchy to say, well maybe..... WAKE UP - There are no GODs you fools!
Typically it is the blade that drifts. You may fond more drift with different blades.
Guess I'm very lucky. When I got my Grizzly G0555 last year, tried it with the original POS 3/8" blade that came with it, lots of drift. Installed the riser kit, put on a 3/4" 3TPI blade from Grizzly, and it resaws straight as can be, perfectly parallel with fence/miter slot, never did have to adjust for drift. I'm happy!
Sevaral things can cause "drift".
The "tire" on the bandsaw wheels have a slight crown to them. Unless the blade rides centered on that "crown" the blade will "drift" left or right of straight - left if the blade is foreward of the crown, right if behind the crown (see the drawing on this page)
Yet another source could be that the upper wheel, which moves to tension the blade, may be leaning. If the top is leaning fore ward the blade will ride farther foreward of the tire crown causing the blade to drift "left". If the lean is great enough the blade will tend to wander off the wheel.
Then there's the blade guides that might be the culprit or at least a co-conspirator. If you have bearings or "cool blocks" on either side of the blade and they are mounted cocked a little they can twist the blade slightly and cause drift/lead.
Now you could, and probably should, get all the alignments right. BUT - if your fence angle can be adjusted to the drift/ lead angle you can make good straight cuts against it. Might consider making a larger bolt on table top and fence like this one - the idea from an article and illustrations in a woodworking magazine.
charlie b
Open the doors over the wheels. Smoke a cigarette and stare at the wheels from the side for a while, particularly the way the blade sits on the wheel. Then stand in front of the saw and stare at the blade at cutting level. Does the blade look like it's twisted to one side?
Move the guide bearings and blocks way back from the blade. Adjust the saw blade forward or rearward on the wheels. Reset the guides and bearings and see if that eliminates the drift.
Just did this on mine after I replaced the blade - now cuts straight. You have to smoke that cigarette to get this right.
Pete :)
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