Bandsaw adjustment

[Barry]

Thanks in advance. Spend most of my hobby time metalworking but occasionally need to do something in wood. I am having trouble with my bandsaw. It is an inexpensive RIGID. The problem is that it only cuts a curve in one direction. If I go the other direction, the blade just twists and it doesn't want to make the curve cut in the wood. I believe I have adjusted the guides as recommended in the instructions. Am I doing something wrong with the adjustment? How tight against the blade should the guides be? Could it be the guides are out of square allowing the blade to twist? Is it something more obvious that I am not seeing? Is it my cutting technique?

Thanks

Barry

[David]

Tension too low? A dollar bill between guides and blade to set gap. provide a video of your technique and then we'll decide if it's you or the BS.

dave

[Mike Berger]

[tom]

Check the blade, as you may have taken off the set on one side. Don't ask! Tom

[David]

good point. time to check that the guides aren't too close to the teeth.

dave

[Greg G]

I can't say that I've ever seen this, but my first suspicion would be that the set on your blade teeth is not symmetrical. Have you tried a different blade? Is the band width small enough to allow cutting the radius you desire? DAGS to find a chart listing the largest blade to be used with a given radius cut.

FWIW,

Greg G.

[Teamcasa]

DAGS for bandsaw blade drift. Assuming it tracks properly and the tension is set properly, each blade has its own drift. Once you determine what your's is, set your fence for the drift and straight cuts are in your future.

Dave

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[Barry]

Blade is 1/2 inch and am only trying to cut 1/2 inch plywood. Cuts fine in one direction but not the other.

I'll check the adjustment again

Thanks

Barry

[Greg G]

The thickness of the material is irrelevant as to the blade width.

The band width and tooth set determines the minimum cutting radius, which for a 1/2" blade, is generally about 5" in Diameter. If your circles/curves are larger than 2.5" in Radius, then the set of your teeth is probably fubar. If your curves are less than 2.5" in Radius, then you're just going to twist the blade and remove the tooth set. In that case, you need to go to a smaller blade width.

FWIW,

Greg G.

[David]

wider blade width generally equates to fewer TPI. Cutting 1/8" or 1/4" material with 3 tpi wouldn't be a good idea, so I submit that thickness of material is NOT irrelevant to the blade width, as the TPI is related to the width of the blade. You want more than 1 tooth engaged in the material!

Dave

[Ron Moore]

Watched a good "Wood Works" on DIY the other day, Did a fairly complete bandsaw "tuneup". Try

Moore

[Greg G]

You're right, Dave. I was referring to the radius of the cut, not the TPI, but you point out a valid concern.

Greg G.