# Band saw question



## jmc0319 (Mar 15, 2013)

I got my new 14" Grizzly saw. I am having a hard time ripping a straight line down a 2"x 2" x 30" piece of red oak. It is very wavy for lack of a better term. Any ideas? Is the oak too hard? Am I feeding the wood too fast?


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## nealtw (Mar 15, 2013)

Wrong blade.
http://woodgears.ca/bandsaw/resaw.html


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## jmc0319 (Mar 15, 2013)

Thanks Neal nice again. So basically the blade that came with the saw is not good for much except soft, thin wood.


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## nealtw (Mar 15, 2013)

For most of the cutting I have done I used a 1/4" with 6 teeth per inch, never had much luck with smaller blades but I had scroll saws for tight cuts so it didn't matter. For ripping big stuff and hardwood 2" stock I used something like 3/4 with 2 teeth per inch. It was the first big blade I tryed and it worked so I stuck with it. There is no universal blade.


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## jmc0319 (Mar 15, 2013)

nealtw said:
			
		

> For most of the cutting I have done I used a 1/4" with 6 teeth per inch, never had much luck with smaller blades but I had scroll saws for tight cuts so it didn't matter. For ripping big stuff and hardwood 2" stock I used something like 3/4 with 2 teeth per inch. It was the first big blade I tryed and it worked so I stuck with it. There is no universal blade.



Sounds like a plan for me too.


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## jmc0319 (Mar 15, 2013)

nealtw said:
			
		

> Wrong blade.
> http://woodgears.ca/bandsaw/resaw.html



Neal, 

Hate to be a nuisance BUT I think this blade,will suffice for what I want to do. Thoughts? 

Ripping hardwood: High quality tool steel lasts longer & cuts better! Made in the U.S.A. 93-1/2" x 3/4", .025" gauge, 3 TPI Hook Bandsaw Blade.

Curved cuts: High quality tool steel lasts longer & cuts better! Made in the U.S.A. 93-1/2" x 1/8", .025" gauge, 18 TPI Raker Bandsaw Blade.

Thoughts please.

Thanks.


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## elbo (Mar 18, 2013)

I think most of your problem is that you dont have the blade tension set tight enough, you might also have to adjust the fence. the manual tells you how to do it.  A band saw is not really meant for ripping but it can be used, I would use a 3/4 inch blade with a minimum number of teeth making contact with the wood. you always want about 3 teeth in the wood and a big enough gullet to get rid of the sawdust. always remember that the widest blade will give you the straightest cut, save the smaller blades for patern cutting and curved cutting
I also have the 14 inch grizzly and even have used the 3/8 inch blade for resawing when I'm too lazy to change the blade
In a nutshell, adjust the saw properly , including the fence, tension the blade so there is no flutter, use the wides blade you have and dont hog the cut


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## nealtw (Mar 18, 2013)

The heart stopper is when you break a blade.


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## jmc0319 (Mar 18, 2013)

Thanks Elbo. After I sent this I played with the tension some more and it seemed to get much better. I will be getting two more blades. One wider and one smaller.


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## jmc0319 (Mar 18, 2013)

Elbo, being that you have the same saw, do you go by the tension guide on the back of the saw?


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## elbo (Mar 19, 2013)

absolutely not, it's just a guide for an approximation. every blade will vary a little on their circumferance, even two identical from the same manufacturer. I tighten the blade until there is no deflection when I put a little pressure on the side of the blade
I've had other band saws and always tightened them by the same method and the only one that broke was a 1/8 inch blade that my craftsman saw wasn't designed for.
I would suggest you getting a 3/4 inch blade which is the maximum your saw is designed for and only use it for resawing. With the cost of wood these days, I dont want to waste any so If I need a piece of wood 3/8 inch thick I resaw a piece of 3/4 and save the cutoff and eventually will glue two or more pieces together to get a thicker piece. No, I'm not scotch .
I also would get a 1/4 inch blade if you're planning on doing any curve cutting, for really tight curves, then you'll need a 1/8 blade, all of which your saw will handle, so long as you tension the blade right and let the saw do the work
If you see smke when you cut, then you're hogging the cut, slow down


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## jmc0319 (Mar 19, 2013)

Excellent feedback. Thanks a lot.


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## nealtw (Mar 20, 2013)

You will find this interesting, he has a bigger saw but everything applies
http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/videos/bandsaw-setup-tuneup/


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## jmc0319 (Mar 21, 2013)

One last band saw question I promise........I read and believe that the blade guides should be touching the sides of the blade correct?


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## nealtw (Mar 21, 2013)

Wrap a dollar bill around the blade, snug the guides up to that and the back bearing too. When the blade is running good nothing should be touching it until you start to cut. I changed my blocks to a really hard wood because once in while thing would come out of adjustment and then the teeth were into the blocks, sparks and thing.


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## jmc0319 (Mar 21, 2013)

That sounds good. I will try the dollar trick. Sparks on a saw doesn't sound good.


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## elbo (Mar 22, 2013)

creating a small space between the blocks and the blade is a good idea,IF, your saw has them. Your saw uses roller bearings, On my saw that also has rollers, I adjust the bearings so they just make minimal contact with the blade. I find this way of adjusting them allows for no drift and keeps the saw tracking true. When I had a craftsman saw, I still adjusted the blocks , which were called  "cool blocks " as they were a different composition that the micarta blocks that came with the saw.  The main reason for having the gap between the blade and the blocks is to keep the friction from the blocks touching the blade is to reduce heat which will cause early blade failure.
However, your saw has rollers so different rules apply
Don't sweat asking questions, the people here don't mind answering them, and getting some answers could possibly save someone from getting hurt. Of course , there probably will be different answers, from each reply, it's your job to figure out which advice you want to follow
By the way, make sure your rollers do not contact the blades teeth, they should ride just behind them . the rear roller , if sdjusted right, will keep the blade from moving backwards when the blade is cutting


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## jmc0319 (Mar 23, 2013)

Ok so I wanted to let you all know that my band saw is finally performing as expected. This should fall under "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas". I never adjusted the lower blade guides AND I never re tightener the upper guides after I adjusted them. All is good now thanks for everyone's feedback. I ordered two good blades and am waiting for them.


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## oldognewtrick (Mar 23, 2013)

Thanks for the update.


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