Bandsaw Bungles

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Quetzalsailor
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Bandsaw Bungles

Post by Quetzalsailor »

Well, not really...yet. I could not resist the alliteration.

A newly acquired toy for the shop. This is a 14" Jet Bandsaw with their riser kit and their three speed kit along with a Mule Accusquare that I bought almost 20 years ago for my cheepie 12" Craftsman bandsaw (it could not be made to fit conveniently onto the table). My dad bought this saw before his stroke in 2001 and never finished assembling it. I'm still finding loose screws. And, I'm hoping that appropriately aggressive resaw blades will be useful with all the hardwood lumber I've been collecting.
2012-02-22 Band Saw-r.jpg
The Craftsman and a 12" Walker-Turner from the '50s are in the barn and available. The Craftsman (aluminum frame) is junk (free) but was usable until the blade guide locating screws were stripped after 35 years - probably repairable/work-around-able. The Walker-Turner (a lovely cast iron frame - I paid 250.00 over eBay) is probably a better bandsaw than the Jet but needs new guides to replace the rudimentary ones that it came with - it's got new urethane tires.

The potential bungles come from set-up issues. The Jet came with factory plastic-graphite blade guide blocks which seem pretty soft and wear-prone. Should I spring for Carter guides? http://www.carterproducts.com/product.a ... &cat_id=13 1.79 boat dollars!
ILikeRust
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Re: Bandsaw Bungles

Post by ILikeRust »

Quetzalsailor wrote:The Walker-Turner (a lovely cast iron frame - I paid 250.00 over eBay) is probably a better bandsaw than the Jet
Yes.
Quetzalsailor wrote:but needs new guides to replace the rudimentary ones that it came with
No. I disagree. There is nothing wrong with plain steel guides. They worked for 100 years and still do. I have a Walker-Turner 16" bandsaw with plain steel block guides. As long as you grind the faces flat and smooth and set them properly, they work just fine. No need to blow all that money on cool blocks or fancy Carter roller guides.
Quetzalsailor wrote:it's got new urethane tires.
When I restored my W-T 16" BS, I first put urethane tires on it. I later threw them away and replaced them with Carter rubber tires, which can be crowned for better tracking. The urethane tires cannot be crowned, so on the flat W-T wheels, it makes tracking iffy.
Quetzalsailor wrote:Should I spring for Carter guides? http://www.carterproducts.com/product.a ... &cat_id=13 1.79 boat dollars!
I wouldn't. You can replace the soft graphite blocks with steel or a good, dense hardwood, like lignum vitae or even black walnut. As long as they are properly set, so the teeth are just forward of the blocks (line up the forward edge of the blocks with the gullets in the teeth).
Bill T.
Richmond, VA

"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible." - T E Lawrence
Quetzalsailor
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Re: Bandsaw Bungles

Post by Quetzalsailor »

Bill, thanks for your insights.

The 12" Walker-Turner has steel brushes for guides, not blocks. I've never seen anything like 'em. And I got hooked by the urethane tires.

I've got the Jet working properly now. Many Taiwanese 14" bandsaws, sold under several nameplates, had/have a cast aluminum hinge supporting the upper wheel that was simply not strong enough. I bought the replacement assembly and it's much thicker in the right place. If necessary, I can make a new part for the old assembly which will for sure be strong enough! I also bought a crank to operate the tensioner in lieu of the teeny hand wheel. Apparently, you're supposed to un-tension the blade when the saw's not in use, to save the hinge and the tires. Maybe, I'll spring for the lever-type tensioner that the same saw is sold with in its expensive version. I hear that others like the 'Cool Blocks', over the steel ones, and the various wood alternatives are liked as well. I still don't like the Jet's thumbscrews to lock adjustments and even less do I like the locations of those screws under the table; they're tucked up behind the table tilt stuff. Even the Craftsman's were easier to access.

I bought a couple Timber Wolf blades, this is a 1/2" 3TPI resaw blade and a 12" x 14" x 1 3/4" chunk of Walnut crotch that I sawed to roughly 1/2" thick. I also sawed a 1/16" veneer off the face of a bit of 2" x 6".
2012-03-09 Band Saw 001-r.jpg
2012-03-09 Band Saw 002-r.jpg
ILikeRust
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Re: Bandsaw Bungles

Post by ILikeRust »

Quetzalsailor wrote:I bought a couple Timber Wolf blades, this is a 1/2" 3TPI resaw blade and a 12" x 14" x 1 3/4" chunk of Walnut crotch that I sawed to roughly 1/2" thick.
2012-03-09 Band Saw 001-r.jpg
2012-03-09 Band Saw 002-r.jpg
Sweet! Can't argue with the results!
Bill T.
Richmond, VA

"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible." - T E Lawrence
Quetzalsailor
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Re: Bandsaw Bungles

Post by Quetzalsailor »

The crank tensioner arrived today and I installed it only to realize that the nut it came with was too small for the mortice that it was to fit into: it rotated rather than stayed put. Then I read the instructions to learn that the identical-looking parts were not; the Jet parts were metric and the new crank-handled tensioner is English. Why??? when it's sold to be a quickie change improvement? So, I dug around in my various bins and came up with a spring nut of the sort that's sold with Uni-strut, cut it square and ground it to fit in the saw's mortice and all's well. Annoying but works fine.
Skipper599
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Re: Bandsaw Bungles

Post by Skipper599 »

Last year, I purchased a 1/2" re-saw blade for my Delta 14 cabinet bandsaw. It was advertised on the 'net. and is called a "Wood - Slicer".

Never in my life have I had such amazing results with any previous blade. I cannot speak highly enough about the almost perfect finished cuts, requiring minimal sanding to arrive at a finish-coat stage, and I DO mean minimal.

I bought the blade at a tool shop in Seattle - they're also available on-line. Just Google "Wood Slicer" and I'm sure you will find the blade I speak of. If you have problems finding it, I could probably find the name of the store but I'm sure other stores handle this product.

As the saying goes; Try it. You'll LIKE it! have fun . . . Bob T.
I am: Bob of Wight.

s/v 'Ros Na Cosquin'
a 'Passage - 24'

There are good ships, there are wood ships, and these ships sail the sea

But the best ship, is friendship and may this always be! ... ... ... A prayer from Ireland.
Quetzalsailor
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Re: Bandsaw Bungles

Post by Quetzalsailor »

Yup; Google 'Woodslicer Timberwolf comparison' and read all about them. Readily available on the 'net.
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