What is wrong with all my tools?!

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Scooley01

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Nov 28, 2010
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College Station, Texas
Ok, so I'm having issues with a couple of my tools...I'm sure it's probably operator error since I'm fairly new to this, but asking questions is how you learn :)

My band saw: Brand new Skil from the hardware store. When I cut, I set up the fence to the right diameter, and use the sled to push the blank through. However, as I cut, the blade pulls to the right (Away from the fence, towards the slide and my hand). It pulls farther faster if I try to push the blank through too quickly. It's actually pulled far enough to the right that it's nicked the table the blade goes through! Also I notice that on the last few blanks I've done, the blade binds very quickly with any pressure. I've cut less than 20 cuts on this saw! This is an annoyance and keeps me from cutting straight lines.

And onto the big problem: My lathe. I think that the HS and TS might be out of alignment...but I don't know how to properly diagnose or fix this problem. I've had a couple problems drilling (See Penturning forum for my 10mm bit that snapped in half) If I slide the tailstock away and spin the HS by hand, I can see visible wobble in the mandrel...I would have originally thought maybe the mandrel was just bent, but I take the mandrel assembly out of the lathe to use the pen jaw and drill chuck, so I'm not sure what's causing these issues.

Hopefully some of you smarter guys can help me figure this out!
 
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Sounds like you should tighten the blade on the bandsaw (usually a knob on top of the housing).

I'm assuming the blade is .25" wide or better---is that correct??
 
Make sure the mt in the headstock is clean of debri and or extra grease. If you have a dead center for both the tail stock and head stock put them in and slide them gently together to check to see if they touch at the point. If you use a credit card or a metal machinist ruler inbetween the points as you slide them togeher. Once you get them close slowly turn the tailstock out. it will indicate by tiping in or out up or down which way they are out of alignment. You may have to get a dial indicater to see if the headsock shaft is out of round.
 
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The binding problem can mean that the blade is either dull or is getting clogged. If you are cutting blanks only, you may want to buy a better blade than it came with. I use a 3tpi blade for cutting blanks and it works well for me, other like a blade with a few more teeth on them. It can also be (i'm not familiar with Skil) that the bandsaw is underpowered in which case you will need to slow down and use much less pressure going through the wood. Properly adjusting the blade tension will help too as Ed posted.
 
I have a cheap hardware store bandsaw as well - it's a terrible tool!

Tighten the blade to the recommended specs, make sure the guide bushings/blocks are supporting the blade, and ensure that the bushings below the table are as well.

Bandsaws don't cut straight lines like table saws...mine requires a steep angle to get a straight cut, if that make sense...a fence on a saw like that is definitely not goign to help, I wouldn't think.

Go slow - keep your fingers well clear of anything that cuts or moves, and maybe get someone with experience to tune your saw?
 
All bandsaws have drift. You need to adjust your fence to account for the drift. There are some good vids on youtube that show you how. It takes 1 minute. If you are forcing the blank back over then it is the blade that will move. Push a blank through free hand no fence and see if it veers off.

To correct the drift take a 1x4 or something and draw a straight line parallel with one side and free hand it through. You will have to turn the blank a bit to get it running straight. Once you can push it w/out turning the blank for about 4" you have found the drift, DONT LET THE WOOD MOVE. Turn off the saw, take a Pencil and mark the table down the parallel edge of the wood. Move your fence up to the line and loosen the two bolts on top of the fence and line the fence up with that line and tighten the bolts. You have now compensated for drift.

Do this everytime you change your blade.

Ohh and yes upgrade the blade. I used to use a 1/2" on my shopsmith to resaw no problem.
 
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Steven,
Why don't you try to make it down to the NW side of Houston for our meeting on Feb 18? Here's the info.
I think we could answer a lot of your questions.
 
I actually might be able to make it down...I'm only an hour away from Houston, especially the near side.

Unfortunately I have some projects to finish for folks in the next two weeks :\
 
about your lathe:
don't worry if the pen mandrel is not perfectly aligned, that doesn't necessarily mean the lahe lathe is bad.
you must get a dead center for your HS, and either a dead center or a good live center for your TS.
than you can bring them close to each other, tight doesn't the TS, and spin the HS. any wobble?
1-make sure the taper in the HS and TS are clean and smooth! this is the most common issue, but also the easiest to fix. run your fingers in, make sure they come out clean.


if the tapers are clean and the dead centers spin CONSIDERABLY form eachother, you are in trouble.
what lathe do you have again?
 
I started with that same lathe. (Not that I've really outgrown it. I just lucked into a VS lathe in a club raffle.) Anyway, I thought it was a decent lathe and didn't have any significant problems with it. I think I did have to shim the HS to get it lined up with the TS, but it wasn't way off. As others have said, get centers in both HS and TS and bring up the TS. Loosen the bolts that hold down the HS, shim the corners as needed, then tighten back down and recheck.

As for the bandsaw, another thing to check is the tracking. If the blade tracks too far off, it's going to make the drift even worse. There was a book/magazine from Fine Woodworking (I think) that was all about tuning up your tools. The guy that wrote about bandsaw tune up claimed that proper tracking would virtually eliminate drift. I haven't gone thru the tune up myself just yet so I can't say whether it worked for me, but the write up made a lot of sense.
 
Fine Woodworking has a book specifically for bandsaws. Take a look in your library for it, that is where I found it and other books on wood working machines and how to care and tune them up.

Wes
 
On the band saw. The roller bearing behind the blade should not contact the blade until you start pushing your work in it should just clear. See if you can find a set of "cool blocks" that fit the band saw. These replace the standard blocs that mount top & bottom on each side of the blades. The cool blocks are composite that are designed to stay in contact with the blade to give it more support so it wobbles less. the upper guides should be lowered as close as possible to the top surface of your work the higher up it is the greater the flex. Also as someone said sounds like you are pushing a bit hard. let the blade do the work.
Your lathe problem mat even be too much play back to front on the tail stock with the ts about half way down the ways see if you have lateral play & if you the ts always aligns to the same point when it is tightened.
 
Scooley01 said:
My band saw: Brand new Skil from the hardware store. When I cut, I set up the fence to the right diameter, and use the sled to push the blank through. However, as I cut, the blade pulls to the right (Away from the fence, towards the slide and my hand).
Click to expand...

Steven; Look for a book "Bandsaws: A Workshop Reference" by Mark Duginske. You may be able to find one at the local public library or there are usually several on Ebay. The book is a treasure trove of setup and cutting information.

The blade often doesn't cut in a straight line, but rather it cuts more on one side than the other. You can use a stone on the BACK of the blade and round over the rear edge.
 
One more thing... If that skill bandsaw is ANYTHING like my little Ryobi - it will take a little tuning (like some have suggested above) AND a better blade. Even an $10 olsen or similar blade is much better than the sucky one it came with.

I followed the tuning/setup guide and just couldn't get it to work. Tried a new blade and it made all the difference in the world. Then the tuning setting started working.
 
Not wanting to rehash all the good advise given thus far, just add couple thoughts.

What you are experiencing on the band saw is "drift". This is common however your problem seems more pronounce than normal drift. 1. Tighten your blade. 2. Have a sharp blade (though this should be #1). 3. Ensure blade/saw is properly set up (could also be #1). 4. Clean blade.

sounds like your problem stems from combination of factors, not the least of which is using cheap tools.
 
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