Neverthougt the difficult part would be...

[scjohnson243]

Just for the record, I'm a computer geek by trade, a database administrator... When I decided to get into woodturning it was because I wanted to do something with my hands that didn't involve a keyboard.. I have always admired "artists" and wished I could do things like they do (You guys!)...

I have turned a few slimline pens, and the lathe work has been the most easy to grasp... The small things that make a lot of difference are KILLING me... after getting in from work I usualy spend an hour or two with the family while its still really hot outside (No AC in my shop yet!!) Last night I wanted to try an easy segment just cut a rosewood blank in half, and glue up a ebony piece in there... I literally spent 2 hours trying to cut a straight piece on my bandsaw... A few days before that I spent an hour trying to get a straight drill through my blank with my drill press (Which I solved by buying things for my lathe to drill)...

So, something is "off" on my bandsaw, I guess it has to do with my fence, but im not entirely sure... I will go home tonight and give it another try... and, if that doesn't work I'll move on to my miter saw, I guess...

ANYWAY.. Just needed to vent and where I work with a bunch of computer geeks they would not understand.

Thanks!

 

[mredburn]

Go right to the miter saw and skip the band saw for now. You will need to tweak the band saw to make it perform and depending on your model it may not ever work well for straight cuts. You may also have to make a sled for it to even get close. IF you have a disc sander you could cut close to the line with the band saw and then sand it down straight. Be very careful cutting small angled pieces on a miter saw.
There are some articles on how to build sleds and how to tweak your band saw but you will need to do a search for them.

 

[randyrls]

Stephen; Mark Duginske (sp?) wrote some of the best books on the band saw that I have ever read. I'm sure a read of either The "Bandsaw A workbench reference" or "The new complete guide to the band saw" will get things straightened out.

Your story is much like mine. Spent 35 years on computers from the smallest mini to the biggest mainframe that IBM sells. Got into PC's and spent the last of my career doing network security and administration.

People have commented that I tend to be paranoid. I respond that it is a job skill.

 

[mredburn]

I just checked and in the Library under Tools-jigs the first two articles are band saw tweaking and sled.

 

[harveysoriginals]

Additionally, a fella by the name of Alex Snodgrass has an excellent YouTube video out there that has helped me a lot!

 

[KenV]

Miter saws and table saws are the toold of the serious segmented turners. Malcolm Tibbetts has books and dvds showing techniques for sleds, cradles, and hold- downs. He denonstrates with a Festool chop saw.

Disk sanding or a flat sanding board is used by many.

Rubbed titebond glue joints with a clean tight dryfit joint can be magic.

 

[scjohnson243]

People have commented that I tend to be paranoid. I respond that it is a job skill.

Aint that the truth!

Anyway, Thank you all for the advice - I really just needed to vent a bit, I appreciate the links and advice. I do not know enough about it to know where the problem lies, I may have put it together incorrectly, I will have to go back through the books when there is more time and check it out... I will definately unbox my new miter-saw and just use it to get a few good cuts. I thought about the belt sander, but was just mostly annoyed that I couldn't cut a straight line.

I'll check out all the links, thank you all again.

 

[scjohnson243]

I just checked and in the Library under Tools-jigs the first two articles are band saw tweaking and sled.

I did look here this morning, but until last night never realized that was going to be a problem (Inexperience, I guess!)

Thank you.

 

[Katsin]

Additionally, a fella by the name of Alex Snodgrass has an excellent YouTube video out there that has helped me a lot!

+1

This guy also shows how to adjust bandsaws live at the Woodworking Shows that tour the country. Once I tuned my bandsaw properly I got very straight cuts on it.

Definitely make a cutting sled for finger safety.

 

[Smitty37]

Stephen; Mark Duginske (sp?) wrote some of the best books on the band saw that I have ever read. I'm sure a read of either The "Bandsaw A workbench reference" or "The new complete guide to the band saw" will get things straightened out.

Your story is much like mine. Spent 35 years on computers from the smallest mini to the biggest mainframe that IBM sells. Got into PC's and spent the last of my career doing network security and administration.

People have commented that I tend to be paranoid. I respond that it is a job skill.

Hmmmmm I might have made some of those computers.....

 

[Janster]

....and then there is an easier way! Go ahead and use your less than perfect bandsaw to cut the blank in half. Then, simply glue your divider be it different wood, aluminum ,copper ,whatever to the "finished "side of the
blank you just split. Glue that side to the finished side of the other half. Cannot get to much more simple than that! Good luck and enjoy the adventure. Be well......Jan