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Help! Bandsaw blade guides

I recently purchased a DoALL bandsaw that had been converted long ago from a band filer. When the new guides were fitted the upper guides were mounted upside down. These are the typical guides that are angled at the ends and when installed make a VEE shaped assembly. The point of the VEE should be pointing up but these guides instead have the VEE pointing down. Because of this chips get caught in the valley of the VEE and are dragged by the saw blade into the tiny gap between the blade and the guide. The blade is galled because of this. Furthermore, the guides are only 3/8" thick and the saw takes 3/4" blades. So I am going to change guides and I don't know which guides would be the best. I will not be using roller guides. But there are new blade guides made from different materials available now and I would appreciate advice on which would be best. Thanks, Eric

Reply to
etpm
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DoAll can most likely help, strongly suggest give them a call.

If it's a horizontal, then likely it is supposed to have carbide-lined guides--any reputable tool grind shop should be able to braze new carbide onto a mild steel guide blanks that you've fabricated in-house.

It's very important to keep carbide guides well lubricated--wear occurs much faster with water soluble coolant than it does with straight cutting oil.

Reply to
PrecisionmachinisT

The upper DoAll guides point down, the guides under the table point up. I've never had the problem you describe with my 16" ML. Chips will occasionally get jammed between the guide blocks and the backup bearing cap, but only on the lower guide that lives in a shower of chips

As far as material for the blocks goes, the DoAll steel blocks are very hard and wear resistant, and stay true for a long time. I have reground them, but don't recall offhand what the sparks looked like. I don't believe they're HSS. D2 would probably be my choice if I were making them myself. My recollection is a set of 4 was $40-50 from DoAll, though that was some time ago.

Reply to
Ned Simmons

My comments are free and maybe only worth what you pay. They are not based on experience.

I would think the guides are oriented correctly , but maybe not big enough.

I would try using UHMW poly for the guides. It is cheap. Grainger and MSC both carry it. It is very abrasive resistant and very slick too. i would expect any chips would embed in the plastic and not gall the blade. Do not know if guides made of UHMW poly are available, but should be easy to make guides from raw stock.

Dan

Reply to
dcaster

The guides in use are incorrect for the blade size. They should support the blade back, nearly to the teeth, so profile sawing is possible.

In regards to the direction they point, that is correct. If they pointed up, the blade would lack the required support for profile sawing, which is DoAll's claim to fame. The solid jaws are superior to bearings, because they lend support closer to the needed area.

If you are plagued with chip problems, the gap is not correct. Set the clearance according to factory specs and you'll find the guides work very well.

Harold

Reply to
Harold & Susan Vordos

Thanks Harold and everyone else who replied to my request for help. I guess that the real problem is guides that are too narrow. I knew they were but the problem with galling must be from too large a gap and too little surface area. I wonder if I should get new guides that are made from ceramic? Eric

Reply to
etpm

You could do that, or simply machine a set out of O1etc and harden them properly when you are done.

How many hours a day for how many years do you think they will last?

A bunch! And if you are using it far more than the average serious hobbiest..you probably have the wrong saw in the first place.

Gunner

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Reply to
Gunner

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