Horizontal bandsaw cuts crooked?

Dec 15, 2006 5 Replies

At work today the guy who works in assembly asked why his cutoff saw wasn't cutting square anymore. He ostly cuts plastic although some steel pipe. I told him that saws do this if the set is out of the blade. I was told this years ago and never gave much thought to this or what would cause this in the first place. I've run quit a few bandsaws vertical and horizontal and it seems some are much more prone to this happening. It also occurs much more frequently with inexperienced and new people. So is it correct that the set is out of the blade? What causes this? Rosco



Possibly. If the set on one isde is dulled it can make a saw cut off, so can worn blade guides, or improperly adjusted blade guides, too much pressure, forcing what is being cut, wrong blade for the job.......lots of things can make a saw cut quicker, but odds are guide wear / adjustment or set is probably the most common causes.

------- I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

I never really thought about the failure mechanism, but "set" seems like a good explanation. But, as a blade wears out, it tends to cut crooked. On the other hand, if a new blade cuts crooked, something on the saw itself is out of adjustment.

Jerry

Often it is not tensioned up to spec or it has a tooth bent and tends to cut that way. Another is to much pressure.

Maybe a hint or two helps.

Martin

Mart> At work today the guy who works in assembly asked why his cutoff saw

Once, shortly after putting a brand spanking new blade on my 7x12 bandsaw I cut a piece of rod that I thought was mild steel but turned out to be something harder. I'm not sure why but it ruined the set on one side of the blade and from that point on it cut curves so I had to buy ANOTHER new blade.

Best Regards, Keith Marshall snipped-for-privacy@progressivelogic.com

"I'm not grown up enough to be so old!"

Getting a cheap 4X6 bandsaw to cut 'straight' amounts to a black art! Yes - it can be done. Reliably - not a chance! As has been suggested all it takes is skidding a lousy single tooth on a brand-new blade on a saw that has been aligned within an inch of its damned life to send all into a spin at a right angle to reality.. And as we all are all too much aware of - it is the little things (OK - vanishingly small s*it) that will f*ck you up! I 'once' got my bandsaw to cut accurately. The next day; same saw; same material; same cut - No bloody way!! Nature of the beast.

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