# Surprised About All Of The Misinformation About Setting Up A Band Saw



## Jerry Bowen (Jun 25, 2011)

After watching the video in which Mr. Snodgrass shows how to set up a band saw and then following his instructions and haveing great success with the saw after doing what he says to do, I am surprised at the difference in what others say about the subect, especially about where the blade runs on the top tire. Also, others put a emphasis on the wheels being adjusted so that they are so set to run in co plane. Even the demo on Powermatic's machine say that this is important. The lower wheel on my saw is way out of co plane and the blade certainly does not run anywhere near the center of the bottom tire when the blade is set so that the gullet is dead center on the top tire as Mr. Snodgrass suggests. I have watched the video made by Steve of Workshop Essentials and even he, with all of his knowledge disagrees with Snodgrass and explains how to deal with the drift of the blade by off setting the fence. It just puzzles me about the difference of opinions on the subject when the solution to properly set up the saw is so simple and works so well. This is not really a question to anybody, just an observation and I am sort of wondering what others think about it.

Jerry Bowen
Colordo City, TX


----------



## The Warthog (Nov 29, 2010)

i agree completely. I made two offsetable fences for my bandsaw, but following Snodgrass's instruction, I don't need to offset any more.


----------



## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

As a novice woodworker, getting proper set-up on all of my tools seems to be about the greatest challenge to me. Bandsaw was pretty much a mystery to me, and i did my best to avoid it. Oddly, after following Mr. Snodgrass' coaching--it's now the easiest machine for me to get right. Simple, and effective.


----------



## rcp612 (Oct 22, 2008)

I totally agree. :agree:
Luckily, I watched Snodgrass's video just a week before buying my first bandsaw. Followed his instruction carefully, and have gotten excellent results. Resawing is perfect. Now I too wonder why everyone doesn't do it this way. I can't imagine trying to follow a line while resawing.


----------



## rwbaker (Feb 25, 2010)

I guess I am going to be the odd man out as the wheels being co-planner to the other is a matter of physics and geometry. To be sure you can cut a straight line this way but when you start to cut a curve and you need the cut to be 90 degrees to the sides at all times then it is not possible as the blade is not 90 degrees in the x - y and z positions.

Blades that do not run this way are subject to binding and most easily slipping off the tire as dust accumulates.

I had a bandsaw that would not true-up for anything and because of the extra tension applied to a cheap blade it destroyed one bearing, and the blade slipped off causing a near industrial incident. A machine that cannot be trued in the xyz should not be on the market - my opinion based on the darker side of 50 years of experience.


----------



## Red Stick (Sep 7, 2011)

The Snodgrass method works great for me. BTW I also replaced the tension adj. knob on my Jet 14" bandsaw with the Carter ratchet and definitely love it.


----------



## cagenuts (May 8, 2010)

I think the whole 'co planer' issue is one of those that we just regurgitate without actually thinking about it. Similar to 'giving sweets to kids make them hyper' or 'you can't swim on a full stomach'.

Anyway, why would a manufacture ship a band saw without the wheels set to work from the word go? Why would they deliberately design something to NOT work?

Yes you have to adjust the top wheel to get the blade to sit with the back of the gullet in the middle of the top tyre. All this shimming of the bottom wheel is nonsense.

Anyway, my band saw also works better even though it's still Chinese junk and I will be selling it and then buying the new Makita 12inch.


----------



## mgmine (Jan 16, 2012)

I have found over the years that a great deal of information not just on the net but everywhere in print is just rehashed of what is thought to be accurate information. It seems that the building trade is the worst offender. I tend to look at what people are suggesting to do instead of what is the established practice. Just because it is said often enough and loud enough doesn't make it true.


----------



## Jerry Bowen (Jun 25, 2011)

Roger,
Your experience is very similiar to mine. I took delivery of my first band saw about the time I watched Snodgrasses' video. Before watching his video I had watched several other demos on setting up a band saw and as I said earlier, none of them were similar to Snodgresse's instructions. Like you, I can't imagine getting good resaw results by having to follow a line. I have a neighber friiend that is a very experienced wood worker and he helped me set the new saw up right after I got it. At that time he insisted that I might as well ash can the fence that came with the saw. He also insisted that no band saw blade would not drift and explained how to make to a jig that could be used to guide the work piece when resawing. After setting the blade as described by Snodgress and installing the fence on the saw, the resaw results are near perfect and so easy to do. All of what I have referred to above is why I posted the thread that referred to my surprise about the other demos that are out there, especially the one that Powermatic has on You Tube. I suppose that I should admit that the demo on thee Powermatic machine may not have been done with the blessing of Powermatic and may have been donw by a person not associated with Powermatic, but it appear that be done by an employ of Powermatic

Jerry


----------



## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

Co-planar is just for checking the alignment of a machine. Once you install, track, and tension a blade, those wheels are no longer co-planar.


----------



## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

rwbaker said:


> I guess I am going to be the odd man out as the wheels being co-planner to the other is a matter of physics and geometry. To be sure you can cut a straight line this way but when you start to cut a curve and you need the cut to be 90 degrees to the sides at all times then it is not possible as the blade is not 90 degrees in the x - y and z positions.
> 
> Blades that do not run this way are subject to binding and most easily slipping off the tire as dust accumulates.
> 
> I had a bandsaw that would not true-up for anything and because of the extra tension applied to a cheap blade it destroyed one bearing, and the blade slipped off causing a near industrial incident. A machine that cannot be trued in the xyz should not be on the market - my opinion based on the darker side of 50 years of experience.



If you are cutting a tight enough radius to bind the blade, you need a smaller blade, no matter how the saw is setup! 

Over tensioning a blade will destroy bearings no matter how the saw is setup!

Running the saw with bad bearings can cause bad things to happen.

I think the need for slightly non coplanar wheels is to counteract the tendency for the blade to slide off one side or the other. Disclaimer: I am NOT an engineer( I was a technician for 35 years, however), but it makes sense to me!

One thing I do know is Mr. Snodgrass's system just works for me!


----------



## Harrison67 (May 30, 2012)

One thing that may be screwing people up, is that every blade change will require resetting the guides. Odds are that the new blade will never run in the exact plane as the old blade.

Sometimes they only need to be tweaked a small amount, other times much more. Get the new blade running true on the wheels, then adjust the tension, let it run in for a bit, then reset the guides.


----------



## GulfcoastGuy (Feb 27, 2012)

AxlMyk said:


> Co-planar is just for checking the alignment of a machine. Once you install, track, and tension a blade, those wheels are no longer co-planar.


That begs a question on repairing or refurbishing a BS. If the wheels or bearings are repaired or replaced wouldn't the co-planer alignment need to be re-established, at least once. If so, I would assume that this should be done with the tracking adjustment and any other be set to the center of their respective ranges to insure maximum benefit of those adjustments.

GCG


----------



## del schisler (Feb 2, 2006)

Jerry Bowen said:


> After watching the video in which Mr. Snodgrass shows how to set up a band saw and then following his instructions and haveing great success with the saw after doing what he says to do, I am surprised at the difference in what others say about the subect, especially about where the blade runs on the top tire. Also, others put a emphasis on the wheels being adjusted so that they are so set to run in co plane. Even the demo on Powermatic's machine say that this is important. The lower wheel on my saw is way out of co plane and the blade certainly does not run anywhere near the center of the bottom tire when the blade is set so that the gullet is dead center on the top tire as Mr. Snodgrass suggests. I have watched the video made by Steve of Workshop Essentials and even he, with all of his knowledge disagrees with Snodgrass and explains how to deal with the drift of the blade by off setting the fence. It just puzzles me about the difference of opinions on the subject when the solution to properly set up the saw is so simple and works so well. This is not really a question to anybody, just an observation and I am sort of wondering what others think about it.
> 
> Jerry Bowen
> Colordo City, TX


I set up or did a reset on my delta band saw and now it performes very well. No drift at all i can push wood thro when resawing with holding the wood real hard on the fence. Now i just glide it along. Before i adjusted the fence for drift that worked but now with the blade in the middle of the top tire and everthing set no drift at all. I would set it up using Alex idea that works.


----------



## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Carter Stabilizer

Carter Band Saw Blade Stabilizers Presented by Woodcraft - YouTube

Buy Carter Band Saw Blade Stabilizer 14 at Woodcraft


----------



## tooler2 (Aug 11, 2012)

Where can I see this Snodgrass video?
Rob


----------



## bosox (Jun 12, 2012)

I have followed Mr. Snodgrass’ instructions and it worked out for me. So, no problem with that. I just want to ask you guys how to do you find this method - How to Set Up a Bandsaw - Fine Woodworking Article ?


----------



## bosox (Jun 12, 2012)

tooler2 said:


> Where can I see this Snodgrass video?
> Rob



Go to youtube and search for Alex Snodgrass video. You can type Alex Snodgrass band saw setup or Alex Snodgrass band saw,or band saw clinic with Alex Snodrass, either ways yield the same result.


----------



## MikeMa (Jul 27, 2006)

I don't know if I would necessarily call it "misinformation" when it comes to the varying schools of thought on band saw setup. One thing to keep in mind is that the band saw is one of the most versatile saws one can have in the shop, and how it gets used varies from woodworker to woodworker. That said, how the band saw is setup can vary just as much. If a band saw's primary use is resaw and ripping, I can see where the wheels needing to be more coplanar is more important vs. one that is setup for a little bit of everything.


----------



## bosox (Jun 12, 2012)

What works for you might not work for me. Would that be a better phrase?


----------



## Jerry Bowen (Jun 25, 2011)

This is in response to Hilton's remark about a manufacturer shipping a machine that is not set up properly before shipping it. I agree with him and will give an example of why I say this. When I bought my new Grizzly band saw, I also took delivery of a new jointer. From watching Demos on setting up a jointer it was plain that the set up that assures that the in feed and the out feed tables are perfectly level with each other is a very delicate and/or critial task. I was dreading making that adjustment until I read in the Manual that the adjustment had been made at the factory. All I needed to do was to do the adjustment that sets the height of the out feed table exactly the same as the height of the cutters which I did and when it was done right, I did not get any snipe which is an isssue with a jointer. This implies to me that Grizzly is careful to see that the critical adjustments on their machines are made at their factory and this probably includes the alighment of the wheels on the band saw. As I stated earlier, the blade does not run any where near the center on the bottom wheel, but the saw cuts extremely well, no drift at all as those that have used Alex's suggestions all atest to.

Jerry


----------



## steamfab (Jun 22, 2012)

I have so much respect for Mr. Snodgrass and he made woodworking so much easier for me! Cheers to you, Sir!


----------



## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

*Alex Snodgrass video*



tooler2 said:


> Where can I see this Snodgrass video?
> Rob



https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B-XJ8gFNEWtARWRKT1JSWDRIQUk


----------



## cagenuts (May 8, 2010)

Harrison67 said:


> One thing that may be screwing people up, is that every blade change will require resetting the guides. Odds are that the new blade will never run in the exact plane as the old blade.


_Theoretically speaking_, the guides never have to be adjusted if you *always* install the top blade with the bottom of the gullets set to run in the middle of the tyre. Having set-up my band saw with this new technique I haven't had the opportunity to change blades so time will tell.

Unfortunately on my Chinese junk i have to adjust the guides laterally every time I adjust the height. The column seems to be off centre.

Anyway, the weekend is upon us.


----------



## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

GulfcoastGuy said:


> That begs a question on repairing or refurbishing a BS. If the wheels or bearings are repaired or replaced wouldn't the co-planer alignment need to be re-established, at least once. If so, I would assume that this should be done with the tracking adjustment and any other be set to the center of their respective ranges to insure maximum benefit of those adjustments.
> 
> GCG


One check is all that is needed. The tracking is adjusted to get the upper wheel vertical, then they are checked for co-planar with a yard stick, or straight length of wood, etc.
After a blade is tensioned and tracking, you may find it is not riding on the lower tire center. It should be centered on the upper tire.


----------



## bosox (Jun 12, 2012)

I agree, blade alignment in the lower wheel is unnecessary.


----------



## Jerry Bowen (Jun 25, 2011)

Just reiterating my position on the issue of co-planer. As Alex says in his demo the manufacturer of our band saws know more about the subject than most of us do and the
better manufactures of band saws ship their machines with the critical adjustment done at the factor. 

Jerry


----------



## Roy M (Jan 28, 2014)

where can I buy the carter blade stablizer in the UK?


----------

