# How Smooth Should Cuts Be On My Band Saw



## Jerry Bowen (Jun 25, 2011)

I have just begun to mess around and learn how to use my new Grizzly GO604ZX band saw. The cuts are pretty rough and I am wondering if they should besmooth or not and if
not, what might be causeing them to be rough? I am a green as a gord about a band saw and any help would be appreciated. I have watched several videos about setting up a saw and notice that they are not at all consistant as to what is correct and what is not.

An example has to do with the issue of co-plane. One person says to be sure that the wheels are in line, another says not to mess with them as they are properly set at the factory and the only adustment needed is the one to do with the way blade runs on the t 
tire.

Another one is that one person says that drift can be eliminated by setting the blade so that the gullet of the blade runs in the center of the tire and another person says to run the blade centered on the tire. Comments will be apreciated as usual.

Jerry
Colorado City, TX


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Read the post from BobN about acheiving zero drift from your bandsaw and watch the youtube video.


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## Jerry Bowen (Jun 25, 2011)

Charles,

I have looked at that video and that is what I was referring to in regard to what that guy says and what somebody else says. The other guy is Stave Maskey who distributes in England and his handle is Workshop Essentials. I have just sent him the link to the one that you have referred to.

Jerry


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I understand what you mean. I bought Mark Duginske's book and video and it's different that what Bob's link showed. But you have to admit that what this guy could do with a bandsaw was extremely impressive. He can't be totally wrong based on what I saw.


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Hey guys.... I just finished adjusting my band saw yesterday following Alex's instructions from start to finish and for the first time ever, I have zero drift on my band saw, and I do mean ZERO. The proof is in the pudding, go out to the shop and try it for yourself. I too have Mark's DVD and have followed it closely without the results I got from Alex. I am sold, sold, sold!


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

That's a good enough endorsement for me. Thanks Bob.


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## WayneMahler (May 17, 2012)

Alex Snodgrass did one heck of a detailed video on setup and usage. Follow his steps and it will work out great. I searched for quite a while and applied his techniques and it worked great for me.. Do a YouTube search for him, you will not regret it.


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

i have a small, old ryobi 9" bs900 band saw i got off craigslist. i followed alex's instructions and it is much better now, but i still have some drift. i think my blade might not be tight enough, but i ran out of time to play around with it more.


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## mgmine (Jan 16, 2012)

Your question seems to be on the smoothness and not the set up. For a smoother cut you need more teeth per inch on the blade and a better blade. The blades that come with saws are not the best in the world. Get a good blade and you will see a difference.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Jerry, I am a new comer to woodworking bandsaws which are very different from metal cutting band saws. I think the video Bob N posted makes a lot of sense and plan to follow those methods.


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## Ray Y (Jan 10, 2012)

I have used industrial band saws and my own shop saws for close to fifty years. At first, I believed the co-planar theory. It seemed sensible. It also seldom worked. Leave the alignment alone unless the blade comes off. The back of the gullet should be centered on the wheel. I learned this from trial and error, but the video by Alex Snodgress explains it very well. Follow this and you will get very strong improvement over past performance, even on a Ryobi 9 incher which will give you a horrible cut unless set up properly.


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## Jerry Bowen (Jun 25, 2011)

Mike,
As I said in one other message, I am using a fine tootheed Timber Wolve blade and the cuts are still not smooth, but from what feec back I'm getting, this is just the way band saws cut and I can live with it now that I have been educated on the subject.

Thanks,
Jerry


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## TomE (Dec 17, 2010)

Once the saw is set to best, a variation in feed rate, reposition of hands, a slight tick of the hand can all make for roughness in the cut beyond the regular tooth marks left by the blade itself.


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## carolinad (Apr 14, 2012)

This thread is of interest to me. Being new to woodwork, I played around with my cheap Delta 10" bandsaw the other day and was thinking how rough the cuts were. I want to start off with making bandsaw boxes. What brand and type of blade would give the smoothest cut?


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## bosox (Jun 12, 2012)

You need to have a hard back Carbon blades. These blades have improved rigidity for a straighter, more accurate cut. That also provides greater blade strength, allowing a higher feed pressure . I have been ordering these kind of blades from www.sawblade.com for my woodworking.


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## Fabitfast (Jun 14, 2012)

Oh yeah, they do have good quality blades! I personally like that hard back Carbon blade for my band saw. But when I have visited the site, it seems to have no contact information for me to order. Don’t they have any toll free number or so?


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## bosox (Jun 12, 2012)

You might need a pair of glasses Fabitfast. ! The toll free number is located at the top of the site. Check it out again – 



Here’s the toll free no. 877-501-7297. Make sure you’re ordering the right blade !


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## Fabitfast (Jun 14, 2012)

Haha! Been laughing at myself a couple of times here in my couch. I guess you’re right, I need to have glasses on. Anyways, thank you for posting the no. (though I really scanned through it again and again).


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

I posted on Jerry's other thread:
http://www.routerforums.com/tools-woodworking/36082-need-help-band-saw-blade.html#post287923

My Timberwolf gave a rough cut as well.

At the above post, I list a rundown of many blades.
I end with a reference to the top blade of that rundown: the wood slicer.


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## bosox (Jun 12, 2012)

So how has it been with your blades? Did you order on sawblade.com? I guess you’re busy working with your woodwork because you’re getting a little quiet here in this thread.


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## Jerry Bowen (Jun 25, 2011)

I did the Snodgrass set up and got wonderful results, wouldn't know it was the same saw, the cut is extremely smooth and cuts a perfect 90 degree cut when using the miter gauge on the saw.

Jerry


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