Bandsaw Buying & Setup Tips - What You NEED to Know

You don't need to waste money on a new bandsaw. Follow my fast easy setup to get ANY bandsaw cutting perfectly!

Check out my buddies Cole and Morgan for more woodworking videos.

[robohippy]

For my bandsaws, I am prepping bowl blanks out of sloppy wet wood. A friend suggested, when I first started out, going to a local shop that made blades, tell them what I was using the bandsaw for, and let them tell me what would work best for me. They suggested the Lennox bimetal blades. I do end up cutting through a lot of bark and a few nails. They told me that carbide is for cutting veneers. I had to try one out anyway, and they were correct. I used a Lennox carbide tipped blade. It did leave a really nice surface, but the teeth were so tiny, they could not be resharpened. Then, I was watching a Woodmizer video, and the guy running it said he used their carbide blade rather than bimetal because it would go through nails, bark and pretty much every thing else, and the teeth could be resharpened several times. I have yet to find out if that blade is available for hobby level bandsaws.

Side note, I can't remember where I learned it, maybe in that complete bandsaw set up book, can't remember the author, but the bandsaw wheels should be 'coplaner' or parallel to each other. I think the gullets and teeth should be just over the crown of the wheel so the teeth don't get the rake/set changed.

[carlson.douglas.w]

Awesome. Reminds me it's been a LONG time since I've tuned my bandsaw. You gave me a few things to check that i hadn't been considering in the past.
My bandsaw has always had similar issues to what you describe. Especially with resawing, i always get wedges.
I'll give it a shot and see how it comes out! 😊
I have an unbelievable piece of instrument grade Birdseye Maple that i REALLY want to resaw into veneers, but up until now i haven't dared do that due to bandsaw issues.

Maybe this tune-up advice will get me there!

[stevemaurice]

i have this same saw. it has been a nightmare for me. I will try following your steps and see if i can duplicate your success.

[carlson.douglas.w]

Well Gary, you've done it again.
I have a 14" bandsaw that's a different Brand but looks very comparable to what you've got, and like you i have a long history of not good results from it. No more though!

I followed your video mostly. Took the whole thing apart, cleaned lubed and tightened my way up.
I especially liked and followed your suggestions for squaring the blade to the miter slot. I had to adjust the trunnions a bit.
Anyway long story short but i just resawed a piece of maple 24x4 into a 1/4" thick piece that came out perfect, and that was just using light finger pressure on the fence.

Can't thank you enough man, it's like s brand new tool. I'm finally starting milling for my split top Roubo this coming weekend and having the bandsaw in tip top shape is critical.
I'm sure I'll be following your many good examples as i work through the build.