I have zero drift on my Delta and nothing extra is required… stock spring, stock HSS guide blocks and works on any blade I put on unless it's really, really dull (and even then, I can usually get it to work). It's all in the tracking mechanism. Get it centered on the wheel as a starting point (aka: the Snodgrass method), and then tweak it forward or backwards slightly depending on which way it's drifting until you get it dialed in. Usually doesn't need much if any adjusting.
I have zero drift on my Delta and nothing extra is required… stock spring, stock HSS guide blocks and works on any blade I put on unless it s really, really dull (and even then, I can usually get it to work). It s all in the tracking mechanism. Get it centered on the wheel as a starting point (aka: the Snodgrass method), and then tweak it forward or backwards slightly depending on which way it s drifting until you get it dialed in. Usually doesn t need much if any adjusting.
I guess I'm lucky too, never had the problem, I always figured technique and the correct band was the solution. I've ripped 10 1/2" purple heart with and without a fence. If the mat isn't flat and I rely on the fence instead of my eye I get more of an error.
I have zero drift on my Delta and nothing extra is required… stock spring, stock HSS guide blocks and works on any blade I put on unless it s really, really dull (and even then, I can usually get it to work). It s all in the tracking mechanism. Get it centered on the wheel as a starting point (aka: the Snodgrass method), and then tweak it forward or backwards slightly depending on which way it s drifting until you get it dialed in. Usually doesn t need much if any adjusting.
Nice post Jerry, and links from you and Alex from Carter. The small amount of re-sawing I've done, I've had good luck without too much drift. I believe drift is one of those things that you may or may not have to deal with. It's always nice to here and see how we can deal with it when we need to.
I watched that video and all I can say is either the guy if full of it or I must be missing something.
I think I've got enough experience to know watching guys like this making categorical statements or making things look too easy or making me think I'm an idiot because I can't duplicate what he says is so easy.
I've tried his technique and I still get drift. Everything I've ever read says put the blade in the middle of the wheel.
Bottom line: he's got a slick routine and his shtick is to make everyone think he knows something we don't.
I'm on my 3rd and 4th bandsaws in 25 years and every one has drift.
WADR, Brad, I've tweaked as much as I care to eliminate it but I can't eliminate it.
I don't worry myself with it. I just make a test cut and adjust my fence accordingly.
I can cut veneers down to 1/32 on my 18" saw.
On my little 12" I don't care I'm mostly freehand cutting curves on it.
This is probably explained by the sharper blade not need so much force of the wood against the blade. As you push harder on the wood to feed it through, I would expect it to make the blade deflect more. As the blade "bows", and gets mashed against the guide wheel, I would expect it to not move straight back…but rather to take some angle that is determined by the tension and the various blade stiffness and other mechanical factors.
In other words…makes sense to me.
I guess the question that remains is…is there some "perfect" way of adjusting the various parts of the saw (tension, location on wheel, guide wheels, etc.) that would make some blades not want to twist even with significant force applied?
Or maybe the question is…is it easier to just find out how your setup twists "today", and adjust the fence accordingly and just get on with it?
Just a couple of observations: Mt sawmill is basically a large bandsaw on rails. It has no thrust bearings behind the blade, guide bearings only on one side of the blade, and the 1.25" wide blade is tracked in the center of the wheels. There is NO blade drift ever. So what is the difference? The band is tensioned to the point where there is no deflection over a 24" span with all the weight I can apply. When the blade gets dull, I do get some ripple but no drift like with a bandsaw.
The only drift I have ever seen on the mill happened immediately after sawing into a deck screw.
Just reporting some observations that may relate to resawing problems on smaller bandsaws.
Just a couple of observations: Mt sawmill is basically a large bandsaw on rails. It has no thrust bearings behind the blade, guide bearings only on one side of the blade, and the 1.25" wide blade is tracked in the center of the wheels. There is NO blade drift ever. So what is the difference? The band is tensioned to the point where there is no deflection over a 24" span with all the weight I can apply. When the blade gets dull, I do get some ripple but no drift like with a bandsaw.
The only drift I have ever seen on the mill happened immediately after sawing into a deck screw.
Just reporting some observations that may relate to resawing problems on smaller bandsaws.
Thanks Andy, again, great and useful intelligence. Man the opinions on this post are all over the map, aren't they?! I think I'm coming down on the side of the idea that a properly set up, properly tensioned, and properly sharpened blade is probably going to eliminate drift, but I've not tested that theory yet…
Another interesting design feature on my mill is that the wheels are actually big pulleys and the "tires" are v belts that fit very loosely around the pullys. The v belts are much narrower than the blades. The thickness of the v belts keeps the blades from contacting the wheels.
I've watched his videos … I've seen him do this demonstration live, several times … finally, convinced but skeptical, I went home and tried his technique … NOTHING … THEN … I remembered the big fat spacer that we precision ground that was behind the upper wheel to make it magically coplaner … took it out, and everything worked just as Alex said it would. I am a believer now.
I ve watched his videos … I ve seen him do this demonstration live, several times … finally, convinced but skeptical, I went home and tried his technique … NOTHING … THEN … I remembered the big fat spacer that we precision ground that was behind the upper wheel to make it magically coplaner … took it out, and everything worked just as Alex said it would. I am a believer now.
I had drift issues with my Jet 14" saw until I saw Alex Snodgrass video. I purchased a new Diamond 1/2 inch blade with 3TPI .025 thick and a stronger spring to tension the blade. I bought a Kreg Mag fence and set up the saw just as Alex describes. Success no drift, have cut as thin as 1/16 inch. I set the fence on the table & eyeball it for straight, Alex said as long as it is within 1/4 inch of square will cut straight, he is correct. I am now a happy drift free woodworker. I am using the original guides with cool blocks. Just my experience.
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