In article ,
LP wrote:

On Mon, 30 May 2005 22:16:25 -0400, Joseph Gwinn
wrote:

I recently acquired a bandsaw that will cut wood or metal (aluminium at
3000 fpm and steel at ~100 fpm). It always cut at an angle with the
original cheapo blade. Tightened and adjusted. No dice. Gave it a 5/8
inch wide 10-12 tpi bimetal blade. Much better, but still crooked.

The bandsaw books in effect say that this is to be expected, and
describe various ways to cope with the tendency, but I could not see why.
snip
AFAIK it results from an uneven amount of "set" in the teeth, this set
being more on one side and less on the other. THe blade will "lead"
or pull to the side with the more set.

This set is a product of the way blades are manufactured. More
expensive blades will reduce it, but not eliminate it.

This sounds about right to me.


I'm talking about blades for wood here with 6-TPI and under, but I
suppose the same thing would apply to blades for metal.

Yes. I have a 4-6 tpi bimetal blade for wood, but it is also used for
thick metal, and it also drifts. I haven't tried it with the sled yet.

I forgot to mention that for really square cuts it was necessary to
clamp wood to the sled as well, probably because metal on wood is still
pretty low friction. I bet a sled made of hardwood (even if the rail is
still metal) would allow square cuts of wood without clamping.

Joe Gwinn