While attempting to adjust my JET 18" bandsaw per duginske's
recommendations, I quickly realized that the frame of the saw doesn't allow
room to place a straightedge/level against both wheels at the same time to
check that they are vertical and coplanar. I tried using a smaller level on
each individual wheel and comparing the measurements but I'm afraid this
isn't too accurate. What do ya'll recommend for making these adjustments.
The only thing I can figure is to cut a piece of plywood to accomodate the
overhang in the frame and use it as a straightedge. Any better ideas?
Thanks!!!

--

Jonny Durango

"Patrick was a saint. I ain't."

Johnny Durango wrote:
The only thing I can figure is to cut a piece of plywood to accomodate the
overhang in the frame and use it as a straightedge. Any better ideas?

That's pretty much what Duginskie recommends.

Before you get too carried away I would put a blade on it.
If the blade tracks on the center of both tires you're in
good shape. In reality coplanar band saw wheels aren't
quite the issue some make them out to be.

Thanks!!!

Not a problem.

UA100

On Fri, 19 Dec 2003 08:52:58 GMT, "Jonny Durango"
wrote:

What do ya'll recommend for making these adjustments.

Great big piece of extruded aluminium doorframe (or similar). With a
notch in the middle if needed. Not as accurate as a ground steel
straightedge, but it's more stable than plywood.

--
Smert' spamionam

Andy Dingley responds:


What do ya'll recommend for making these adjustments.

Great big piece of extruded aluminium doorframe (or similar). With a
notch in the middle if needed. Not as accurate as a ground steel
straightedge, but it's more stable than plywood.

Failing that, simply clamp two same-thickness blocks, made from a single
original block, one to each wheel. Each block needs to be deep enough to lift
the straightedge over any obstructions and large enough so the clamp won't
interfere with the straightedge.

Charlie Self

"Man is a reasoning rather than a reasonable animal."
Alexander Hamilton

http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/m.../business.html

A new day is dawning...Keeter and I agree on something!

Keith, try to stifle your instinct of responding with a SA comment,
spoiling the effect...

dave

Unisaw A100 wrote:

Johnny Durango wrote:

The only thing I can figure is to cut a piece of plywood to accomodate the
overhang in the frame and use it as a straightedge. Any better ideas?


That's pretty much what Duginskie recommends.

Before you get too carried away I would put a blade on it.
If the blade tracks on the center of both tires you're in
good shape. In reality coplanar band saw wheels aren't
quite the issue some make them out to be.


Thanks!!!


Not a problem.

UA100

"Jonny Durango" wrote in message
news:K%yEb.427880$ao4.1361295@attbi_s51...


The only thing I can figure is to cut a piece of plywood to accomodate the
overhang in the frame and use it as a straightedge. Any better ideas?
Thanks!!!

Yeah - pop over to the Tauton website and see if they've got the article up.
The picture in FWW, from a few months ago, showed such a cut-out in a piece
of solid wood. Think he took a long 2x4, jointed one edge flat, then
notched it to accomodate the overhang.

And like UA100 said - are we obsessing over co-planar? Seems to me, if it
cuts well, it cuts well.

Bay Area Dave wrote:
A new day is dawning...Keeter and I agree on something!


Interestingly I really expected to be getting some flack by
now from the more textbook learned wooddorkers who
buy into the Myth of Coplanar.

UA100

Keith, I just read Duginski (or something like that -- everyone knows
his name (like Norm in Cheers) ). I TRIED to implement his ideas to a
"T", but found that it worked better to track the blade just a skosh to
the tooth-side of center and leave it at that. Wide blades track fine
and cut fine, and don't wander or do any of those other stupid band saw
tricks, so what's to worry about? He almost had me believing, until I
tried it his way, and then the factory standard way, which is that the
machine is built so that the two wheels are coplanar with no load on
them. With a load, they definitely aren't coplanar, but after my little
experiment, I really don't give a flying hoot! Am I bad? [No, don't go
THERE! ]

Hey, I miss you busting my chops about one thing or another! How's
'bout some grief, man??

dave

Unisaw A100 wrote:

Bay Area Dave wrote:

A new day is dawning...Keeter and I agree on something!



Interestingly I really expected to be getting some flack by
now from the more textbook learned wooddorkers who
buy into the Myth of Coplanar.

UA100

Not that my opinion really counts for much, but I'll mention that I
already tried the coplanar set up, and it wasn't for crap, compared to
the factory settings of the wheels, which are coplanar with no load.

dave

mttt wrote:

"Jonny Durango" wrote in message
news:K%yEb.427880$ao4.1361295@attbi_s51...


The only thing I can figure is to cut a piece of plywood to accomodate the
overhang in the frame and use it as a straightedge. Any better ideas?
Thanks!!!


Yeah - pop over to the Tauton website and see if they've got the article up.
The picture in FWW, from a few months ago, showed such a cut-out in a piece
of solid wood. Think he took a long 2x4, jointed one edge flat, then
notched it to accomodate the overhang.

And like UA100 said - are we obsessing over co-planar? Seems to me, if it
cuts well, it cuts well.

On Sat, 20 Dec 2003 02:49:10 GMT, Unisaw A100
wrote:

Bay Area Dave wrote:
A new day is dawning...Keeter and I agree on something!


Interestingly I really expected to be getting some flack by
now from the more textbook learned wooddorkers who
buy into the Myth of Coplanar.

UA100


having set up a few bandsawerz I can testify that if the wheels are
WAY uncoplanar (displanar?) they don't track for ****. aligning the
wheels isn't that hard to do on most saws, 'specially if you have them
apart enough to change out the belts and tires.
Bridger

mine ARE coplanar; just not when there is a heavy load to track a wide
blade. Duginski suggests making them coplanar under load. For ME, that
doesn't work worth a crap. YMMV.

dave

wrote:

On Sat, 20 Dec 2003 02:49:10 GMT, Unisaw A100
wrote:


Bay Area Dave wrote:

A new day is dawning...Keeter and I agree on something!


Interestingly I really expected to be getting some flack by
now from the more textbook learned wooddorkers who
buy into the Myth of Coplanar.

UA100



having set up a few bandsawerz I can testify that if the wheels are
WAY uncoplanar (displanar?) they don't track for ****. aligning the
wheels isn't that hard to do on most saws, 'specially if you have them
apart enough to change out the belts and tires.
Bridger

Bay Area Dave wrote:
some snippage...
With a load, they definitely aren't coplanar, but after my little
experiment, I really don't give a flying hoot! Am I bad? [No, don't go
THERE! ]

I can't/won't try and give the impression that I know what
is what but what I do know is, as you've already found out,
a saw can be made coplaner without a load,,, so what.
Without a load it's not capable of making a cut making it a
very large key chain. In my case a larger, older Gumby like
key chain.

I guess what I'm saying is, the very action designed into
the machine is to take the wheels from coplanar to adjust
them to tracking the band down the center (center David)
line.

Hey, I miss you busting my chops about one thing or another! How's
'bout some grief, man??

At this time/moment, considering the civility of the
conversation, that would be insane.

UA100

Bridger wrote:
having set up a few bandsawerz I can testify that if the wheels are
WAY uncoplanar (displanar?) they don't track for ****. aligning the
wheels isn't that hard to do on most saws, 'specially if you have them
apart enough to change out the belts and tires.


I'm not disputing that a machine way out is a machine worth
bringing way in. Me of all people enjoy a good tinker when
it comes to 'chinery.

I'm just saying that I think people get carried away from
time to time when someone as learned as the Great Duginske
says something. To be fair the Great Duginske doesn't hold
a zero tolerance policy on coplanar but he insists that it
be present for larger bands. Onna 'count of the fact that
I'm not setting my machine up for re-sawing (at least not
soon/too many other obligations) I'm not ready to go and
buying a wider band for Gumby. I'm using mine, for the time
being, as a scrollie.

Now, interestingly enough Bird doesn't go into coplanar.

Having said alla that, the two spots we should be putting
the efforts of our idle weekend afternoons (1) is, making
the table square to the blade (side and back of the blade)
and making the guides stay parallel to the back edge of the
blade.

(1) Mornings are spent on line or watching Norm. About
noonish inspiration/guilt (2) kicks in and we're in the
shoppe, right?

(2) We've spent all this money and time setting up the
shoppe. So whadda we gonna do with it now?

UA100

On Sat, 20 Dec 2003 02:49:10 GMT, Unisaw A100
wrote:

Interestingly I really expected to be getting some flack by
now from the more textbook learned wooddorkers who
buy into the Myth of Coplanar.

All depends what your saw is, and what shape the tyres are. If you've
a big saw with cylidrical tyres, coplanar doesn't matter. If you're
using a little hobby saw with barrels, then it certainly does.

My saw (Axminster 350 - stee frame, 14" wheels) was built with rubbish
bearings that didn't last 6 months. First I knew of it was when I lost
coplanar alignment (top wheel tilted under blade tension) and I could
no longer set a narrow blade up to run without it leaping forwards or
backwards in the guides.

--
Smert' spamionam