I just got the Ridgid 14" bandsaw and set it up a couple weeks ago.
It all went together nice, and then I wanted to test it out. I took a
couple scraps of wood (no thicker than 3/4"), put a spare miter gauge
into the slot, and tried running the wood through. I expected that
the cut would be more or less perpendicular to the back side of the
wood (where it rides on the miter gauge), but no dice. The cut "veers
off" or "drifts". If I drew a straight line across the wood in the
direction where I was making the cut, I could start out on the line at
the beginning of the cut, then I'd end up about 1/2" or more (on a 3"
wide piece of wood) above the line. Sorry if I'm over-explaining, but
does this make sense?

I checked the blade tension according to the instructions. I also
DAGS, but the only things I could find blade drift were either old
blades (this is a brand spankin new machine) or resawing (which I'm
not doing). Is it just the blade tension, and is there a better way
to gauge it than just looking on the tension indicator on the back of
the machine?

Any help y'all could give would be appreciated...

Jim

In article , PC
Gameplayer wrote:

I just got the Ridgid 14" bandsaw and set it up a couple weeks ago.
It all went together nice, and then I wanted to test it out. I took a
couple scraps of wood (no thicker than 3/4"), put a spare miter gauge
into the slot, and tried running the wood through. I expected that
the cut would be more or less perpendicular to the back side of the
wood (where it rides on the miter gauge), but no dice. The cut "veers
off" or "drifts". If I drew a straight line across the wood in the
direction where I was making the cut, I could start out on the line at
the beginning of the cut, then I'd end up about 1/2" or more (on a 3"
wide piece of wood) above the line. Sorry if I'm over-explaining, but
does this make sense?

snip
All band saw blades are not created equally, a better quality blade
than the one that came with the saw will likely solve most of your
problem. If the teeth on the blade are not set the same on each side
the cut will wander. If you are ripping and only have that blade,
instead of using the guide that came with the saw clamp a straight
edge on the table at an angle to the blade equal to the run-off,
unfortunately this will not help with a cross cut.

For what its worth, I used to use a Stanley Mitre Box and when I had
the saw sharpened I would take the box to the sharpener as well as the
saw. He would check the saw for perpendicular cutting and adjust the
set to obtain a 90 degree cut.
FrankC

--
http://sawdustmaking.com

"PC Gameplayer" wrote in message

Any help y'all could give would be appreciated...


Almost all bandsaw BLADES do this some degree. It is more a property of the
blade than the bandsaw itself. It's also called "drift" and you generally
adjust the fence to compensate for it. The following will help:

http://www.rd.com/americanwoodworker...ain/page4.html


--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 7/10/04

PC Gameplayer wrote:

I just got the Ridgid 14" bandsaw and set it up a couple weeks ago.
It all went together nice, and then I wanted to test it out. I took a
couple scraps of wood (no thicker than 3/4"), put a spare miter gauge
into the slot, and tried running the wood through. I expected that
the cut would be more or less perpendicular to the back side of the
wood (where it rides on the miter gauge), but no dice. The cut "veers
off" or "drifts". If I drew a straight line across the wood in the
direction where I was making the cut, I could start out on the line at
the beginning of the cut, then I'd end up about 1/2" or more (on a 3"
wide piece of wood) above the line. Sorry if I'm over-explaining, but
does this make sense?

Every bandsaw blade has drift based on the unique physical
characteristics of the blade. You need to adjust your rip fence
to the drift angle of the blade. Take a 2' x 6" piece of wood
and draw a line down the middle lengthwise so that it is
parallel to both edges of the board. Start the bandsaw and
*slowly* freehand the cut down the center line. Stay *exactly*
on the line adjusting as necessary. Once you're cutting straight
on the line withing needing to adjust the angle of the board,
you've found the drift angle of the blade.

Stop the saw and hold the piece of wood in the exact position
where you stopped. Using a pencil or marker, trace one of the
edges of the board on your bandsaw table. Then take your rip
fence, align it to this line, and you're done.

I'd recommend picking up a good bandsaw book that explains this
and other aspects of using bandsaws.

Tim Henrion

"PC Gameplayer" wrote...
I just got the Ridgid 14" bandsaw and set it up a couple weeks ago.
...
The cut "veers off" or "drifts".

Since you describe just the one issue with blade drift, which occurs to some
degree with most any bandsaw, I can only assume that you have scored a much
better unit than I.

I bought one this past weekend. Yesterday, I went back to HD to ask how
they would like it returned (they said just as it is... assembled... which
is cool with me).

In addition to the problem you describe, my saw exhibited the following:

1. The top wheel is not circular. The blade therefore wobbles left to right
about 1/4" for each revolution of the wheels. Needless to say, the machine
vibrates considerably, and it is impossible to achieve a clean cut. Since
it is the wheel's dimensions, and not simply a weight issue, balancing would
be fruitless.

2. When shutting down, the motor makes a noise not dissimilar to a rooster's
early morning crow. The whole machine also moves enough to make me
stand-back in fear of it flipping.

3. The casting of the table is ragged.

4. The lateral blade guides (steel block guides) are not all the same size.

5. Two of the thumb nuts are bent about 45 degrees.

6. Other quality issues that demonstrate why the machine is priced so
relatively low. But since I did pay such a low price, with my eyes open, I
can't really complain on this point alone.

It looks like YMMV.

/rick.

OK, I also have a Ridgid 14" BS and have few problems. Mine is was made in
St. Louis by Emerson, not overseas. It has a LIFETIME warranty, and I have
had the wheels and tires replaced without any hesitation by Ridgid. It does
not drift hardly at all. Blade guides are fine. Vibration is minima. Using
Timberwolf low tension blades.

Improvements I would and will get:
1) change existing rubber tires to neoprene
2) replace belt with linktwist belt.

That being said, I do not buy Ridgid now that the lifetime warranty has been
reduced, and now that mfring has been sent overseas. Too many other reliable
brands around.


"PC Gameplayer" wrote in message
om...
I just got the Ridgid 14" bandsaw and set it up a couple weeks ago.
It all went together nice, and then I wanted to test it out. I took a
couple scraps of wood (no thicker than 3/4"), put a spare miter gauge
into the slot, and tried running the wood through. I expected that
the cut would be more or less perpendicular to the back side of the
wood (where it rides on the miter gauge), but no dice. The cut "veers
off" or "drifts". If I drew a straight line across the wood in the
direction where I was making the cut, I could start out on the line at
the beginning of the cut, then I'd end up about 1/2" or more (on a 3"
wide piece of wood) above the line. Sorry if I'm over-explaining, but
does this make sense?

I checked the blade tension according to the instructions. I also
DAGS, but the only things I could find blade drift were either old
blades (this is a brand spankin new machine) or resawing (which I'm
not doing). Is it just the blade tension, and is there a better way
to gauge it than just looking on the tension indicator on the back of
the machine?

Any help y'all could give would be appreciated...

Jim

On 26 Aug 2004 10:01:20 -0700, (PC Gameplayer) calmly
ranted:

I just got the Ridgid 14" bandsaw and set it up a couple weeks ago.
It all went together nice, and then I wanted to test it out. I took a
couple scraps of wood (no thicker than 3/4"), put a spare miter gauge
into the slot, and tried running the wood through. I expected that
the cut would be more or less perpendicular to the back side of the
wood (where it rides on the miter gauge), but no dice. The cut "veers
off" or "drifts". If I drew a straight line across the wood in the
direction where I was making the cut, I could start out on the line at
the beginning of the cut, then I'd end up about 1/2" or more (on a 3"
wide piece of wood) above the line. Sorry if I'm over-explaining, but
does this make sense?

1/2" in 3" is one hell of a hefty "drift", Jim.
Is the table aligned to the blade at all?
Flip the board over and make another cut. Is the second
cutoff the same width? If so, it could be a combination
of table and miter gauge offsets. Calibrate 'em.


I checked the blade tension according to the instructions. I also
DAGS, but the only things I could find blade drift were either old
blades (this is a brand spankin new machine) or resawing (which I'm
not doing). Is it just the blade tension, and is there a better way
to gauge it than just looking on the tension indicator on the back of
the machine?

Are your guides set properly? If not, tighten them to spec
up to the blade. Ditto the rear blade support bearings.
And slow down the feed rate. You're probably pushing it.

I heartily recommend Mark Duginske's "Bandsaw Book" as a
bandsaw tune-up reference.


-
Inside every older person is a younger person wondering WTF happened.
---
http://diversify.com Website Application Programming

The stock blade sucks. It is purely for throwing away.

You can walk into any Home Depot and go over to the display BS1400, and
run your finger up the side of the blade. It has a set on one side but
not the other. As near as I can tell, they die cut it and did not
sharpen or set the teeth at all.

A new Timberwolf (not too pricey if you go to suffolkmachinery.com, or
one of those high-end Olsons (Olsens?) they sell at Woodcraft or
Rockler, will change things completely.

My BS1400 is OK (and it was priced quite low last Christmas), although I
thought the motor mounts were a pretty disgraceful design, the wheels
were somewhat out of balance and the belt was shipped with a bandsaw
laying on top of it, which didn't help the vibration situation too much.
A link belt, wheel balance and altogether re-engineering the motor
mounts helped. If I had it to do over I would save up and get the
Grizzly "ultimate" 14, which has a fence, more motor, better dust port,
more solid looking base and ball bearing side guides.

Suffolk Machinery makes tires for BSs as well as good blades. Link
belt took the shivers from my Rockwell 14". The miter gauge gathers
sawdust hanging on a nail, never figured a use for it.

On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 20:34:13 GMT, "Chris Carruth"
wrote:

Improvements I would and will get:
1) change existing rubber tires to neoprene
2) replace belt with linktwist belt.