Bandsaw drift question

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187
Location
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
I have a question about setting drift and distance from the blade.

I just added a torsion box surround to my little Delta Shopmaster band saw table top. I have made a makeshift fence that locks in a t-slot on either end of the torsion box. I set the drift by cutting half way through a board and marked that angle. Then I try to set the distance from the blade for the cut and set the fence parallel to that line. I am trying to use a bevel gauge to set the angle but am finding it cumbersome to maintain the distance and maintain the angle.

Is there a better way to do this or do I just need to be a little more patient in getting both right for an accurate cut?
 
Take a straight sided piece of wood 6" or more long. Draw a line PARALLEL to the straight side. Distance doesn't matter but a couple of inches maybe. Saw down the straight line as accurate as you can.

About half way though when you have a good straight cut going, stop cutting and don't move the board!! Clamp it down and align your fence that piece.

The idea being once you are feeding the board through cutting a straight line, you have the angle that the fence needs to be.

Alternative way, adjust the tracking of the blade on the wheel till the blade is parallel with your fence. That's what I do on mine. I use the board method, just draw several lines. Make a cut with the part on the fence and adjust. Repeat it two or three times till I have it cutting straight.
 
Hey there Larry and Jeff,

Thanks for the replies. I have set the drift using the half way through the board method.

My problem is after when I want to cut some tenons. I have the angle drawn on the tabletop and set on a bevel square. When I set the fence the proper distance from the blade and then proceed to set the angle my distance changes, When I set the angle and then try to set the distance then the angle changes. Not much in either instance but that is still not good.

I am looking for a fool proof method (and boy do I need one of those) to set both angle and distance from the blade that will be as accurate as can be with a lot of frustration (or maybe that is impatience again)
 
I think what I need to do is make my makeshift fence better so that I can set an angle and keep the angle when moving the fence to set the distance from the blade. Right now the fence is just attached at each end to some toilet bolts that slide along the side of the extended tabletop (the torsion box) so I have to loosen the bolts on each end to move the entire fence to set the distance, which then messes up the angle.
 
Bill, my fence is adjustable so that once I set the angle on the fence to the blade, it stays at that angle even if I move the fence. In your case, it does sound like time for a upgraded fence. Or a lot of patience! ;)


so i understand your directions correctly jeff you could have your fence at an angle to the edge of your table say a few degrees off parralel?

Yup. How much is going to be determined by the crown the wheel I assume. Once I discovered I could adjust it by changing the tracking on the wheel it is close to square with the table but I am sure its not square either. I have found it easier to change the tracking slightly than adjust the fence.
 
Hi Larry,

Normally, I would agree with you and do it that way, but...

These tenon cuts are big for my also small table saw and the stock being used. I have a saw like Stu has and I am needing to cut the tenons in SYP 3" x 3" x 40" (rough size till I can figure out how tall to make these legs) and tenons in 2" x 6" x 72" stretchers.

I tried setting the pieces on the table saw top and see how it would be to handle them if I used the dado stack but so much of the length is hanging off the end and 3x3 SYP is fairly heavy to keep straight. This is why I am trying to do it on the bandsaw with the extended table I built. Shorter lengths would be easy on either the BS or the TS.

You should have seen the fun I had cutting those rather large mortises (2 1/4" x 1 1/2" x 2"). They came out fine and now I don't want to mess up the tenons after all this work.

I am trying to make a workbench and have milled all of the SYP 2 months ago and now want to do it right with final cuts and then dry fitting.
 
Once I have the workbench done I intend to set it just past the "outfeed" for the TS (kind of like what Stu has with his setup) and put a small extension between the two for the miter track to be cut into. Then I can do long lengths if necessary and use the BS extended table for side support. I just have to get the heights aligned once I set the workbench height, then build a cabinet to set the TS upon and take the BS off the Delta legs and put it on a cabinet that will make everything high enough for me and my bad back.
 
Hi Larry (Hibbs this time!)

I appreciate the plan. Will take a look at it. Obviously, I need something more than just a fence that can move. It has to maintain the angle.

I have several pieces of aluminum bar stock, a few lengths of small aluminum angle and a section of t-slot that I am trying to devise a way of mounting on the end of the fence to have two pivot points that can be set to the "drift" angle and then the fence can be set to the correct distance. This is similar to what I can make out of what Kreg has done with their BS fence system.

Will look to incorporate some of what is in this plan along with my Rube Goldberg contraption.

Thanks again Larry.
 
to me then it sounds like a table saw, is better for square cuts than a bandsaw:dunno: one might be on but the next one may not be with a bandsaw.

FWIW That has been my experience trying to rip on my 14". While I get a reasonably straight line on my bandsaw, the TS cut is MUCH better. I just don't use the BS for long straight rip cuts that need to be parallel.

I am hoping my big bandsaw will make good rip cuts. If I can ever get it finished that is.
 
Didn't read all the answers, but, one thing that is important to control drift is to make sure the GULLET of the blade, not the middle of the blade is running at the TOP of the tire (at the crown).

Bruce
 
I see solutions to a problem that shouldn't exist if you would correct the drift problem, not make jigs to deal wuith it and allow continuation.

Drift can easily be corrected by simple setup and tracking. With Crown wheels location of the blade on the wheel will create drift. too far forwar and the blade drifts left, too far aft and the blade drifts right. correct that problem and the drift is a moot point.
 
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