Lam makin how to

[kennym]

Originally posted by beachbowhunter:
Kenny, how do you adjust and set up for drift?  I see you don't use the rounded deal on the guide and freehand.

Glad it helped someone!!    

Norb, if you cut like a .100 lam, check both ends and adjust your fence accordingly. It will take a bit of trial and error I'm sure. Mine was very close when I got it.

When you put the blade on the center of the wheels and get some tension on it, move all the guides back to not touch it, then slooowly move them to the blade and leave slight clearance.

Your blade has to run straight in the first place, the guides just help it stay there.

AND- A DULL BLADE WILL NOT SAW A THIN LAM ALONG A FENCE!  JMO

[kennym]

Here is a little college project my son did, don't laugh too much!!

  http://bmckenziespot.blogspot.com/2012/02/kennys-custom-archery.html

[tenbrook]

Originally posted by fujimo:
i read a good article on re-sawing  with a bandsaw, here is what they said:
first set your saw up as kenny says.
as all blades dont always run parrallel to the fence.
1. take a nice square edged piece of wood say 12" long.
2.draw a line parrallel to the square edge.
3. now with the fence slid out of the way, start to cut down that line as well as you can freehand.
4.when about half way- or at a point where you feel it is running nice and true, dont remove the block, switch off the machine.
5.now bring up the fence and see how it matches the wood, loosen the machine screws or bolts holding the fence to the slide mechanisim.
6.marry the fence to the good edge on the wood. tighten the screws.

now you have a fence that wants to guide like the machine wants to run.
tip: at point 4 i draw a pencil mark on the table of where the wood is lying, and then i clamp that wood to the table- so nothing can move while i am adjusting the fence.

i do this whenever i put on a new blade- just to check- as sometimes a new blade can run a little different.

this is what helped me a bunch- prior to that i hated bandsaws- now i just love mine!!-

This is what I do as well.

[fujimo]

that, plus how kenny sets up the blade, took my saw from being a dust collector to being my most valuable tool.

[kennym]

"i do this whenever i put on a new blade- just to check- as sometimes a new blade can run a little different."

I must be lucky, I don't think I have  adjusted the fence except once!  I may but a lotto now!!

[fujimo]

yup, yer right Kenny, i dont often need to adjust between blades( sometimes do!)- but i just like to check.
maybe i remember how frustrating it was until i read that article- so dont wann go back to that again!!

[kennym]

They are like computers, when they work right, they are a fabulous tool!  :D

[Roy from Pa]

Kenny ya just gave me a thought here. Getting the blade on the center of the wheel has to be very important. If it's running a little forward or back of the center of the wheel and ya apply tension to it, then the blade itself has to be at a slight angle coming down to the table.

[kennym]

Exactly, the more centered  the better IMO.

Then let the blade run where it wants and adjust guides to it. Again JMHO.

[Buemaker]

Good info. It is not always that you can Get the blade to track in the center on both the upper and lower wheel.  In that case consentrate your effort on the upper wheel.  Bue--.

[tenbrook]

Kenny.  Go and set your fence up for drift.  You will be amazed how much better they cut with the fence set to the blade.  

It only take a few seconds on a Grizzly 14".  Just loosen the 4 allen head bolts on the fence and set the angle to the piece you cut free hand.

[kennym]

Hi Cody,

My fence was so close, all I had to do was move it very slightly from the factory setting.

I run the same size blade all the time and never change anything on it!  

[So-Mo Archer]

Great info, Kenny! Thanks for sharing. Your son did a good job on the video, as well. Nice shooting BTW!  

Two questions: 1) How does one either make or get a preacher stick?

2) Do you put the preacher and taper lam along the fence, behind the wood to be cut?

Just not clear on these things yet. Thanks.

[kennym]

Hi Matt,

The preach is just a .005 per inch taper , starting it from .030 at the thin end to about .200 to the thick end , marking at .010 intervals.  .010 - .020 -.030 etc.

Sure saves time on setting for thickness of lams.

I only use the preach to set the fence.

When getting ready to cut parallels, only check the fence to blade with preach, but when cutting tapers, I have a 1/4" thick(or so), for durability , taper in the right TPI (.001-.0015-.002 etc)that goes against the fence, then the preach you put the correct thickness at the butt of the thick taper.

So if you want a .002 taper, .100 at butt, just grab the thick taper, put the .140 mark on the butt end of it, and set the fence to that thickness.

Then use the thick taper against the fence when you cut the taper blanks, the xtra .040 is what you clean up the sanding marks from.

[T Folts]

I tried making a preacher stick last night and it didnt work. ugh.

[So-Mo Archer]

Thanks, Kenny. Will have to work on one as soon as I am cleared by the doc to work on such things again. Appreciate the application notes as well.  

[kennym]

This preacher thing will be my next giveaway. Will make a halfdozen in a batch or so.  That is, if anybody would want one......

[beachbowhunter]

Aint that a coincidence?  

[kennym]

Sorry Norb! If you win I'll exchange sumpin with ya!  :D

[kennym]

Originally posted by Buemaker:
Good info. It is not always that you can Get the blade to track in the center on both the upper and lower wheel.  In that case consentrate your effort on the upper wheel.  Bue--.

I had to take the bottom wheel off an old Craftsman that I had once and shim it out a bit....