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+1 on the Powermatic. Love mine. And I just might have to try the carbide tipped blades too.

-M
 
Can you post a photo of what is happening?
I am not sure what you mean by the wood buckling.

I spend a little time cutting wood so I thought if I could see exactly what you are talking about I might be able to help come up with a solution.
The saws we use here range from 50+ year old Butcher Boy meat cutting bandsaws to Grizzlie and Jets.
So as you probably guessed I have had a little experience improvising to make things work.
 
I don't have any of the screw ups to shoot a picture of but maybe I can explain it. Imagine when cutting a 1" block in half (for scales) the outside "scale" is turning outward away from the blade. In some cases it's only this outer piece that gets curled but in other cases both curl but the inside always a lot less.

What I end up with is the middles touching but not the ends and if flipped outside-in I get the ends touching and not the middle.

Does that make any sense?
 
Sounds like a wood issue, more than a saw issue.
 
Must be that wood from Hawaii, just send it all my way and I will take care of it for you. :D
 
First thing I would do is try making the same cut with some scrap pieces of wood.
Be sure to cut a similar sized piece of wood. (Example is 1&1/2" wide piece for your test cut if you are having problems with cutting blocks that were 1&1/2" wide)
Also use a hardwood like maple or walnut.
This should tell you if something is out of whack with your saw.
I always cut a test piece first before gambling with the good stuff.
By doing a test piece I am able to insure that my table has not been bumped out of square.
I also use a test cut to double check my thickness of the cut I am making.

If you get the same results with the test cuts that has been happening to you it can be a variety of different things.

Adjustments
If the blade is not tight enough it can flex or wander.
Your blade guides might not be set right. I use a business card to set the space between the blade and the guide.
The top guard should be lowered to a point just above the height of the piece you are cutting.
If these adjustments don't correct the problem, next thing to consider is your blade.

If you hit something with your blade like a rock, dirt or a piece of metal it can chip the side of some of the teeth. In addition to dulling the blade it can also cause it to wander.

If you have been cutting and the blade got bound or stuck in the wood it can become distorted.

Sometimes it will just be bad blade(s)
Crummy weld, cheap steel or bad cutting of the teeth.

Blades are like knives, If you find cheap ones there is probably a good reason.
I like Lenox Bi-metal blades myself. They cost about 3X a normal blade.
But if it keeps you from messing up just one block it has paid for itself.

============================================================

If you check the blade and all the adjustments and you get good cuts on the test pieces but bad on the actual blocks then it narrows things down to 2 things.
#1 The wood
If it is natural wood that was not kiln dried correctly, the wood can experience case hardening. This causes the wood to spring into another shape when cut.
#2 You
If you push too hard and try to cut too fast your cut will start out closer to the fence and then gradually wander outward. If you push the block too hard or at an angle with your push stick the blade will wander back toward the fence at the end of your cut.

If you use slow and steady pressure when making your cut, the blade will determine how fast to cut and you should get an even cut even with wood that varies in hardness.

Hopefully this will help.
Don't ask how I learned these things.

One last piece of advice.
If you go to a local cabinet shop they will usually be happy to give you a box of junk, cutoffs.
Cut these into blocks about the same size as the pieces you will be cutting and keep these next to your saw.
Every time you will be cutting scales, use one of these pieces and make a test cut.
Then you will be able to make sure the saw is cutting correctly as well as double check the dimensions of your cut.
There have been times I thought I set my cut for 3/8" thick and had mis-read my tape.
 
Thanks for the input Mark :thumbsup:

I took some time and went down through your comments like a check list and while not one thing on the list could be found as bad maybe some things were made better which could help here.

I actually think that I have an issue with this particular blade. It's almost too short (hard to get on) and needs to run on the front edge of the wheels because if it is brought to the middle it starts making a hell of a noise and looks to run "twisted" and that's regardless of the amount of tension applied. If I bring the blade forward to the front edge of the wheels the blade runs straight. This is a problem that hasn't come up for me before but now with 6 blades all slightly different in length (even though they're supposedly the same) I guess I'll have to watch for this.

Anyway, thanks again for your help.
 
My advice,
Find a different blade supplier.
They are supposed to be a set length. Not a range.
If you have to run the blade off center it will cause your cut to wander because the blade is not cutting square.

If it were me I would take off the blade, pour gas all over it, light it on fire and then urinate on it to put out the fire.
Then I would put it in a box, write a nasty note to the supplier. Defecate on top of that and send it back.

But then.......I over-react sometimes.:shocked3:
or so I have been told.

But seriously, trying to run a blade that is too small can snap and remove fingers.
 
Burl Source said:
If it were me I would take off the blade, pour gas all over it, light it on fire and then urinate on it to put out the fire.
Then I would put it in a box, write a nasty note to the supplier. Defecate on top of that and send it back.

But then.......I over-react sometimes.
Click to expand...

LOL. Now I know my return policy to Burl Source :)

k.
 
This is one of those times where if you could edit your post later, I would have gone back and toned down my comments.

That said, I get very angry when a company's negligence creates a situation where someone is likely to get injured.

Still....I am over reacting, but it made me think of the last time I had a bandsaw blade break when I was cutting scales.
Fortunately the blade missed me. Saved by the blade guard and a push stick.
The broken blade cut into the push stick. Would have been my fingers if I wasn't using the push stick.
 
LOL Mark but don't be sorry - that's exactly what I needed to here. That blade is coming out tomorrow then I'll pour gas all over it, light it on fire and then urinate on it to put out the fire. Then I'll put it in a box, write a nasty note to the supplier. Defecate on top of that and send it back. :D
 
Dave Martell said:
LOL Mark but don't be sorry - that's exactly what I needed to here. That blade is coming out tomorrow then I'll pour gas all over it, light it on fire and then urinate on it to put out the fire. Then I'll put it in a box, write a nasty note to the supplier. Defecate on top of that and send it back. :D
Click to expand...

When I saw you had replied I was afraid it was going to say that you were banning the crazy burl guy.
Now I know I have to be careful if I ever tell you anything that you should do.
 
i sure am glad that i can get blades welded up in town (tho they are cutting back on what band stock they keep on hand
 
Just put another new blade on the saw, made all adjustments, blade twisted & cut sideways on the first 1/2". :bashhead:
 
dave jsut had a thought
all of your rollerbearings are free spinning right ? i jsut replaced all of mine after having cutting problems
 
Dave,
If you need any wood cut while you are getting things figured out, I will be happy to cut whatever you need done.
Let me know if you need my mailing address. For me it would be a chance to return a favor.
Mark

PS:
One other thing to look at.
If you take your bandsaw blade and lay it on a table with the spine of the blade against the table, is the width of the blade square to the tabletop? or does it lean. A crooked weld would cause it to lean and not cut correctly.
 
Burl Source said:
Dave,
If you need any wood cut while you are getting things figured out, I will be happy to cut whatever you need done.
Let me know if you need my mailing address. For me it would be a chance to return a favor.
Mark
Click to expand...

I can do the cutting too. I am a bit closer than Mark. And yes, it would be a rush job. :)
 
Dave, if you're able to, you may want to adjust your trunnions and make sure that your wheels are coplanar. Also, if your band saw has poly or rubber wheels/ tires make sure that they aren't worn or warped, if so, you may need to purchase replacements. Hope this helps.
 
You guys are too cool to offer to help me on the cutting. I also received a couple of PM's for this too. I'm hoping not to have to take anyone up on this but if things don;t change soon I just might. I REALLY appreciate this!

Also, thanks for the advice, I'm trying everything suggested.
 
Dave do you have a model number? You may be having the same issue that my neighbor had not too long ago. With his, it turned out that the wheels were not coplanar and he had issues with the arbor being bent slightly.
 
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