The Infamous 4x6 Bandsaw square cut...

Is that mirroring the cut you are seeing? The cut moves in as it moves down? The older saws had a pivot that was a separate removable part that could be shimmed- I'm guessing you have the one-piece design? You could do some radical surgery and cut off the ears, then make a new pivot piece that bolts on- if you really want to get it perfect that's what it would take
-M
 
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Asm109 said:
Mount a square on the bed in front of the fixed jaw of the vise. Push it close to the blade. Raise and lower the saw.
Does the blade track along the edge of the square. Good first step, at least they machined the hinge holes parallel with the bed. Does not track the square, return the saw its defective and nothing you do will fix it.
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I agree with the first part and you beat me to it to mention it. But I’ve seen guys who made one side of the pivot point for the saw housing adjustable and fixed that problem.That is the thing with this stuff, there can be mistakes made at the factory. and the sad thing is it can be anything, or nothing. I was lucky in that mine except for replacing the guide bearings has been trouble free. I do admit I don’t expect perfectly square cuts, just close. Its a bandsaw, not a mill. No place I’ve ever worked had a bandsaw that cut perfect so I don’t have that expectation. YMMV.
 
Have you checked for slop in the pivot pin? Just thinking (which is dangerous at times.
My 4x6 is also inconsistent but it’s not a big deal to me. I just have a little more waste if I face it off on mill or lathe. I just make sure I allow for inconsistency.
Chuck
C-bag beat me.
 
It seems possible to make eccentric sleeves for the pivot, drilling one portion to accept the sleeves, which could then be used to adjust the pivot axis.
 
JW has a point- depending on how much material there is at the pivot points you could do an eccentric sleeve/shaft arrangement and dial it in
-M
 
Mark, it doesn't necessarily track with the out of square condition. Usually it goes in and then out again at the bottom of the cut (maybe when the twist of the blade overcomes the down force?) I think the best I was able to accomplish was square on both edges but a curved cut towards the saw in the middle.

C-bag and Mark, Good suggestion! Last night I was contemplating just cutting the pivot off! I haven't seen people who made then adjustable, I'll have to search around and see if I can find a good example to model after if it comes to that.

Jubil, hmmm... I'll have to check that. Good idea. That would definitely he a problem.

Hmmm I have to see about the eccentric idea.

I did take a quick look at it this morning and it doesn't look like I could shim the pivot. Am I seeing that correctly?
 

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The very nature of so radically twisting the blade for the typical horizontal saw has always seemed doomed to varying inaccuracies. To my mind you’re stretching the blade and causing all kinds of stress. And what about when it sits for a long time? The stretch isn’t even over the whole blade.

I‘m always trying to be respectful so don’t ask what are to me bonehead questions, but are your tracking rollers tight enough on the blade that they don’t slip when the saw if off? I have mine tight enough that I had to replace the funky originals in about a year. That was 39yrs ago :)

When I want an accurate cut I rely on my vertical bandsaw. The blade goes through no contortions and is far easier to track. It’s my go to for small odd parts too. My air powered auto sled means it automatically feeds too. My horizontal is for coarse large/long work and miter cuts, the vertical for thick, short, small, odd and accurate work.
 
C-Bag said:
The very nature of so radically twisting the blade for the typical horizontal saw has always seemed doomed to varying inaccuracies. To my mind you’re stretching the blade and causing all kinds of stress. And what about when it sits for a long time? The stretch isn’t even over the whole blade.

I‘m always trying to be respectful so don’t ask what are to me bonehead questions, but are your tracking rollers tight enough on the blade that they don’t slip when the saw if off? I have mine tight enough that I had to replace the funky originals in about a year. That was 39yrs ago :)

When I want an accurate cut I rely on my vertical bandsaw. The blade goes through no contortions and is far easier to track. It’s my go to for small odd parts too. My air powered auto sled means it automatically feeds too. My horizontal is for coarse large/long work and miter cuts, the vertical for thick, short, small, odd and accurate work.
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Please post details about your auto sled!
 
Shootymacshootface said:
Please post details about your auto sled!
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Your wish is my command. It’s at the bottom of the thread.

www.hobby-machinist.com

HF 14” metal cutting conversion.

Several years ago now I decided i needed a vertical bandsaw and the cheapest most flexible option after looking into it was the HF 14” which is a direct knockoff of the Delta. The most popular version of a 14” with several places that supply parts and it’s all cast iron construction. I needed it...
www.hobby-machinist.com www.hobby-machinist.com
 
Ok latest update:

Jubil - Pulled the drop spring off and checked for pivot pin slop. Seems tight with no slop so that's a small plus.

I measured the pivot shaft and it checks at 0.623" so searching around to see if I can find a 5/8" ID eccentric bushing first. I guess I could always make one if not.

C-Bag, ask me all the bonehead questions. I want it be something simple and stupid I'm missing! I have messed with the side tension of the guide bearings and currently have them where I can just spin them by hand (seems people recommend this?). There seems to be a little slop in the guide bearings is some expected or should I just replace these? Also, when running the saw and I tighten the side guide bearings up, it tends to make the blade track forwards trying to run out of the front of the guides. Is this normal? Does this seem to indicate that there is some tilt to these bearings so it doesn't just run flat?

That autosled is sweet!

On the accuracy, I'm mostly looking to use this thing for cutting up tubing and angle iron and stock for weldments so don't need crazy accuracy but again, I don't want to be milling all the ends of tubing to build frames etc. I was spoiled one place I worked we had a bigger horizontal bandsaw and that thing would make amazing square cuts.
 
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