Newsgroups: rec.woodworking
Date:         Thu, 24 Dec 1992 11:29:18 EST
From:         Jim Morgan <JMORGAN@BROWNVM.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: Comments on Delta 16' Band Saw (28-560) pl

>Posted on 22 Dec 1992 at 14:29:23 by golka@BNR.CA
>
>Re: Comments on Delta 16" Band Saw (28-560) please
>
>Date:         Tue, 22 Dec 1992 18:54:25 GMT
>Reply-To:     Woodworking Discussions <WOODWORK@IPFWVM.BITNET>
>From:         golka@BNR.CA
>
>In article <1992Dec7.181152.8054@mcnc.org> pusateri@mcnc.org (Thomas J.
>Pusateri) writes:
>>
>>Woodworkers,
>>
>>I am in need of a bandsaw and have decided on the Delta 16" model #28-560.
>>It has a 1/2 HP motor and takes 82" blades from 1/8-3/8".  I plan on
>>using this as a weekend woodworker.  I do build furniture such as
>>kitchen sets, bedroom sets, bureaus and entertainment centers.  I am trying
>>to find out if there are any big differences from this one to the
>>open stand version (28-245).. That one also sports a 1/2 HP motor,
>>blade lengths from 91 1/4-94"  but that price is $150 more than the 16".
>>I know that the open stand model will take up to a 3/4" length blade.
>>I know that I won't be resawing wood as its primary purpose so the
>>blade length doesn't really concern me.
>>
>>Does anybody have comments on this machine and its three wheel design compared
>>to the traditional 2 wheel design.
>
>I have a 16" three wheeler. My biggest beef is that you have to skew stock
>about 10
>degrees when ripping, or resawing. This makes the fence useless, as the work
>wanders off
>the fence, or binds against it. It may be I haven't got the machine setup
>right. If anyone
>knows how to fix the, please post the secret.
>
>Beef #2 is that when resawing thick stock, or cutting lathe blanks, the blade
>bows
>in towards the left side of the saw. That is the blade at the middle of the cut
>thickness
>is about 1/4" to the left of the top and bottom guides. This gives a boards
>with convex,
>and matching concave cups to them. By the time you plane them flat, the
>effective saw
>kerf width is > 1/4"! Once again it may be a setup problem. If anyone knows ho
>wto fix
>this PLEASE post a reply.
>
>Thanks Bill Crick

A previous reply suggested consulting Duginske's 'Band Saw Handbook' - a
suggestion with which I heartily concur.

Some specific tips on tuning up the 3-wheeler: First, make sure the rip
fence is parallel to the miter slot - be sure the table bar is seated fully,
then shim the fence into parallelism.  Second, ensure that the guide
assemblies are holding the blade parallel to the fence.  Each assembly is held
by a bolt; if they are twisted they will cause the saw to skew.  Use a
wide blade for testing this (I find that I can use an 80" long 1/2" wide blade
with no ill effects).  Third, invest in a set of Cool Blocks - they really
do make a difference.  Fourth, block up the lower guide assembly.  As it comes
from the factory, the gap between the table and the lower assembly is much
too large.  Use a longer bolt and some washers to narrow the gap.  Caveat:
raising the assembly too much may cause problems when you tilt the table.  If
you rarely tilt the table, however, raise the assembly as much as possible -
this provides better support for the blade.  Fifth, use good quality _sharp_
blades and a slow feed rate (especially when resawing).  Blade deflection
(twisting or bowing) is often a sign that you are overloading the blade's
cutting capacity.

Jim Morgan
Brown University
James_Morgan@Brown.Edu
Newsgroups: rec.woodworking