Bandsaw techniques?

[jdmunzell]

Just wondering if there any secret techniques used in cutting aircraft aluminum with a bandsaw. I use a metal fine toothed blade on mine, which helps move things along, but I still get some drift off of my line that is very hard to correct. What do you guys do to prevent/minimize drifting off of the cut line?

[G-force]

Make sure the upper and lower guides are adjusted properly, this is key. Use the longest (front to back) blade your machine will take, and lower the upper guide as low as you can. Also, keep the blade at its maximum tention. Last, a new, sharp blade will cut straighter. Other than that, its just hand & eye coordination with a bit of luck

[PCHunt]

Originally Posted by G-force

Make sure the upper and lower guides are adjusted properly, this is key. Use the longest (front to back) blade your machine will take, and lower the upper guide as low as you can. Also, keep the blade at its maximum tention. Last, a new, sharp blade will cut straighter. Other than that, its just hand & eye coordination with a bit of luck

And don't cut right up to the line. Use a file or a 3M wheel, as appropriate, to finish the job.

[pierre smith]

....and it means that you cannot use a fence like you do on a tablesaw. The blades are punched and there's a slight burr on one side.

Take a piece of thin, rectangular wood like paneling and draw a straight line from one edge to the other, parallel to the edge. Then start cutting along the line until you get half way through and shut off the bandsaw while holding the piece of wood still until the blade stops. Now draw a pencil line on the table along the edge of your piece of wood. You'll now be able to see the "lead angle" of your blade...usually a few degrees off from the fore/aft grooves on the table. That is the angle that you need to make a straight cut....years of woodworking taught this.

Regards,

[carguy614]

Pierre is right, bandsaw drift is a fact of life. Takes a little practice. I worked as a cabinetmaker for years, as well as an auto mechanic, and machinist. One tip I will give you is to always "stone" the BACK SIDE of a new bandsaw blade to remove the stamping burr. Run up and tension the blade, then gently lay a stone to the rear of the running blade in an effort to round off the back of the blade equally on both sides. It just takes a little, and the results will surprise you. Also, better blades are out there, such as the Timberwolf brand, which are ground as opposed to stamped. They are more expensive for sure, but last longer. Also, a blade lubricant will really help, Boe lube stick is great, and you probably have some. You may want to try a coarser blade on your saw once you have some practice. They cut more aggressively, but last a bit longer. They don't load up with chips as fast, and run much cooler. Noisy as heck though...
Hope this helps,
Chris

[jdmunzell]

Thanks guys for the tips. I wondered also if scoring the surface on the path you want the blade to follow would help the blade stay in the "track". What do you think?

[vlittle]

I found that "metal cutting blades" are no good for aluminum. What you need is a wood cutting blade. Cuts fast and does not load up.

The quality of the blade counts, too.

Vern

[jdmunzell]

I was using a wood cutting blade for most everything, but switched to a metal cutting blade for cutting some fairly thick stock, as I am making the flap attach brackets.

[Mel]

Vern is right. Wood cutting blades seem to work better on aluminum. The teeth are too close together on metal cutting blades and tend to load up with aluminum.
Lubricating the blade also helps the aluminum not to stick. I have an old stick of "door ease" that I coat each side of the blade with. "Pam" cooking spray works as well.

[Sid Lambert]

Also, take your time. If you try to cut to fast it will wonder around on you.

I use Boelube on my blades and have not replaced but one. (my fault for trying to cut a hinge pen)