Ripsaw questions

[scottr]

That's some pretty cedar. Did you know that you can angle the dimension plate and make lap siding on your Ripsaw?

 

[parrisw]

That's some pretty cedar. Did you know that you can angle the dimension plate and make lap siding on your Ripsaw?

Yes I did know that! Good feature.

 

[woodshop]

...Also, has anyone considered trying to swap out the guide blocks and modify it to install small roller bearings? I find them WAY better on a woodworking bandsaw as opposed to blocks, and the blade seems to stay cooler with them too as there's less friction.

EDIT: I don't know if this has been discussed, but releasing the tension on the band when it's not in use will result in it lasting much longer before it breaks. When bands go for a long period under tension but without moving, they can get a "memory" of that oval shape and aren't as flexible as they used to be.

Not a lot of room on the Ripsaw to install roller bearings. Also, I think the bottom bearing would interfere with the base that rides on the guide beam, but not saying it couldn't be made to work. Main difference is that the guide blocks on a woodworking bandsaw are 90 to the table, often one above the table and one below it. In the Ripsaw there is no "table" so to speak. That guide plate on the Ripsaw is more like a fence on a woodworking bandsaw. Using the Ripsaw on a cant is analogous to a woodworking bandsaw resawing a thick beam into thinner boards. I agree, the roller guides on my resaw bandsaw keep the blade a LOT cooler than even the ceramic or composite blocks on my 14" bandsaw. Makes a lot of sense since there would be only a fraction of the friction.

I concur on releasing the blade tension on the Ripsaw when not in use. I never store mine with the blade under tension. Just the idea that the thing wants to bend in half if it wasn't cranked and engineered against that gives me a bad feeling, and thus I always release tension. In my woodshop though, I know you are supposed to release tension on a bandsaw every time you close up shop for the evening. It is supposed to make blades last longer. I rarely do this unless I'm leaving the shop for extended period of time like a vacation. Couple years ago I DID break a resaw bandsaw blade that I thought was premature, and could have been because I rarely release the tension. But that was only one broken blade in umpteen years. Maybe it's because I probably wear blades out long before the tension problem manifests itself. Don't know.