Ripsaw blade drift downward?

[yawning_dog]

Hi everyone. I was hoping one of you Ripsaw owners might be able to help me out. I just picked up a used Ripsaw last week. It appears to be in decent shape, but I don't have anything to compare it to. I tried it out over the weekend on a 12" wide cut from a cedar log. I was trying to cut a 3/4" board. From the start, the blade started to "dive" deeper and deeper into the wood, until after about 1.5 feet my 3/4" cut was 1" thick and I could no longer move the saw.

I suspect that blade tensioning will help out a bit, although the blade was already really tight. Any suggestions? What's the purpose of that threaded knob on top of the plastic plate?

 

[Sprig]

Just a quick stab inna dark here but right off the bat I'd be checking the tooth-set/filing, sounds like either one side is a bit off or maybe your guide is a bit worn, insufficient tension could also be a culprit. I don't know what adjustment you are speaking of, and come to think of it is this a bandsaw ripper or chainsaw? GAH! Anyhow, regardless, improper, non-symetrical, filing could be your issue (ie. onna chain, one side has much more material taken off) lots of experience here on-site but I am thinking that maybe one side of the teeth are off a tad.
This is only an off-da-cuff guess.



Serge

 

[yawning_dog]

bandsaw

Sprig-

Thanks for the response. I'm talking about a Ripsaw band mill. Yes, I can see what you mean as I've experienced this with a chainsaw, but I kinda doubt that it's the case here. I'll have a look at the blade nevertheless.

As far as blade tensioning, I tried to tighten the screw in the upper left hand corner of the band mill (as referenced when pushing the mill through the log). It's the one a scrench will fit on. Of course I have no idea how tight to make it, and I ran out of time trying before I could figure out if it made a difference!

 

[aquan8tor]

The knob is just a handle, unless I'm doing something wrong. I'm new to it, so woodshop or others may give you more information.

I think perhaps your guides need adjustment or replacement. Check and see if the lower guide surfaces are worn; this would allow the blade to wander downwards moreso than just slightly offset or missharpened teeth, I think.




If you haven't already done so, you need to do a search on Woodshop's postings about the ripsaw. He has a step-by-step tutorial on making cants with a CSM, slicing lumber with the ripsaw, etc. You'll be glad you read his postings. Good luck. I'll be seeing you around the forum for sure.

Nate

 

[scottr]

Hi everyone. I was hoping one of you Ripsaw owners might be able to help me out. I just picked up a used Ripsaw last week. It appears to be in decent shape, but I don't have anything to compare it to. I tried it out over the weekend on a 12" wide cut from a cedar log. I was trying to cut a 3/4" board. From the start, the blade started to "dive" deeper and deeper into the wood, until after about 1.5 feet my 3/4" cut was 1" thick and I could no longer move the saw.

I suspect that blade tensioning will help out a bit, although the blade was already really tight. Any suggestions? What's the purpose of that threaded knob on top of the plastic plate?

Yd , the knob on the dimension plat is the handle for your left hand . There is a downloadable owners manual and parts discription on the ripsaw.com website . It has instructions for band tensioning , and blade guide adjustments . Sounds like you have the newer design Ripsaw . Remember if you look at the tips of the saw teeth and you see them they are not sharp and a dull band will not cut straight if pushed .

 

[woodshop]

Sprig, scottr and aquan8tor pretty much said it all. Both a dull blade and also an undertensioned blade will cause the blade to wander and dive like that. One way I know my blade is getting dull is that it doesn't cut as true and strait, especially going through tough part of the log like a tight knot. Tighten that 3/4 nut at the upper left of your saw (looking at it from the chainsaw motor side) till that guide moves to that red line on the gage. If that doesn't solve the problem crank a little more tension. Too much and you break a blade or worse case it pulls the whole thing so out of whack the band can come off the wheel and digs into your cover, although that is rare. If the latter happens, it is almost always that you need to re-align your wheels (small setscrew on drive wheel axle). Download a manual and go through it. If you bought the Ripsaw used, it might need adjustment from somebody before you trying to "fix" it, who may or may not have known what they were doing.

No doubt, there is a little learning curve on the Ripsaw, but it's not rocket science, and 2+2 almost always eventually equals 4. The rewards are a lightweight portable mill that cuts faster than a csm, with less waste. Do yourself a favor though, and use a csm to mill the log into cants first before slicing into boards with the Ripsaw. Bandsaw blades don't last nearly as long when you run them through bark.

 

[flht01]

Just to add a little to what the others have said, I always use the aluminum guide beams when sawing cants. Some cants will have a little tension or you might get a slight wave around a knot. If you saw off the top of the cant, those imperfections will be magnified from cut to cut.

New blade, correct tension, use the guide beams, set the carbide guide clearance, don't feed the saw too fast and you'll be well on you way in no time.

Ask plenty of questions and be sure to use the search feature with the keyword "ripsaw", lots of reading and best of all, lots of pictures.

 

[yawning_dog]

Thanks for the info

Most excellent, guys! Thanks. I'm not sure if I have a newer model or not. I might try to take some pics. Woodshop, I was wondering about that little red mark. Tightening the blade tension oddly didn't seem to do much to align the gauge to the mark. But as you suggested, my whole thing might be a little out of wack... I'll hopefully get to put some more time in on it this coming weekend. I will say that I was impressed at the lack of waste in the small amount of cutting I did. I'm used to cutting a getting a 1/4" of chainsaw kerf for a 13/6" board.... yikes!

 

[scottr]

Most excellent, guys! Thanks. I'm not sure if I have a newer model or not. I might try to take some pics. Woodshop, I was wondering about that little red mark. Tightening the blade tension oddly didn't seem to do much to align the gauge to the mark. But as you suggested, my whole thing might be a little out of wack... I'll hopefully get to put some more time in on it this coming weekend. I will say that I was impressed at the lack of waste in the small amount of cutting I did. I'm used to cutting a getting a 1/4" of chainsaw kerf for a 13/6" board.... yikes!

Yawning dog , my eleven year old ripsaw has knobs instead of hex nuts to adjust the dimension plate and the band tension is adjusted by a 3/4" nut that's above the drive wheel . Does your saw look like the one in the newer manual on ripsaw.com ?

 

[redprospector]

I don't have a ripzaw, nor have I ran one. That being said I have cut a lot of board feet on a band mill.
There are a lot of things that can cause the blade to dive in the cut, dull, improper set, tension, even the shape of the gullet. I was having the same problem with my band mill, I found that one of my ideler wheel bearings was bad. Replaced it, problem solved, but I doubt that is your problem.
Google Suffolk Machine, or Timberwolf Bandsaw blades, they have a lot of valuable info on their site about being a blade doctor. I think the blade is the problem from what you describe.

Good luck,
Andy

 

[gene1605]

dull blade

Dog If the band was cutting straight before and started to dive the band is dull, the band may be damaged from letting it dive to far
Grampa