Band Saw Blade Terminology- Courtesy of Olson Saw

Blade Tension-The direct pull (in pounds) on the blade.


Beam Strength-The resistance a saw blade has to back deflection when subjected to the edge thrust of feed pressure.

Camber- An arcing or bending of the back or cutting edge of the saw blade. In positive camber the cutting edge arcs backward; in negative camber the cutting edge arcs forward.

Carbon Steel-The result of carbon being added to iron in the making of the steel.

Chatter-Rumbling sound in the machine caused by trying to take too heavy a cut. The sound comes from overloading the machine.

Chip-A small fragment of material removed by each tooth on the cutting edge.

Chip Clearance- The gullet area between two teeth.

Cutting Rate- The speed at which the cross sectional area of the work piece is cut, expressed in square inches of cutting per minute.

E.T.S. (Every Tooth Set) - Each tooth is alternately set left then right, used generally in woodworking and for non-ferrous metals. Also know as alternate set. Spring steel blades only.

Feed-The pressure exerted by the work piece against the cutting edge of a saw blade expressed in pounds

Feed Rate- The linear travel of the work piece into the blade, usually expressed in inches per minute.

Flex Rate- Saw blade with hardened teeth but a relatively soft back.

Gullet- The space within the curved area between two saw blade teeth.

Hard Back- A type of high carbon, spring tempered back saw bladeOlson Hard Edge Flex Back Band Saw Blades.

Hook Tooth- A tooth form consisting of a shallow gullet and widely spaced teeth having a positive rake angle. Olson Hook Tooth Blade

Kerf- The slot made by a cutting tool in parting material.

Pitch- The number of teeth per inch in a saw blade.

Points- The tips of teeth in a saw blade.

Rake Angle- The angle the tooth face makes with respect to a perpendicular line from the back edge of the blade. It is positive when the tooth angles forward in the direction of the cutting action and negative when it angles backward from the direction of the cutting action.

Raker Set- A saw tooth pattern in which one tooth is set right, the next to the left and the third is straight.

Regular Tooth (Conventional tooth) - A tooth form consisting of a deep gullet with a smooth radius at the bottom. Olson Regular Tooth Band Saw Blade

Set- The bending of teeth in a saw blade to the left and/or right of center. The setting of teeth enables a saw blade to cut straighter, to clear the chips from the kerf, and to allow the back of the band to clear the cut and not bind.

Side Clearance- The difference in dimension between the set of the teeth and the back of the blade. It provides space for maneuvering the band in contour cuts, prevents lead when making straight cuts and minimizes transfer of frictional heat to the work.

Skip Tooth-A tooth form consisting of a shallow gullet with widely spaced teeth to provide for ample clearance.0 degree rake angle. Olson Skip Tooth Band Saw Blade

Strippage-When one or more teeth are pulled or break out of a saw blade.

Twist- The tendency of a saw blade to spiral after use.

Wavy Set- A saw tooth pattern having one group of teeth set to the right and the next group set to the left to give the appearance of a wave viewed from the top of the blade.

Fine Tuning Band Saw Blades

Round the rear edges of your band saw blades with a medium grit oil stone. You’ll find that relieving these edges will allow you to cut tighter curves and will make backing out of cuts much easier. Hold the stone flat on the saw table and gently touch it to the back of the blade as it is running.

Delta Power Equipment Corporation discontinues two products.

Delta Power Equipment Corporation discontinues two products.

DPEC announced today the will no longer manufacture the Delta 34-895 Miter Gauge  and the Delta 12" Disc Sander 31-120  .  DPEC Black & Decker did not release the manufacturing rights to the two products. DPEC did put the Delta Heavy Duty Precisioin Miter Gauge 36-946 on Promotion.

Delta Tools Part Shortage

I spoke to the General Sales Manager of Delta Power Equipment Corporation on Aug 11, 2011 and asked for an update on the company’s progress in getting parts back in the Delta Factory Tool Parts pipeline. His answer was not encouraging.

Their warehouse for parts will not be ready until sometime in Sept. The next step is to ship all the parts from the old Delta parts company to their new location. Then they will inventory what came in. After that they will start to order parts. The whole time frame will be Dec-Jan before we see any parts back in the pipeline. Not good news for dealers or end users.

Cleaning Band Saw Tires

One-way to prolong the life of Delta 14" Band Saw Tires is to keep them clean. To install a continuous cleaning system use an old toothbrush. Cut the handle short and heat it to bend to the right shape at 90 degrees. Drill holes through the shortened handle to bolt the brush in place inside your saw on the bottom wheel of the saw. This same system can also work on Delta 10" Band Saw Tires.

Biesemeyer Commercial Fence Template

Biesemeyer Parts 1350509 Biesemeyer Commercial Fence Template
Biesemeyer Fence Intallation Tool.
http://www.mikestools.com/1350509-Biesemeyer-Commercial-Fence-Template_1350509.aspx

Discontinued Delta, Porter Cable, and DeWalt Batteries

Discontinued Delta, Porter Cable, and DeWalt Batteries If you need batteries for your cordless tools and the manufacture no longer has replacements, you might try a company called Batteries Plus. They say they can make them work like new again. This is a franchise business and has 450 locations across the US. You can find them at http://www.batteriesplus.com/t-sitemap.aspx or the phone number is 1800-677-8278. I have only talked to my local store and have not used their service at this time.

Discontinued Delta, Porter Cable, and DeWalt Batteries

Setting the Guides

Most band saws have two similar sets of guides, one set above the table and the other below. There are two different types of these, one has a rear guide bearing and then two guide blocks. The second has the rear bearing and also two side bearings. The back bearing resists the force that you apply as you push the board past the blade, while the guide blocks or bearings prevent the blade from twisting out of position. Both sets can be adjusted the same way..

Move the guard up about halfway between the table and the top of the case. Depending on how accurately the guard moves up and down you may have to set the guides to allow it to move. Set the rear bearings first, both top and the bottom. Move them forward until they almost touch the blade. Leave about 1/32” gap between the blade and the bearing. We have found that a dollar bill works just fine. Then set the guide blocks or the side bearings using the dollar bill. When all are in place lock them. Your saw should now be ready to run! If you have problems with the way it is cutting after this tune-up, the saw may require more involved adjustment. There may be a problem with the alignment of the wheels with one another, balancing the wheels and adjusting the drive train. This is time for the owner’s manual to assist with these problems.

Square Band Saw Blade to the Table

This adjustment is often the forgotten one and can cause nothing but problems. It is a very simple adjustment. Loosen the knobs that lock the table in place. Hold a small square on the table with its blade against the saw blade. Square the table to the blade and lock it in place. Under the table, there is usually a stop that you set to automatically square the table after you’ve had it tilted.

Band Saw Blade Tracking

When your saw is tracking correctly, the blade runs on the middle of the wheels. Adjust the tracking by tilting the top wheel in relation to the bottom wheels. A knob behind the upper wheel housing controls this adjustment. Spin the saw by hand and adjust the tracking control until the blade is running in the middle of the wheel. Lock the control in this position. Replace the cover and plug in the saw. Check the tracking by bumping the switch on and off. The blade should maintain its position. Repeat this several times before running the saw at full speed

Band Saw Blade Tension

Tensioning the Blade.

When you install the band saw blade, the first thing to do is put tension on it to hold it on the wheels. Many saws have a gauge that tells how much tension to put on the blade based on its width. In addition, we suggest that you tighten the blade and then pluck it like a guitar string. The blade should produce a clear tone, rather than a dull thud. Next check the blade for deflection. Raise the guide all the way up and then push sideways on the blade. It should not deflect more that 1/4” to 3/8”. The narrow blades will deflect more than wide ones. Some folks recommend that you over tension the blade to correct the saws cutting problems. While it is true that the blades and the saws can stand more tension that the gauges suggest, it is not a good idea to put too much tension on the blades. It can cause the saw’s bearings to fail prematurely. If the saw sits for a long time without use, it can cause flat spots on the tires, which will cause vibration and erratic cuts.

Will the Biesemeyer Commercial Fence System fit my saw? In most cases, if you do not have a Delta saw, the Biesemeyer system is adaptable to your saw. If you can answer yes to the following questions, then the Biesemeyer system will be adaptable to your saw.
Table Illustration Text Box:
A. Is the distance between these two points over 18 inches?
B. Is this distance between 3.25 inches and 8.25 inches?
C. Is this distance between 3.25 inches and 8.25 inches?
D. Is the distance between these two points over 23 inches?
E. Is this distance less than 17.5 inches?
F. Is the Table at least 1.5 inches thick?
G. Is your table top cast Iron?


o The angle iron rails extend 18" to the left of the saw blade. If the saw has a cast iron wing, the distance should be between 18" - 20". If the saw does not have a wing, the system will still work as long as the customer fills in the area with an additional extension table.
o This is the minimum distance for the miter slots in the saw to clear the cutouts in the rails.
o This is the maximum distance for the miter slots in the saw to clear the cutouts in the rails.
o This is the minimum distance needed so that the pad on the fence will still ride on the saw table.
o This is the maximum distance between the miter slots (outside to outside) that will clear the cutouts in the rail.
o This is the minimum thickness on the main cast iron table top to safely allow the customer to drill new holes in the lip of the saw.
o The main tabletop must be cast iron. Extension wings need to have a flat solid surface. Open grate and stamped steel wings with depressions need to be removed and replaced with flat solid surface extension tables.

Will the Biesemeyer Commercial Fence System fit my saw? In most cases, if you do not have a Delta saw, the Biesemeyer system is adaptable to your saw. If you can answer yes to the following questions, then the Biesemeyer system will be adaptable to your saw.
Table Illustration Text Box:

A. Is the distance between these two points over 18 inches?

B. Is this distance between 3.25 inches and 8.25 inches?

C. Is this distance between 3.25 inches and 8.25 inches?

D. Is the distance between these two points over 23 inches?

E. Is this distance less than 17.5 inches?

F. Is the Table at least 1.5 inches thick?

G. Is your table top cast Iron?

o The angle iron rails extend 18" to the left of the saw blade. If the saw has a cast iron wing, the distance should be between 18" - 20". If the saw does not have a wing, the system will still work as long as the customer fills in the area with an additional extension table.

o This is the minimum distance for the miter slots in the saw to clear the cutouts in the rails.

o This is the maximum distance for the miter slots in the saw to clear the cutouts in the rails.

o This is the minimum distance needed so that the pad on the fence will still ride on the saw table.

o This is the maximum distance between the miter slots (outside to outside) that will clear the cutouts in the rail.

o This is the minimum thickness on the main cast iron table top to safely allow the customer to drill new holes in the lip of the saw.

o The main tabletop must be cast iron. Extension wings need to have a flat solid surface. Open grate and stamped steel wings with depressions need to be removed and replaced with flat solid surface extension tables.

Delta Power Equipment Corporation Closes Deal with Stanley Black & Decker

Tool-Rank.com Reports

Anderson, SC, February 7, 2011) – Delta Power Equipment Corporation announced today that its deal to purchase the DELTA® brand of woodworking equipment and machinery from Stanley Black & Decker closed on Friday, February 4, 2011 as expected.

A wholly-owned subsidiary of Chang Type Industrial Co. Ltd., a Taiwan-based manufacturing company (Taiwan Stock Exchange symbol: 1541.tw), Delta Power Equipment Corporation is based in Anderson, South Carolina. This new location will continue the Made in USA tradition of designing, manufacturing and marketing the world class UNISAW®, radial arm saws and BIESEMEYER® accessories.

"We are right on track with our transition plan and expect to begin moving machinery and equipment from the Jackson, Tennessee location very soon," said Bryan Whiffen, President & Chief Executive Officer. "We expect to have the Anderson facility fully operational in April. In addition, I'm pleased to announce that Alicia Hicks has been named Marketing Manager for the organization and additional staffing is well underway."

Delta Power Equipment Corporation is located at 5530 Airport Road, Anderson, SC 29626. Their phone number is 864-231-5888.

The complete line of DELTA® professional and DIY woodworking equipment and machinery as well as BIESEMEYER® professional woodworking accessories will continue to be offered through woodworking distributors and retailers.
Written by Chris Rodenius | 07 February 2011

MikesTools Shipping Estimator

The Post Office recently changed the coding for international shipping rates. This change as had an effect on most web sites who use this service including MikesTools. We are working on making the changes, In the mean time you can email me for international postal rates.

Biesemeyer Table Saw Fence Packages

If your current table saw's fence is not giving you the professional results you demand, let Biesemeyer's Precision T-Square Saw Fence System make your saw a more accurate woodworking tool. You'll never need a hand-held tape to set your fence again.

http://www.mikestools.com/biesemeyer-commercial-fence-packages.aspx