Hello,
I bought one of the new Craftsman 12″ bandsaws a while ago and got to use it today. The thing seems to work well, as far as I can tell, and was not difficult to set up (the lower blade guides are a bit of a mistery though). But the fence….the fence! What a mess. No problem with the fence on my Delta TS350 but on the bandsaw…
Does anyone know some hints or tips to setup these fences without spending a whole hour trying to bet it parallel with the miter slot?? The fence uses a silly method of 3 knobs in the back and what a pain it is to set it straight and square. I finally managed to get it right but I would have preferred to spend that time doing some more productive work.
What is a good and afforable aftermarket fence for a bandsaw that would use a better system? I’ve seen the Kreg online but it seems to be made for 14″ bandsaws and the Craftsman 12″ doesn’t have those mounting whole at the front (its fence attaches *under* the table).
Thanks for any tips on this.
Replies
The Kreg should work just fine. I had that saw and traded up for the CM 14". It uses the same guide rail along the front as the 12". I attached my Kreg using the supplied bolts and two 1" fender washers on the inside of the guide rail and two locking nuts. Hope this helps and good luck.
So you attached it to the Craftsman guard rail? Is the Kreg really easier to set and more precise?
I've had no problems with it. While I was getting used to the saw and the Kreg, I practiced resawing some red oak. I was able to get very thin veneers on a consistent basis. Like any tool, take the time to properly set it up and make very sure the blade is tensioned and is square to the table. A 6" steel engineers square will really help.
One more suggestion, make a couple of zero clearance inserts to replace the stock one. I've noticed small pieces have tendency to drop behind the blade and this helps. Don't forget lower and upper dust collection either. I rewired mine for 220.
Thanks. I did take some time to tune it up and make sure the blade is square, but the fence reeeeaaally bugged me.
By the way, since we're talking Craftsman bandsaws. I'm assuming that the 14" has the same guides as the 12", the rolling ones. Any tips on how to set those properly? That simple fact isn't in the manual: must the guides be *away* from the blade or should they touch it enough to turn as the blade moves? Does the "sheet of paper" method apply or should they be about 1/32" apart as the manual says....and...how did you set the lower guides? The manual's explanations are mostly the same as for the top guides, but they are obviously setup very differently (not separate fine adjustment knobs). That plastic insert does seem kinda crappy. It is not flat.Thanks for any tips :)
I adjusted the guides to just almost touch the blade. One of the bandsaw books talks about the thickness of a dollar bill or piece of paper and that is what I used. The manual is of dubious value as are most nowadays. Get The Band Saw Bood for a good tutorial. The lower guides are a little finnicky and will take some time to fine tune. I found it best to remove the stock ZCI to loosen the screws. Be patient and you will be rewarded.
I just took the .004 out of a feeler gauge set, use that for setup, I think that's between the side guides and the blade. .010 or so between the blade and back guide IIRC. If you've got an old set of feelers, they're a bit easier to use than scraps of paper.
I agree 100% on Bird's bandsaw book. The manual for your saw has stuff that's specific to your model, but Bird's book helps put it all in perspective. And of course it covers tons of stuff that's not in any manual.My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
I will look up the book, thanks.
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