I have always thought or assumed that the upper guides on the band saw
should be close to the work and yet I see people on the Internet with
the guides being 12 or more inches from the work.

What is proper and why?

Thanks for any replies.

swalker <sw@newsguy.com> writes:
>
>I have always thought or assumed that the upper guides on the band saw
>should be close to the work and yet I see people on the Internet with
>the guides being 12 or more inches from the work.
>
>What is proper and why?

The blade guides should be just above the top of the stock. This
reduces the tendency for a blade to wander laterally.

It's possible that the videos you see are running with a non-optimal
guide height for photographic purposes.

swalker <sw@newsguy.com> wrote in news:3di2nhtumh30p243dfu5au8lqr3cmf58gc@
4ax.com:

>
> I have always thought or assumed that the upper guides on the band saw
> should be close to the work and yet I see people on the Internet with
> the guides being 12 or more inches from the work.
>
> What is proper and why?
>
> Thanks for any replies.

You want to adjust that upper guide to just above your work, about a finger
width or so above. It will add support to the cut and prevent cutting your
hands on an accidental brush with the saw. (Don't rely on this: always
pretend the blade is fully exposed!) It will also help confine the blade
in case of a breakage.

Your board may vary in thickness (especially if you haven't planed it) so
setting the guide too low may result in the board hitting the guide. By
setting it a finger width or so above you'll still have plenty of support
and avoid this problem.

Puckdropper

On 11/13/2022 4:54 PM, Puckdropper wrote:
> swalker <sw@newsguy.com> wrote in news:3di2nhtumh30p243dfu5au8lqr3cmf58gc@
> 4ax.com:
>
>>
>> I have always thought or assumed that the upper guides on the band saw
>> should be close to the work and yet I see people on the Internet with
>> the guides being 12 or more inches from the work.
>>
>> What is proper and why?
>>
>> Thanks for any replies.
>
> You want to adjust that upper guide to just above your work, about a finger
> width or so above. It will add support to the cut and prevent cutting your
> hands on an accidental brush with the saw. (Don't rely on this: always
> pretend the blade is fully exposed!) It will also help confine the blade
> in case of a breakage.
>
> Your board may vary in thickness (especially if you haven't planed it) so
> setting the guide too low may result in the board hitting the guide. By
> setting it a finger width or so above you'll still have plenty of support
> and avoid this problem.
>
> Puckdropper
The blade setting is very important, and while it may not prevent an
accident, it can minimize the damage if an accident occurs, ie it could
mean the difference between loosing a finger, and getting a bad cut.

WHile not on a bandsaw, I got my finger into the blade of a table saw.
Since I had the blade only about a 1/4" above the piece i was cutting
the blade got into the flesh, but I still have a finger.

--
Judge your ancestors by how well they met their standards not yours.
They did not know your standards, so could not try to meet them.

On 11/13/2022 1:51 PM, swalker wrote:
>
> I have always thought or assumed that the upper guides on the band saw
> should be close to the work and yet I see people on the Internet with
> the guides being 12 or more inches from the work.
>
> What is proper and why?
>
> Thanks for any replies.

Answer number 4.

A good bandsaw does not need guides at all.

BUT the upper guides, set close to the top of the work, also adjusts the
guard to protect your hand and fingers.

On 11/13/2022 3:20 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
> swalker <sw@newsguy.com> writes:
>>
>> I have always thought or assumed that the upper guides on the band saw
>> should be close to the work and yet I see people on the Internet with
>> the guides being 12 or more inches from the work.
>>
>> What is proper and why?
>
> The blade guides should be just above the top of the stock. This
> reduces the tendency for a blade to wander laterally.
>
> It's possible that the videos you see are running with a non-optimal
> guide height for photographic purposes.
>
Of course, then there is Sam Maloof....

--
Jack
Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.

On 11/20/2022 8:26 AM, Jack wrote:
> On 11/13/2022 3:20 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
>> swalker <sw@newsguy.com> writes:
>>>
>>> I have always thought or assumed that the upper guides on the band saw
>>> should be close to the work and yet I see people on the Internet with
>>> the guides being 12 or more inches from the work.
>>>
>>> What is proper and why?
>>
>> The blade guides should be just above the top of the stock.  This
>> reduces the tendency for a blade to wander laterally.
>>
>> It's possible that the videos you see are running with a non-optimal
>> guide height for photographic purposes.
>>
> Of course, then there is Sam Maloof....
>

Was. ;~(