My Bandsaw Is Not Cutting Straight

Select the right blade for the job. Use skip-tooth blades designed for ripping when cutting with the grain. Choose raker-tooth blades made for crosscutting when working across the grain. Consult the bandsaw manual for advice about the proper blades for softwood or hardwood. The harder the material, the more teeth-per-inch you'll need. Using blades with a TPI too high for the material causes clogging, according to AllBandsawBlades.com.

Unplug the bandsaw before adjusting or replacing the blade. Step to the side and flip the power on and off to be sure you disconnected the right cord.

Remove blade shields and loosen blade guides and backup bearings. Screwdrivers and Allen wrenches usually fit these parts, but procedures vary with the machine's brand. Remember to loosen blade guides both above and below the bandsaw table.

Adjust the tension of the upper bandsaw wheel to tighten the band saw blade. Use the procedure recommended by the operator's manual -- some saws require a large Allen wrench for this, and others provide tensioning controls. Tighten until the tension gauge -- a standard feature on most bandsaws -- reads correctly for the blade width. Without a tension gauge, tighten until all curve disappears from the blade's working edge and tighten an extra half turn, according to Robert Vaughan of Fine Woodworking magazine. .

Spin the bandsaw wheels carefully and adjust the tilt of the upper wheel so the blade runs with cutting teeth just off the edge of the rubber pad.

Advance guide bars and backup bearings to meet the sides and spine of the band saw blade. Guides and bearings should barely touch the blade as it turns. Blade tension, not guide pressure, holds the blade straight. The backup bearings only firmly contact the blade's spine during the back pressure of a cut. Improperly tensioned blades won't cut straight, says the Oklahoma University Extension Service.

Reinstall all safety shields and covers before applying power to the machine again.

Hold workpieces firmly against either miter gauge or ripping fence and advance the work steadily through the saw. Pushing too hard causes the blade to twist or bow, throwing the cut out of line. Sharp blades cut accurately with little feed pressure.