Bandsaw Essentials
George Vondriska
Class Preview
- In-depth Instruction; over 117 mins
- On-demand video access anytime
- Bonus downloadable PDF resources
- Access to class Q&A
Session 1: Getting started
42:23
Let’s make sure your saw is up-to-snuff before we do any cutting. Give the tires a once over, make sure the table is square to the blade, and everything is working the way it should.
Proper blade selection is critical, and we’ll help you make sure you’re choosing the right width of blade and tooth count for your project. Then we’ll make sure you get your blades properly installed and the all the guides correctly set.
Session 2: Making Cuts
43:03
Bandsaw safety is very important. It involves hand position and controlling the workpiece. We’ll give you great tips and tricks to help you better follow your lay out lines, and cut more accurately. We’ll also provide you with two different techniques for cutting multiple duplicate parts, and teach you how to cut non-ferrous metals.
Session 3: Resawing
26:09
Woodworkers are often stymied by resawing. If everything isn’t set up perfectly, it’s easy for resawing to go badly. This lesson provides you with two approaches to resawing, including determining and setting a fence for drift compensation. Proper blade selection is also covered, along with a variety of approaches to help you match the height of your fence to the work you’re doing.
Session 4: Eliminate jams
4:07
It’s very frustrating, and unsafe, when small offcuts jam between the saw blade and the table insert. This problem can be eliminated with a shop-made solution (using stuff you probably have laying around) and a commercially made solution that’s also a nice upgrade for your saw.
Session 5: Class Summary
0:47
George wraps up this Class with a reminder to practice the processes and skills you learned on the bandsaw – and you’ll be on your way to using this key tool for many projects in your shop.
Description
From tight curves to large sweeping curves, thin stock to thick timbers, bandsaws can handle it all. Equipped with the right blade, and correctly set up, the versatility of a bandsaw is amazing. This class will provide you with the information you need to get the most out of your bandsaw, use it safely, and make it a go-to tool in your shop.
What a bandsaw offers
What makes bandsaws so great? Lots of things. They have a significant thickness capacity, with most saws able to cut 6” or more. The kerf of a bandsaw blade is quite small, so there’s very little waste going up the dust chute. Combined with the ability to cut curves or dead straight lines, a bandsaw can be one amazing machine.
Set-up
Many woodworkers consider their bandsaw only a coarse, rough cutting tool because they never learned to set it up correctly. It’s critical that the blade tracks correctly on the tires, the tires are clean, the guide blocks and thrust bearing are correctly set. Each of these aspects has a cumulative effect on how well (or how poorly) any bandsaw performs. We take you step by step through set up to make sure you get it right.
Using the saw
In addition to being able to correctly set up the saw, we want to make sure you’re using it properly and safely. Our tips on controlling and steering the material will help make your cuts more accurate. And we’ll simplify the set up required for resawing.
In total, you’ll get over 115 minutes of hands-on video instruction in this class. In addition to the detailed video help you’ll receive, the class provides you with downloadable resources and helpful information to print and keep, including a detailed Class Guide you can follow and use as a reminder for the key points of the class instruction and a resources document that will give you information on the products you’ll see in the class, including a handy Blade Radius Chart.
George Vondriska
Formally trained in technology education, George Vondriska has been teaching woodworking since 1986. He has been the managing editor of Woodworkers Guild of America since 2007. In addition to classes at his own Vondriska Woodworks School, George teaches at woodworking shows across the country and has taught woodworking for the Peace Corps, Andersen Window, Northwest Airlines and the Pentagon.
Bonus materials available after purchase