Riser block for a 14" ridgid bandsaw

[Robert Feingold]

Hi again,
I've been getting some great advice here and want to say that i love this forum.
I have a 14 " Ridgid bandsaw with a 3/4HP motor and 3/8" 4 tpi blade. The blade wanders but works fine for cutting bowl blanks 5"+ diameter and up to the capacity. I sometimes have to go slow but dont mind.
I want to add a riser block and heard that the Jet and Grizzley will fit and are much less $ than the Ridgid. Does anyone have experience with this and any collateral comments will be appreciated regarding best type of blade and power considerations.
Thanks in advance.
Rob

 

[john lucas]

I can't answer your direct question. I do know that all taiwanese and chineses saws are not the same even though they look like it. I tried to buy various riser blocks for a Chinese saw I had. They did not fit. I was able to modify one of them to fit but it was quite challenging and I'm pretty good with metal. I think your best bet is to get the rigid riser. At least unless someone can come along and tell the others really will fit.

 

[Ricc Havens]

Ridgid Riser

Last spring I bought a Jet riser kit off amazon and it fit my Ridgid with no problems. As far as your blade wandering - you may need to adjust your saw or possibly tighten the blade. If you add a riser it may make that situation worse if you don't get it corrected. You can search the web for tuning a bandsaw and come up with lots of things to check and do for blade wandering, out of balance wheels. etc.

Good Luck
Ricc

 

[Charlie Knighton]

+1 on more wandering

 

[Rob Wallace]

Hello Robert:

Last summer I completely reconditioned a relatively old Jet bandsaw and added a riser block in the process - this saw is my "second" band saw and would remain in the garage to process blanks before taking them into the shop, so the saw was a "fixer-upper" to start (I paid $ 100 for the saw, and about another $ 125 in some new parts and upgrades, plus the riser block that I got on sale). Despite it being a Jet band saw and that I bought a Jet Riser Block kit, I discovered that I had to drill-out holes in the new riser block because the alignment pins were at exact opposite corners in the old saw's arm castings, and the new riser block's holes & pins were in positions that would not allow mating of the surfaces. My account of the modifications to accommodate this riser block are posted on June 6th, 2010 on the Amazon.com web site HERE which you may want to read if you have any similar problems with compatibility of riser blocks and saw components.

Your "blade wandering" issue is influenced by a combined function of the blade tension, the adjustment of your saw's guideblocks, the thrust bearing adjustment, and blade quality. As noted elsewhere in these responses, adding a riser block will increase the possibility of blade drift, and assuming the guide blocks and the thrust bearing are adjusted properly, the two remaining ways of reducing 'wander" is to increase blade tension, or change the blade you are using to one with a broader, firmer back.

Good luck with your band saw upgrade!

Rob