kirkpoore1 wrote:Andy:
I have one of each of these guides (let's call them face-running and edge-running) on my two bandsaws. Both work. Bigger, more expensive face-running guides actually use a bearing pressed into a hardened disk so the bearing face doesn't get chewed up. Functionally the same, but probably better protected from dust. These fail when the bearing gets gunk in it and stop turning easily. Then things start to wear. I'd just replace the bearing as soon as you get the replacements and move on. You have to treat these as a wear item. Rubber seals will help, as someone (Bob?) said above.
The edge-running bearings might add a little stress to a blade, but unless there's a bad weld your blade will last until it's dull anyway so no big deal.
One thing you can do is adjust the tracking on your saw so that the blade runs more forward and doesn't touch the thrust bearing as often. For light cutting it might not touch the bearing at all as long as your blade is sharp.
Kirk
Thanks Kirk.
Your last sentence is key. I would describe myself as an infrequent user and blade bluntness tends to creep up on me and of course when the blade is no longer sharp i probably push a bit harder and hence put more pressure on the bearings. I have hung a notice board on the tension adjusting knob that now says check tension, tracking and guides. Hopefully I will do this every time I use it.