hey all... seems i dont have a way to cut a clean, close and accurate straight line...

i was going to cut a practice "A" type strummer, cut strips up the bottom , looks like a fork.. know what i mean?

anyway, please read and if you know what might be the problem PLEASE REPLY.  this could be a game ender for me as i planned to make a lot of my cuts wth this.

Heres the story:

Bandsaws...

I bought a 12" Craftsman bandsaw/sander. Has a 1/4" blade on it 4 or 5 tpi. 1/2 hp.

I need to use it t cut 1" thick maple by 2 inch. I have to cut a 1/8 strip straight down both sides, like legs, or like a fork. Understand?

So my blade guide has the wheel behind it top and bottom, and adjustible side posts or stops on both sides top and bottom... pretty standard. I made sure to loosen the blade side posts so it was free and then brought the posts in to about 1/32" away from the blade, both above and below the table. Everything spun smooth.

So, i measured for 1/8 cut from the side, set my fence and tightened it. Made sure blade, table and fence were all 90 degree angles.  Turn on and start. First 1/2" down was fine, the rest kept tracking right off the side og the board, no matter how much i turned the wood to compensate.

When i looked at the blade turned off and wood not removed, the blade was seriously bend, pushed out frm the wood, as if the blade was trying to bend around the wood thickness.  And yes, i even had the guard nearly ontop of the wood so it would not bow.

Not only that but where the cut was 1/8" from the side of the wood on top...the bottom of the wood was nearly cut through the side, like 1/32" from the side.

I tried freehand to follow a line 1/8 from the edge. Little better luck without the fence, but it verred off to the edge too and only slightly corrected if i turned the wood at almost 30 degree angle.

Understanding what im trying to explain?

I just dont understand what is screwd up here