How Often Do You De-tension Your Bandsaw?

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How Often Do You De-tension Your Bandsaw?

  • Every Day.

    Votes: 34 35.8%
  • When I Remember To....

    Votes: 18 18.9%
  • Never. Old Wive's Tale.

    Votes: 43 45.3%

  • Total voters
    95
  • Poll closed .
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Dick Mahany

Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2012
Messages
323
Location
Palm Springs, CA
I detension mine after every use if I'm not going to be using the saw again for more than a few hours. I ruined a VERY expensive Laguna carbide tipped blade on my Delta 14" cast BS in about a year due to the backing failing because of the small radius 14" wheels and too high tension for too long.

I now have a Carter quick release detension mechanism that cost less than the blade did. No more failures after my change of practice :biggrin:.

Don't listen to folks who say you can't overtension a blade on a 14" BS.
 

larryc

Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2009
Messages
1,135
Location
Mableton, GA (Near Atlanta)
Like several have said, I have a lever actuated tension and I take the tension off after each use. I have a magnetic light fixture mounted on BS and I turn it on when I tension the blade and the light being on reminds me to flip the lever to detension the blade when I'm done.
 

Dan Hintz

Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2011
Messages
477
Location
Columbia, MD
I have a level-actuated detensioner, so it's easy to use. I choose to use it to prevent flat-spotting my wheel bands. After several years of use, I have detected no change in the tension spring's "springiness", despite a lot of talk of such things. There's little chance of me forgetting to retension the blade as the handle is red and sticks down into the workspace.

If the machine saw (no pun intended) daily use, I would likely not detension it.
 

Rchan63

Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Messages
672
Location
Framingham, MA
I also detension the blade after every use. I have a note I leave under the fence to remind me to tension the blade before using.
 

robutacion

Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
6,514
Location
Australia - SA Adelaide Hills
My 16" bandsaw gets a workout almost every day and I never de-tension my blade however, I'm a low blade tension type of guy, I've learnt that, with 1/2" x 3tpi blades (98% of what I use), they require little tension to work right and as a result, the bearings last a very long time and relaxing the blade after use is not required.

This is my story and I stick with it...! :wink::biggrin:

Cheers
George
 

mhbeauford

Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2011
Messages
167
Location
North Texas
I never de-tension my 14" Delta, except to change blades. I usually de-tension my Grizzly 19" when I don't plan to use it again for a few days.
 

Wildman

Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2008
Messages
1,390
Location
Jacksonville, NC, USA.
Obliviously so do not turn on band saw with blade not tensioned and yes have already made that mistake. Power cord lays over the table just takes seconds to plug in, hit tension lever & tension blade, and hit DC switch. Do not use my band saw every day it can sit idle for several months at a time. Then abuse the devil out of it for couple days or a week or two.

Have listened to band saw gurus say no need to un-tension blades, and those that tells us we must and why we should.
 
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