New band saw help

[JRay8]

Hey,
I just got a new bandsaw. Well, new to me anyway. Picked up a craftsman 12 inch off Craig's list. First of all I love it. Beats the snot out of the old Ryobi.
Got it home, cleaned, lubed, adjusted, new link belt and she cuts like a charm. One of the first things I did was rip a 6 inch log into 4/4 boards. Didn't bog down at all.
But, she wobbles like something is out of balance. It doesn't affect the cut but it's kind of annoying. I believe it's the top wheel because the way it wobbles. Is there a way to balance these things?

 

[low_48]

First troubleshoot by starting with the belt off the motor. That eliminates a motor issue. Then run it with the belt on and the blade off. That eliminates the bottom wheel. Make sure there is no sawdust packed under the rim or on the spokes that could throw off the balance. If it is the top wheel, take off the blade and spin the wheel by hand. Mark the bottom of the wheel when it stops. Do this several times and see if the mark ends up on the bottom all the time. If so, that is the heavy spot. You can get some adhesive backed lead weights used for high end car wheels. Try a little bit under the rim on the side opposite of the mark. ONLY place the weight under the rim so centrifugal force keeps it in place. That Ryobi must have been a mess, because I thought Craftsman was the bottom of the barrel.

 

[Rockytime]

<SNIP> That Ryobi must have been a mess, because I thought Craftsman was the bottom of the barrel.

I have an old Craftsman 12" band saw. Runs and cuts like a dream. Perhaps it depends how it is tuned and adjusted and how it was previously cared for. Definitely not top of the line but pretty good.

 

[JRay8]

The Ryobi was only a 9 inch. I couldn't get it to track straight or cut a decent curve. It just wandered wherever it wanted. Also, it couldn't cut anything thicker than about quarter inch.

 

[Tom T]

Okay here is what I know. If the blad was not loosened and left that way for a few days or months it can put the wheel out of round. This happens on my jet. After it is loose for a while or runs for a while mine seems to calm down. The other issue I had was I had to replace the rubbers or tires on the wheels. Runs like a charm after that, if I remember to loosen the blade when I am done.

 

[jttheclockman]

There are plenty of utube videos and also articles available on how to tune a bandsaw. It could be your bearings are worn out and a host of other things. Having both wheels on co-alignment is a must. I will go under the assumption it does not have a riser block set up. If it does it could be sitting off center.

 

[Mike8850]

Not sure if you seen this but here is one of the more popular tutorials on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU
This help me solve a few problems.
Mike

 

[kentonjm]

I take it you mean the whole saw wobbles not just the blade. BTW is it on a stand?

First I would start by double checking all bolts and screws for anything loose. Next as another poster suggested run the motor without the belt to see what happens. If it is a bad wobble it could be a warped wheel so check booth with booh with the belt aND blade removed. Don't get carried away with coplaner checks as that is usually a red herring.

 

[jttheclockman]

Different theory's for different people. I have seen him demonstrate at shows many times. In fact he was the reason I bought some of the Carter items I still use today. That fence he used is his latest upgrade to one he originally made. I asked him if he would buy back the original because I did buy both and he laughed.

One thing you need to remember is the saws come off an assembly line and are not individually checked and calibrated and even if they were they are now shipped and tossed around. When there is the buying of used saws. You have no idea what the previous owner has done to that saw and how well they treated it. So when he says a saw does not need to be co-plane is not true. You have to be be able to start somewhere and those that show how to set your wheels up do so with this in mind. That saw he worked on has been tuned to his specs and is used time and time again. This happens when these guys demonstrate their tablesaws also. They are not using some saw right off the assembly line.


There are other things like setting the blade on the teeth in the center of the tires. Again there are different thoughts on that. He showed it is just fine to fold a saw blade and shows you how easy it is. Again people with different thoughts and it was proven when this question came up here. There are those that think this stresses the blade. I do not but just one opinion.

There are many more videos out there and books on the subject as with all power tools. The key is to get to know the workings of your tools. Learn how to tune them and keep them in working order and learn what they are designed to do and can not do. But most of all always learn safety precautions when working with power tools. They can hurt you or someone else in an instant. But working with well tuned tools and sharp blades makes woodworking fun. Be safe and have fun.