Looking for help with my bandsaw in Virginia Beach

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navycop

Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Messages
2,333
Location
Virginia Beach, VA 23454
I have 3 bandsaws but they are all like paper weights now. They get power, but the blade keeps coming off. I tried new tires and monkeying with the adjustment. Maybe I am just not doing something right. Maybe I am getting it too tight (I don't know)?
 
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Are the guide rollers (or blocks) aligned correctly? Is the tension lever in the correct position? You're not tightening it with the lever in the "no tension" position are you?
 
Mike, they have videos out there to show you what all needs to be done. They are well worth the time watching and rewatching. You can find lots of info telling you but for me the videos really helped. If you have anyone close to you that has a BS talk to them and ask them to show you some pointers. I looked and seen you have a Woodcraft store in Va Beach..They maybe able to get you on track.
 
The first cause of blade "run off" is wheels that are not coplanar. This is easy enough to check, fairly easy to remedy and the VERY FIRST thing that must be accomplished. Without making this happen, all other adjustments are meaningless.

Much has been written about bandsaws. Perhaps the best book ever written on the subject is Lonnie Bird's "The Bandsaw Book". Bird arranges the things that MUST be done to make a bandsaw cut, AND the order that they must be achieved. Making any other bandsaw adjustments before making the wheels run exactly parallel is useless and downright dangerous.

Bird's simple to read and understand "cookbook" gives step by step instructions in properly setting up and checking a bandsaw. IMHO, this book should be a required "safety manual" for anyone who uses a bandsaw.

This book can usually be purchased in Amazon for +\- $10.
 
If your blade is walking off it sounds like tracking. 1st UNPLUG THE SAW. I would pull everything away from the blade (i.e. cooling blocks, rollers) and put the blade on and spin it by hand. If the blade starts to move forward or back on the wheel find the tracking bolt in the back of the saw, mine is right next to the Tension Rod. It is a small finger bolt w/ a wing nut on it. Give that a slight turn, not much a little goes a long way, play with that and see if you can get the blade to stay centered on the tires. If that is a no go get a 4' level and span both wheels on the saw and make sure they are parallel (sp?) with each other. Like others said uyou can also check out YouTube as there are tons of vids showing how to tune you BS. Watching these has helped me fine tune my BS and also tune up my saw....:eek:
 
When the blade comes off the wheels the top wheel is not parallel to the bottom wheel. Adjust the tracking knob so the blade stays on. After that check your guide wheels/cooling blocks. Properly adjusted, your cuts will be clean requiring little if any sanding as long as you use a 10 tpi or better blade. A table saw with a carbide blade will do slightly better but for small segments you need jigs or clamps. Who wants to put their fingers near a blade traveling over 50 mph?
 
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