alamocdc
Member
sometimes you're the bug. I really liked the look of the bandsaw tension release lever that was in a recent issue of Woodsmith magazine so I thought I'd make one. Spent the evening carefully milling all of the parts in QS white oak. You need a replacement tension rod that is longer than the original and I picked one up at a show not long ago. The other two parts are a bridge that sits atop the tension spring asssebmly.
And a lever to remove and reapply the tension.
Man, this is gonna be great. No more twisting and turning every time I want to use my bandsaw. Just put the lever in place and viola, tension reapplied. You finish with the saw, just pull the lever to the side and tension released. Oh boy, this is looking good.
Drilled my holes in the right places just like the sketchy plans show and installed my new time saver. I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. Applied the proper tension to the blade and put the saw back together. Oh man, I've gotta try this out.
Made a few cuts that I put off just for this test. Perfect. I'm done with the saw for the evening so I lowered the lever. Man, this is gonna be great!!! And I saved $130 by not buying the Carter Quick Release at the show. I'm so proud of myself!
Well, the lever DID release tension from the blade... about 1/16" that is. I checked and double checked everything. Went back and read the article three times. Everything is perfect, just like in the article. Only the #(*$& don't work. Maybe it's just the way I've adjusted it. Or maybe his Delta is just enough different from my HF model that it won't work.
I'll try to see if it's just an adjustment tomorrow, but for now... I'm the bug![xx(]
And a lever to remove and reapply the tension.
Man, this is gonna be great. No more twisting and turning every time I want to use my bandsaw. Just put the lever in place and viola, tension reapplied. You finish with the saw, just pull the lever to the side and tension released. Oh boy, this is looking good.
Drilled my holes in the right places just like the sketchy plans show and installed my new time saver. I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. Applied the proper tension to the blade and put the saw back together. Oh man, I've gotta try this out.
Made a few cuts that I put off just for this test. Perfect. I'm done with the saw for the evening so I lowered the lever. Man, this is gonna be great!!! And I saved $130 by not buying the Carter Quick Release at the show. I'm so proud of myself!
Well, the lever DID release tension from the blade... about 1/16" that is. I checked and double checked everything. Went back and read the article three times. Everything is perfect, just like in the article. Only the #(*$& don't work. Maybe it's just the way I've adjusted it. Or maybe his Delta is just enough different from my HF model that it won't work.
I'll try to see if it's just an adjustment tomorrow, but for now... I'm the bug!
[xx(]