There is enough differing opinion on coplanar wheel alignment just in that thread to suggest to me that there are some additional questions worth exploring and then some additional questions that might be specific to the Laguna 14 twelve. I think there is enough evidence out there from experienced users to suggest that there is advantage to aligning crowned bandsaw wheels so that they are coplanar. The complete lack of information from Laguna on the entire subject of coplanar alignment of wheels nor any of the fixturing that one would need to deal with plus the complexity of having to build a gauge just to get past those wheel housing edges suggests that they prefer to have the customer mess with blade adjustment each time a new blade is installed.
I re-watched the famous Alex Snodgrass bandsaw video again just to remind myself before I adjust my bandsaw again, and I picked up something I had ignored before: his argument that bandsaws are designed not to have coplanar wheels and no one should adjust them to be coplanar because they become way more difficult to adjust. I have used a bandsaw a lot and finally watched his video and set up my bandsaw as he suggests. Have your say… Forum Topics Woodworking Skill ShareYour woodworking skills are displayed for several lifetimes in each project.
Generally the saw comes from the manufacture with the alignment it should have. If you have just purchased a used saw perhaps the saw was dropped at one time or another or someone has jury-rigged or lost parts making it off. If the saw isn’t very old you might start by downloading a schematic on the saw and see if all the parts are there.
“While attempting to adjust my JET 18” bandsaw per duginske’srecommendations, I quickly realized that the frame of the saw doesn’t allowroom to place a straightedge/level against both wheels at the same time tocheck that they are vertical and coplanar. In reality coplanar band saw wheels aren’t quite the issue some make them out to be. I guess what I’m saying is, the very action designed into the machine is to take the wheels from coplanar to adjust them to tracking the band down the center line.
Some day you may want to cut some tenon cheeks with the bandsaw and you may discover that if the blade is inclined, it doesn’t finish a clean cut down to the shoulder of the tenon. Rather, the blade teeth ride off the front edge of the wheels. “Via trial and error, I was able to find that some.040” brass washers between the two bottom motor mount screws and the frame perfectly shimmed the bottom wheel so the blade rides perfectly on both wheels.
do bandsaw wheels need to be coplanar Related Question:
Where should a bandsaw blade sit on the wheel?
Make sure the machine is disconnected from the power supply. When tracking, you always want to make sure that the blade is sat on the crown of the wheel, with the deepest part of the gullet in the centre.
What are coplanar wheels?
bandsaw wheels lie in the same plane while you’re cutting wood. When your wheels are coplanar, blades tend to track stably, and perhaps best of all there’s little or no adjustment required when you. change blades.
Which way should the teeth face on a bandsaw?
On a typical wood or metal cutting blade the hook or of point of the blade should be pointing down for a vertical blade bandsaw, or for a horizontal blade saw the hook of the teeth should be pointed such that they enter the workpiece first as the blade moves.
Why does my bandsaw blade keep falling off?
Blade Tension Is Too Loose The most common reason why the blade is slipping off is that there isn’t enough tension to keep it on. Blades can slowly become loose after years of wear and tear, and eventually, you’ll need to tighten or replace them.
How much tension should a bandsaw blade be?
For carbon steel toothed blades (cutting blades) this is typically 15,000 to 25,000 PSI. Slitting type blades typically are tensioned in the range of 12,000 to 20,000 PSI. In general bandsaw blades are never tensioned past 35,000 psi.
Why is it important to adjust the height of the blade guard on the bandsaw?
Adjust blade guard height to about 3 mm or 1/8 inch to 6mm or 1/4 inch above the top of the material being cut. Wider gaps will place tension on the blade and increase the risk of breaking. Ensure the blade is tracking correctly and runs freely in and against the upper and lower guide rollers.
What causes bandsaw vibration?
A common source of vibrations on commercial bandsaws is that the wheels are not quite round, or at least slightly off center. This is often caused by tires that weren’t evenly stretched when they were put on.
Why does my bandsaw wobble?
The blade on a saw left idle for long periods of time can leave an impression in the rubber tire which might cause erratic tracking. Purchase and install aftermarket replacement tires. (Search for “bandsaw tire” at woodcraft.com.) If you still see a back-and-forth motion, the culprit is probably the wheel itself.
What causes bandsaw blade drift?
Drift is cause because the blade buckles under the load. You can see that by stretching a ribbon between 2 points and applying a pressure to one of the edges, it will turn sideway easily. A sharp blade and high blade speed will help a lot with that.
Can a bandsaw blade be turned inside out?
Re: Turning a band blade inside out hi ,just get heavy gloves,an uncoiled blade ,step on the bottom and turn the blade inside out,and it will go right on a turner mill and just reverse the blade to sharpen. Thanks.
Why is my bandsaw burning the wood?
A majority of issues with wood burning is because of a dull saw blade. These blades may not be sharp enough to efficiently cut the wood, and thus create enough friction to heat and burn the wood. What is this? Dull blades make it more challenging to cut, which causes friction as you pass the wood through.