Now tilt the top wheel by adjusting the tracking-adjustment knob until the straightedge barely touches the lower wheel. If possible, move the outermost wheel in to correct the alignment rather than move the inner wheel out. Tension the blade-You tension a bandsaw blade by turning an adjustment screw, which moves the top wheel farther away from the bottom wheel and thus stretches the blade.
Even a low-end bandsaw blade tension meter can cost $300. If you use your bandsaw a lot or are doing delicate work, having the proper tension on the blade can be critical and the only way to accomplish this is with a bandsaw blade tension meter. With the bandsaw blade properly installed, and tensioned, and the blade guides properly set, the next issue is to make sure that the bandsaw table is square and level. We suggest that you go through the setup steps in this how to set up a bandsaw properly: the ultimate g guide before starting a new project and each time you change your bandsaw blade.
Here is where my confusion sets in – I also have a copy of the Fine Woodworking review of 14 bandsaws which states wheels on the Powermatic and the Jet were the most misaligned and could not be fixed with shims and the misalignment on the Jet and Powermatic could not be fixed because their bearing shafts are too short. Ya gotta yank the wheel off and add some spacing washers to the “deeper” wheel. The trouble I am having is that I have two sources of information that say to fix the misalignment by shimming the lower wheel and another source that says the misalignment on the Jet cannot be fixed with shims because the lower wheel shaft it too short.
From my bandsaw experiences, I’d say in general that all of the blade tracking adjustment is done with the upper wheel, where ya adjust the camber or toe in/toe out of the upper wheel to hit a happy medium of alignment between the upper and lower wheel, and then fine tune it with the adjustable upper and lower blade guides. The bottom wheel is not usually adjusted, because most bandsaws have the upper and lower wheels set in the same plane by design. On the bottom wheel, you might get a little bit of in and out adjustment by adjusting the thickness of washers on the lower wheel shaft.
bandsaw top wheel adjustment 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.
How far should the upper guides on a band saw be adjusted on a band saw?
What is this? Set the front of the blade guide about one-sixteenth of an inch from the deepest part of the blade gullets (the spaces between the teeth on the blade). The blade guides must ride behind the teeth on the bandsaw blade.
Why does my bandsaw blade keeps coming 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.
What is the correct tension for a bandsaw blade?
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.
How close do you set the side guides on the band saw?
The front of the side guides should be located about 1/16″ back from the deepest part of the blade gullets. You don’t want the side guides to contact the cutting teeth of the blade since the teeth flare out at a slight angle. This adjustment is made to both the top and bottom guides.
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.
What is the height of a bandsaw?
For the small shop furniture maker, go with 14″ as the minimum for a bandsaw, though 16″ is better. Those doing larger work might even want 18″ or 20″ machines. Just make sure you have a minimum resaw height of 12″ for versatility.
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.
Why does my bandsaw blade 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.
How far should the safety guard be above the stock bandsaw?
Keep guards in place at all times. The blade guard should be from 1/8 to ¼ inch above stock. Keep hands away from blade and do not open upper or lower bandsaw doors while blade is in motion. Maintain a balanced stance and keep your body under control at all times; do not overreach.
How can you tell if you are using too much pressure or twisting the blade excessively?
you feed the material too hard or twist the material too much, you will hear the saw slow down. This is a cue to ease back the pressure. Too much pressure or twisting can break the blade.
What is the closest you should put your fingers to the blade while it is running?
Do not put your fingers closer than two inches from the blade. 3. Do not place your hands directly in line with the blade while cutting stock. 4.