bandsaw alingment

Paul Gallian

In Memoriam
Messages
1,019
Notice the insert -- yes I need a new one. Photo is to show the blade is too far to the front not the horrible insert. I see no way move it back to the center of the insert. The blade is tracking correctly. Any suggestions?


bandsaw copy.jpg
 
Try loosening the table mounting bolts and see if you can get enough wiggle out of it that way. If you have a junker blade put that on first just in case the table jumps a little :D
 
Table has been off and on several times -- upon replacement I push and pulled when tightening with no help of the table position... drives me nuts -- it did not look like this out of the box a couple years ago.
 
The puzzle is not the tracking .. The blade run dead center on the wheel. But is a good 3/4 inch forward in the hole in the table -- so forward that it eats up inserts. So I just use it knowing that things are not right.
 
paul if it came to you right then something in the way you put your table on is wrong.. first off does the slit for the blade come toward you or away now? the hole maybe off center on the casting also are you sure your thrust bearings and guide rollers are in the right settings?
 
Paul,
If the blade is tracking on the center of the tires, I don't see where you've got a problem. Just put in a new insert, and be happy with the saw.

The hole for the insert might be machined a bit off center, but I doubt it. My 30+ year old 14" saw does the same thing - the blade is about ¼" forward of center in the insert. I never really noticed it until now, when I looked at it after reading your post, and seeing your picture. The saw works just fine - tracks well, cuts well, runs quietly - so I don't see a problem.

If yours is tracking well, and cutting well, just make a new insert, but don't cut the blade slot all the way back, and use the saw. No problem!
 
That's what I would do. Make a new insert with just enough slot to get it on and let the blade enlarge to suit itself. I have used whatever material was avaliable. e.g. OO, acrylic, etc.
 
Its still a little puzzling and perhaps concerning though.

Short list of what we know:
  • wasn't like this originally
  • doesn't appear to be table placement (outside the wiggle room)
  • blade is tracking to the center of the tire

So... I would conclude that something has moved. Just what is the question and I'm not sure how to figure that out. Could be the frame has moved a little (although that saw is supposed to have a pretty sturdy frame), I'd give it a good once over along the spine and welds to make sure they look okee dokee (low probability, but if one of them did fail it would be kind of exciting).

Other random guesses.
Does it still track forward when the tension is mostly off?
Are the tires or bearings loose/wiggly?
 
Top