Shop Built Bandsaw Tensioner?

Brent Dowell

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Reno NV
Does anyone have any pictures or plans on how to make a quick release for your bandsaw tensioner?

I'd like to get a 'real' one, but at 150$, just wondering if there was a clever home-made alternative...
 
never saw the need for one brent? i just leave her cranked up ready to go...
it`s my understanding(and experience) that if you don`t leave your saw sit for weeks on end that you`ll be fine leaving it tensioned.
sorry no pics:eek:
 
Well, that certainly fits the bill of being cheap and easy :thumb:

To tell the truth, that's all I've ever done. I may release the tension on mine once or twice a year, if I remember, but I kind of like it being ready to go...
 
Brent,

I know what you are looking for. I saved the plan back somewhere but cannot find it now. I was going to do the same thing when I got time. I think that Bill Esposito had it published in one of the woodworking magazines within the past year. If I can't find the plan or article I might just do what Bart is talking about.
 
I'm with Todd on this one, I have been working wood for 15 plus years and never once de-tensioned my bandsaw and never had a trouble. In fact back when I worked for the railroad and was on duty for 12 weeks at a time, (out of state/ country) it would mean my saws would sit for months unused. Again never had an issue.

As a side note, our bandsaw for our newer sawmill has ten times the tension, ten times the stress and it does not have as de-tensioner on it either. Personally I think its someone's off-beat idea that has some how morphed into one of those things every woodworker now just has to do.

Thats just my humble opinion though...
 
I take the tension off Big Blue, but, but only because it takes just a jiffy to do so, I did something similar to Bart, it is a crank, I crank it 8 times and I'm ready to roll, tracking is not really much of an issue with a blade that is just under 2 1/2" wide, with FLAT wheels to match :D

For the Phoenix, I use the flutter method for tensioning the blade, works great.

For me, there seems to be way too many dials, and really precise measurements sneaking into woodworking, nothing wrong with something made right and to good specs, but the whole "My tablesaw's top is out two thousands of an inch over 2 feet" is a little much, for me, but again, that is just my humble opinion. :wave:

Cheers!
 
The de-tension or not-to-detension argument needs to start with which kind of bandsaw.

My 14 inch bandsaw has crowned wheels, with relatively soft rubber tires (only relatively), and the blade rides in the center of the wheels, so the tires are working against the set of the teeth. As a $350 bandsaw the bearings are fine, but would never support a tank. I detension the blade as directed.

My 24 inch bandsaw has flat wheels, with relatively hard rubber tires, and the blade runs at the edge of the wheel, with the teeth hanging over the edge. As a $3500 bandsaw, the bearings would not only probably support a tank, but might cut one in half. Although the owner's manual recommends detensioning, I only do so if the saw will be unused for an extended period (i.e. rarely).

Ironically, detensioning the big saw, run with 25000 psi tension, is easy. Detensioning the little saw, run at much lower tension, is hard without the detension lever, because of the small knob in an inconvenient place. :dunno:
 
......For me, there seems to be way too many dials, and really precise measurements sneaking into woodworking, nothing wrong with something made right and to good specs, but the whole "My tablesaw's top is out two thousands of an inch over 2 feet" is a little much, for me, but again, that is just my humble opinion. :wave:

It is not just you Stu!! I have worked in Machine shops enough to know that it's ridiculous what WW are trying to do. Most don't have a basic understanding of precision measurement and don't understand what they are trying to measure. Besides it aint needed!!

Makes you wonder how all the old timers in the 1800's produced anything with those old shop made and hand tools! :dunno:
 
For what its worth (not much!), my 14" arrived with the blade installed and tensioned. Some manufacturers don't seem as concerned about the whole thing as others do :huh:

I never bother with de-tensioning myself, doesn't seem to give me any lumpy spots, but it may vary saw to saw.
 
This is an interesting thread because it basically has three parts to it...

Trying to find a home-made de-tensioning mechanism
Whether de-tensioning is needed or not
Whether super accuracy is needed

On the latter question I must say I enjoy the new working to precise measurements only because I can. Its obviously a habit carried over from work, and a habit that they do at work, even for the carpenters there.

Personally I think thinking and measuring precisely is a good thing and for all woodworkers. If you shoot for .001 from the beginning, you get great results because in the end you cannot see anything smaller than .015 visually. Add to that a bit more fudge factor and you end up with 1/32 being the acceptable limits for gaps and the like.

In woodworking and machining, I strive for perfection very early on in the project, that way as things progress if things are out, they don't get so far out that my project looks shoddy.

We had this argument over on Wood Online a few months ago and a woodworker said this. "Measuring a half lap to the thousandths is foolish because you always end up with ridges and stuff."

Apparently he missed the point, if you set your radial arm saw and dado blade up accurately on the saw, you don't get ridges. With precision woodworking, you must start from the beginning and carry it all the way through. Most woodworkers only pick and choose what they do precisely. That doesn't work unfortunately.
 
Thanks Don!

Thats exactly what I was thinking of!

I remember seeing that one in woodsmith a while ago. My collection of reading materials is less than organized, however...

Looks easy enough and simple enough to make.

Didn't really mean to start a controversy on the subject, as there is already a debate elsewhere on the merits of tensioning versus de-tensioning..
 
.............Didn't really mean to start a controversy on the subject, as there is already a debate elsewhere on the merits of tensioning versus de-tensioning..

Brent, we are not having a "Controversy" we are all voicing what works for us, and our thoughts and reasons for coming to these methods. An open frank discussion between adults can be very educational for all, we very much encourage such discussions.

Besides, you only asked for the plans for a homemade tension doohickey, we all drifted into the discussion.

No harm, no foul, please continue to ask questions, we ALL learn that way! :thumb:
 
No worries, Guess I'm just a little gunshy...

I'm thankful for the responses, and the way I look at it, if I can put something togther in the shop that doesnt cost a lot, then why not do it. I'm just a hobbiest, and the band saw may go months (sometimes years) between uses.....

Doh! that can't be good. But, it's a delta 14" with a 6" riser. Still seems to be co-planar after about 10 years of no-de-tensioning....
 
Brent, having the same concern of paying $150 for the Carter Quick Release, I built the one you reference (can't remember if it was in Woodsmith, or Shopnotes). I couldn't get it to work for my saw so I gave up for now. I did buy the new Carter roller guides and LOVE them! So I may break down a get the quick release next year. But I may not. Both the Carter folks and Suffolk Machinery (Timberwolf blades) say, "Definitely release the tension.", but a company that sells Timberwolf blades at the annual traveling woodworking show says, "It's not necessary." This may well be true for two reasons... 1) if you use the saw daily it keeps the tires from flat spotting, etc. and 2) if using properly tensioned low tension blades (like Timberwolf), there isn't much tension on the blade. Suffolk Machinery has a how to for the flutter tension method on their web site.
 
never saw the need for one brent? i just leave her cranked up ready to go...
it`s my understanding(and experience) that if you don`t leave your saw sit for weeks on end that you`ll be fine leaving it tensioned.
sorry no pics:eek:

Unfortunately, Stu took all the fun out of this discussion by saying it's NOT a controversy. :(
According to Grizzly and Suffolk machinery one is risking bringing on Armegedon by not releasing the tension.
I have gotten up in the middle of the night and gone down to the shop to see if I had remembered to release the tension on my Griz. :eek:
 
Being a hobbiest, my bandsaw does go long periods of time between uses.

I just don't usually think about releasing the tension. I figured if I had an easier way, I might just actually do it.

I've recently moved, and I'm getting ready to start building a bunch of stuff for the new house, so though it would make sense to go over all the tools and give each of them a real good tune up. Figured I'd start with the band saw.

I did pick up a nice long chunk of all thread last week, so I'll probably end up doing something. I'll probably do a crank on the top, because I hate twisting that little knob to change tension. I might just play around with the lever based thing too, just for kicks.

Might even get new tires for it as well..

Oh, and of course, probably time to get some new sharp blades... Where will it all end? :eek:
 
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