Help in bandsaw adjustment

Jim O'Dell

Member
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2,783
Location
Between Aledo and Fort Worth, TX
Ok, so I got the Mini Max E16 cleaned up yesterday afternoon late...didn't plan to look at it until today. I built a back panel for the contractor saw (Ridgid 3612) that took most of the morning. Decided that bandaw had failed to have a blade on it for far too long, so broke out the 3/4" blade and stuck it on. Well, that required looking at the alignment of the upper rack and pinion system, and saw how out of alignment it was. No surprise. I aligned the blade guard in both up and down positions, and watched it moving up and down, everything seemed fine. Tightened the mechanism by it's two bolts, and it puts the rack in a bind against something, to the point that you can't hardly adjust it up and down. I found two set screws on the right side of the column, but tightening them with a hex key also puts the rack in a bind. They seem to run into the back side of the rack. Don't have any idea what they could be for. Thought at first it adjusted some type of pad inside the shaft that would keep the rack running true inside the tube. I do know it looks a little like an after thought as the access holes in the frame are wallered out a little, and don't align up well with the set screws. I've used the touch up paint on the upper one, but haven't touched the lower one yet.

So MM gurus, does the alignment mechanism need a washer between it and the back plate of the frame so that the rack doesn't bind against the frame? I did see a little evidence of paint flakes on the rack after forcing it up and down while it was in a bind, though I couldn't find where they came from. Does it sound like this unit adjusts like it's big brothers, or does it sound like it is a totally different animal/design?
DSCN1267.jpg This picture shows the openings for the 2 set screws


The other question is the amount of blade that hangs over the wheel. Which is proper, again using a 3/4" blade.
DSCN1264.jpg This picture is the bottom wheel.
DSCN1265.jpg This on is the upper wheel with just a little blade hanging over (too little?)
DSCN1266.jpg This last pic is a little more hanging over. No matter how I adjusted the upper wheel, the bottom stayed the same. I'm sure it has a different adjustment, but what am I getting into with the pulley and belts? The 1/4" blade might be a problem if this much of it was over the bottom tire, but is the 3/4" ok?

Hopefully someone here will have an idea for adjustment problems. TIA!! Jim.
 
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Shaz, you are simply correct with that statement!! It's the collective knowledge of these forums that is their strength.
Russ, thanks again for your note...on both forums!! :type:

OK, so I think I've found the problem for sure. I took the rack and pinion set up out of the machine to facilitate trying different washers for spacer depgh behind the set up. I can see where the rack is sliding against the back wall and scratching it when it is in a bind. I played with it for a while, and finally came up with a compromise. It moves fairly smooth, and has a minimal amount of slop in the mechanism. The lock knob secures it well for when you are cutting, so I think it will be ok. But.....(here I go thinking again
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) what would happen if I used a teflon tape strip against the wall of the bandsaw that the rack rides against? It should slip on it very well, but also let it have some "contact" with the wall to take the slop out. Any ideas? am I going overboarrd again as usual??
biggrin.gif


Thanks for the responses. I'm still concerned about the blade position. The bottom wheel rides almost 1/4" off the wheel for the 3/4" blade. That seems excessive. Haven't tried the 1/4" blade to see how it will ride. Upper wheel adjusts easily and I can place the blade where ever I choose. Bottom wheel shows no way to adjust. At least not easily. Thanks again! Jim.
 
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From what I've heard from other MM owners Jim, calling MM should get you started on fixing WHATEVER is wrong with the BS. Is calling them not an option for you for some reason?
 
Weekend!:D I should have called them Friday since I was off. Thought I could figure most of it out, and have. The blade position on the lower wheel has me baffeled. I'm sure a call to them will cure it, or my mind, which ever is at fault.:bang: I'm sure Dane is wondering why I have had this thing for over a year and a half, and no questions from me. He'd kill me if he knew it wasn't powered up yet. I mean this is one of the first ones of this model out on the streets. I'm sure they were hoping for some more feedback than they have received from me. :eek::eek: I probably should try to mount the 1/4" blade and see where it runs. It's always possible I don't have enough tension on the 3/4" blade so that it runs where it should. I'm not sure how much more I can get on it with the little wheel for leverage. Needs a hex end I can get a socket and ratchet on. :eek: Jim.
 
Russ, it's nothing more than an alignment issue. I'm just too novice with a bandsaw to understand what I need to do to space the bottom wheel out. I see how you take the wheel off to change the belt. I may need to do that function, would probably show what needs to be done. Once I disassembled the rack and pinion, I saw how all that worked, and was able to find a way to make the rack move a lot smoother. I don't consider this to be like the "My table's 3 inches low in the center" type of thing. MM will be able to walk me through it, or provide enough information or a picture break down that I'll be able to adjust it. It's really a minor thing. I'm just a little baffeled. I'll probably go " :doh:" when I see how to do it. :D Jim.
 
Jim, I'm certainly no expert on bandsaws, but I DO KNOW that the LAST thing you ever want to do is to adjust the bottom wheel. So even if you figure out how to make an adjustment on the bottom wheel, DO NOT touch it until you at least talk to MiniMax about it, and see if you can get to talk to Sam if possible. I'm sure he can walk you through it, probably better than anyone else there.

Note: Yes there are RARE times when the bottom wheel does need to be adjusted, (before someone jumps my case):D , but as I said, those cases are VERY RARE, and if you're not really familiar with bandsaw adjustments, you can really open a can of worms by adjusting that lower wheel, especially if it doesn't really need it.
 
jim, i`ve never set eyes on the e16 so really can`t offer any advice on your guides:eek: .......norman is right though, call sam not dain about tuning up your saw! dain`s one heck of a nice guy but he knows diddly about tweeking equipment, sam on the other hand is darn good at it! for 3/4" blade tracking i run the gulletts free from the tire, for 1/2" and smaller i run the whole blade on the tire......with the mm saws it doesn`t matter where on the tire `cause they`re not crowned but i generally put the teeth back 1/4" or so from the edge so the edge doesn`t get gnawed up by the teeth....let us know what the solution is......tod
 
Thanks guys! I'll not do anything until I talk to Sam. I may e-mail him for a better chance of getting information from him direct. I thought that adjusting the upper wheel tracking would have some effect on the tracking of the lower wheel, but it never moves it's position. I just thought that was kind of odd.
Anyway, thanks again! Jim.
 
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