You may not think you need a bandsaw, but, like most unique tools, once you have it, you'll wonder how you lived without it. No other machine can resaw boards as well-with as much vertical cut capacity as you need and little waste. It has a reputation as one of the safest machines in the workshop, even though it has the power to cut easily through bones in a butcher shop.
Unfortunately, the bandsaw also has a reputation for something that's not quite as complimentary-it can be the most fussy machine in the shop.
Try to coax a badly tuned bandsaw to resaw through 6"-thick hard maple and you're likely to wonder what you ever liked about this machine. But with proper set-up, good blades and a few upgrades, this machine can really perform. If there is one machine I wouldn't go low-budget on, it's this one. Put your money into a solid brand-name tool and buy it just once.
Cleaning Up
Start by unplugging the bandsaw. Back off both thrust bearings and both sets of guide blocks (both above and below the table). Remove the table insert and levelling pin. Release the blade tensioner completely, open both wheel covers and remove the old blade. Now you can vacuum out the inside of the machine, including the wheels and tires. Be sure to remove the built-up pitch from the tires with a rag slightly dampened with mineral spirits. Clean the table at the same time. Place the new blade in the centre of both wheels, being sure that the teeth point downward where the machine cuts. Teeth that point the wrong way mean your blade is inside out.
Tensioning and Tracking
With a new blade in place, turn the tensioning knob until you reach the correct tension for the width of the blade. Most bandsaws have a scale that tells you where to stop for each blade thickness, but the scale loses accuracy as the tensioning spring weakens over time. A 1/2"-wide resaw blade requires plenty of tension, whereas narrower blades can break if too tight. More tension is required when resawing or cutting through very thick stock.
Don't try to track the blade if you haven't set the tension yet. A blade under high tension will track differently than one under little tension.
Next, slowly turn the upper wheel by hand-with the machine still unplugged-and note whether the blade is moving forward on the wheels, moving backward or staying put. The tracking knob angles the upper wheel. Turning it one way makes the blade move forward; the other way moves it back. Be careful not to let the blade fall right off the tires. Tweak the tracking knob a little at a time and move the wheels slowly until you've found the correct setting that places the blade as close to the centre of both wheels as possible. If the blade is in the centre of one wheel but completely off-centre on the other, consider buying a co-planar kit. This upgrade features special spacers that shim the wheels into alignment, with different inner diameters to fit both the upper and lower wheel shafts.
Once the blade stays in the centre, lock the tracking knob and turn the upper wheel numerous times to be sure the blade stays put.
1 Comment
I have an old bandsaw (make & model plate missing) that takes a 66 or 66.25 inch blade. Can anyone tell me where I may buy this blade or is my only option to have it made. Leo