1/8 " bandsaw blade problem

[Vic Baron]

I have a Grizzly G0555 with a 12" riser. Added an Iturra spring.

I have had no problems with except one.

I've been trying to use a 1/8" blade for some scroll work and I'm having a helluva time keeping the blade tracking.

I get it set and it runs fine for a little while and then it will start to move either forward or back. I've tried TimberWolf and Olsen and HIghland Hardware 105" blades and it makes no difference.

I've tried putting it on the crest of the wheel, just in front or just behind the crest. It just seems so touchy I figure there must be a better way.

Any ideas?

Thanx,

Vic

[woodchucker]

12" riser? not 6"

anyway, a 1/8 blade is a touchy blade. I use a carter guide for scrolling. This is not a blade that you use for long straight cuts, it needs support and it needs the guides setup perfectly if you are using guides. I don't use guides with the 1/8, just the single thrust bearing behind the blade which has a groove in it...

If you are talking tracking on the wheel itself, well that's a result of a tuned saw. you must have a coplanar set of wheels, you must have a crowned wheel, and you must set the guides correctly as above. Coplanar is the most important 1st step.

[Vic Baron]

Yes - 6". :)

I am using the Carter guide. The cut quality is fine - just that the blade will come off the crown of the wheel and move rapidly forward or back. I can check again but the wheels are coplanar. I've used 3/16, 1/4, 1/2 blades with no problem with tracking - just this 1/8" that's giving me fits. I'll take it off and rechec the wheels and then reinstall. Perhaps I didn't get it right on the crown of both top/bottom wheels.

Vic

[woodchucker]

You should not have to do much to get it on the crown, the blade should tend to find the crown on it's own if its coplanar, but because it's a thinner blade the teeth are a bigger part of the blade, and therefore cause more problems in getting it centered. Also make sure your wheels are dead true, any out of true wobble will cause issues. 1/8 is a touchier blade.

[John Grossbohlin]

Because it works fine for a while I'm thinking that the blade is stretching as it warms up. Perhaps adding a bit more blade tension after cutting for a while, to compensate for the stretching, would help.

John

[woodchucker]

Doh.. yea

[Leon]

Agreed with the stretching/expanding with heat. Once it expands the tracking will change. Try letting it cool and see of the blade returns to normal.

[joeljcarver]

Typo ... I think you meant 6" riser.

Check out this excellent video of Alex Snodgrass -

It's worth viewing the entire presentation.

[John Grossbohlin]

Yes, expanding is probably the better word here...

John

[Vic Baron]

The "AHA" moment! I think you hit the nail on the head!

Vic

[Vic Baron]

That's great! Learned a few more things.

Reading is one thing but seeing makes a lot more sense.

Thanx!

Vic

[Bill Leonhardt]

Vic,

I think you've already gotten some good input from others. When I first re ad of your problem, I wondered if there was a practical limit to how small the blade could be for a certain radius of curvature of the wheel camber. Perhaps 1/8" is too small for the camber on that model of wheel. Still, I like the thermal expansion explanation better.

I have the same bandsaw with the same riser block. I have long suspected t he stock spring (probably from reading this group)as being inadequate. I'd like to hear more about your experience with the Iturra spring.

Thanks,

Bill

[Vic Baron]

Hey Bill - When I first purchased the G0555 I git a lot of recommendations from folks here to get the Iturra spring. Basically I've had no problems with it. It is firmer than the stock spring so you don't have to crank as much to tension the blade. I was also able to get a 3/4" Wood Slicer on that saw and tension it properly. I could not have done that with the stock spring. I've had it for several years and it appears to be just as strong as ever so I'm assuming the other feature about holding it's strength holds true.

The 1/8" blade is tracking fine now but I am more aware of the thermal expansion. I have no issues with a 3/16" blade but the 1/8 seems to be really touchy.

Decided to get a small 10" Rikon bandsaw also. Swapping blades during a project can be a pita so I'll set one up for resaw and the other for any scroll type stuff.

Vic