Has anyone got any tips on correcting the tracking on my new bandsaw. What happens is the blade runs to the front of the wheel tyre and stays there. With a 1/4 inch blade my guide don't reach that far. I've checked the wheels and they are co-planar. Been head scratching for the last 3 or 4 evenings with this and its really getting to me now. It's my first bandsaw and didn't foresee these setup problems. By the way it's a Scheppach Basato 3. Please help anyone !!!
Neil
For those not familiar with this saw, it is a 12" 3/4 HP model.
Neil, on the back of the machine there should be an adjustment for the wheels As you turn the knob, you can see the blade move back and forth along the crown of the top wheel. Once set, it is usually held in place with a locking nut or similar. The manual should have more information on how to adjust it. Before you adjust it, make sure the blade guides, both top and bottom, have plenty of clearance. You can spin the blade by hand while making this adjustment.
After getting that set, you can make all the other adjustments for the blade guides.
Second step is to buy a good book. Setting up a bandsaw takes a bit of practice, but once you get it right, it is simple. Ed snipped-for-privacy@snet.net
Hi there,
Are you checking for co-planar when the blade is at correct tension? The wheels tilt somewhat between untensioned and tensioned situations.
Generally, you apply the width of blade that you will most commonly use, tension it up correctly, then check for co-planar. That is how I have always done it, and never had a problem.
There may also be the possibility that one of your bandsaw wheels in 'out of round' or not entirely flat itself - it it has a wobble. You can check this by removing the blade and spinning the top wheel by hand rapidly. The bottom can be checked with power on (no blade). Take necessary safety precautions etc.
Mark Duginske's bandsaw handbook is a great resource for all this setup information, which is where most of the above suggestions came from :-) A review of his book can be found here:
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If they were set correctly, the blade would track perfectly.
Sorry, but I thought you needed help. I guess you don't.
try
Having wheels co-planar is just the starting point for getting the blade to track correctly. The will be an adjustment on your saw that will tilt one of the wheels (usually the upper wheel) in or out to adjust the trackability of the blade. Like another poster pointed out, you can adjust this while turning the wheel by hand AFTER the blade has been tensioned. If your tires are in good shape, then you should be able to track the blade to the middle of the crown. And like the other poster said, there should be a looking mechanism (such as a jam nut or wing nut) that will keep the tracking where it is after adjustment.
Philski
I agree with Edwin -- forget the "co-planer" bit, and all that junk and adjust the adjust the wheel angle from the back side to run the blade where you want it to run!! The wheels may need to be a bit off to make it run correctly. If they are not "co-planer", so be it!! It's results that count -- not procedure!!
bj
Okay thanks for all that lads. Neil
It sounds as though the wheels are not crowned.
UA100
The tires on fourteen inch bandsaws like Delta are no longer crowned and they say it isn't necessary. I like them crowned and recently installed a tire on a wheel, chucked it up in a large metal lathe and crowned it with 90 grit sandpaper. I thought it worked better.
Okay guys got an update. After spending all evening again trying to setup the bandsaw I had some sucess. The best result I can get is on the top wheel the 1/2 " blade is running slightly back off center, while on the bottom wheel the blade is running to the front with the tips of the blade teeth very slightly off the tyre. The blade stays in this position all the time. Now my question is Is this setup acceptable? or should I go back to where I bought it and demand a replacement? Neil
"They" are crazy and might be better suited in another line of work.
UA100
First, I assume you mean centering the body of the blade, less the teeth. Next, the simple book coplanar test is not enough. Mine originally checked "coplanar" by the book and had the same results with a wide blade as you described.
Basically, the two wheels have to be aligned in all 3 dimensions. If one dimension is out, your blade won't be square to the table, so that's easy. If you examine the upper wheel adjustment, it handles another dimension. However, that leaves one left.
For instance, if the upper frame has a twist relative to the lower, the two wheels can be adjusted coplanar at one point, but only at that point. With the blade under running tension, carefully check both the front and rear portions of the two wheels. In my case I had to remove a pin from the riser, and rotate the upper body.
Before any of this, however, try it with another blade. A defective blade can cause this issue, and the wider the blade, the more the issue.
As to your current setup being acceptable: the main question is if it is stable when cutting and with thinner blades. Teeth slightly off the tire are okay, if they are not cutting it. I originally ran mine that way for awhile, and just had to keep adjusting the wheel for different blades, until I had time to fix it. On the other hand, it shouldn't happen with a new saw.
GerryG
Neil,
Uhh, just in case, make sure the lower thrust bearing is backed off all the way, it's impossible to track if the darn blade is pushing on the lower roller. DAMHIKT
On Tue, 31 Aug 2004 22:47:16 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!:
remove ns from my header address to reply via email
IMO MUST.... very dangerous not to.
anybody's behaviour but my own......the theory's good, anyway.
On Wed, 01 Sep 2004 01:38:18 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!:
remove ns from my header address to reply via email
Deep breath...calm calm...
***************************************************** I have decided that I should not be offended by anybody's behaviour but my own......the theory's good, anyway.Call me at 303.428.4196 for your solutions.
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On Thu, 02 Sep 2004 08:32:31 GMT, "Greg Millen" vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!:
remove ns from my header address to reply via email
Important point actually, and easy to forget when you are re-tracking.
In other words back _everything_ right off except the tension when setting up traction.
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