Help with out of balance wheels

[Joe Shinall]

Yes, i know there is a thread on here somewhere about bandsaw wheels out of balance and I have read it before, but I cannot find it right now. I have a Ridgid 14" bandsaw and I spin the wheels and let them settle and mark a line. Everytime I do this it ends up at the same spot so I know where the heavy spot is.

Now am I crazy or did I hear something about drilling holes in that bottom portion to lighten it up? What size holes should I drill and do I keep doing them until it spins freely?

[Stephen Cherry]

How about trying tape on wheel weights like they use on cars?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Joe,

You could drill holes but.....


I'd want to prove my theory before I did it.


Like Stephen suggested..I'd try taping weights 180º from the heavy point and see if that changes the stopping point appropriately.


Then maybe I would consider drilling holes.

[Bob Vallaster]

Drilling is a conventional way to balance wheels, pulleys, lathe faceplates, auto flywheels...
Usually done in a thick cross-section near the outer diameter. There might be some evidence of factory balancing on your wheels already, hidden on the backside as mounted or under the tires. If so, use that example as to where to take metal and what diameter/depth is tolerable.

Caveat. I would first check the balance without the tire mounted. Why? If the tire is part of the problem, I don't want to accomodate a variable by making a permanent change (drilling holes) in the constant (wheel's static balance). Tires can creep and can have inconsistant thickness. Tires are shorter-lived than wheels and will be replaced in time. If I find a wheel is balanced and its tire both serviceable and true, but the two are unbalanced as an assembly...I would apply balancing weights for aluminum wheels (stick-on variety). YMMV.

If you get to drilling, be cautious about making a current hole deeper than the factory did---you might find daylight at the bottom. Better to make another like it in the location your spin/stop/mark process reveals.

BobV

[Joe Shinall]

Brain fart! Thanks for the ideas on the wheel weights Ken and Stephen. I didn't even think of something like that and I have some in my garage.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Joe,

If taping "counter-weights" temporarily 180º from the "stopping point" then consider drilling holes.

When working with the weights..keep in mind the farther from the center the weights are placed, the bigger the effect they should have.

Thus if your weights are too heavy, for example, try taping them closer to the center of the wheel.

and visa versa....if too light...try moving them closer to the outer edge of the wheel.

Good luck!

[Simon Dupay]

How does the saw run? If it runs fine I'd leave it alone or check the wheel bearings first.

[Joe Scharle]

I've got a BS with about 10-12 turns of electrical wire wrapped around a spoke. I remember clipping pieces off until I was happy with the balance.

[Myk Rian]

Paper clamps worked for me.

[Bruce Page]

Paper clamps worked for me.

File for future use...
That's an excellent idea!

[Phil Thien]

The paper clamps is a great idea.

You can also wrap wire around spokes.