How Important is a Quick-Release on a BS?

[John Mark Lane]

...to you?

It's one of the final short list of features that one saw I'm considering has, the other doesn't. On my old Delta 14, I never had a quick-release (never even knew they existed). Just left the saw sittin' there, and used it when I wanted it. Changed blades now and then (broke a few, as I recall). I like the idea of one, but have to weigh it against other factors.

Also, if anyone knows of an aftermarket one that will work on a Jet 16, I'd be mighty obliged...

[Van Huskey]

As long as the saw has a nice beefy tension wheel that is easy to reach (the Jet does) I don't worry about it. Lots (most) of the Ialian saws don't have them. I might suggest the Jet 18 (1 3/4 or 3 hp) as it is a good bit more saw and both include a quick release if it interests you. The July 4th 15% off sale is over but they will all likely to come back on sale soon.

[Jamie Buxton]

As best I understand, the argument for de-tensioning a bandsaw is that the steel and the rubber will be damaged if they are left under tension. If this were true, we'd all be putting our cars up on blocks every night. They have rubber tires and steel springs, like the bandsaw.

[Neil Brooks]

As best I understand, the argument for de-tensioning a bandsaw is that the steel and the rubber will be damaged if they are left under tension. If this were true, we'd all be putting our cars up on blocks every night. They have rubber tires and steel springs, like the bandsaw.

You mean ... you DON'T ? :p

[Rod Sheridan]

Band saws in industry stay tensioned continuously.

Same for my band saw at home.

As Van indicated, the Italian saws often don't have this feature, neither do the Felder saws.

Band saw tires need replacing on my saws due to ozone damage, not due to being continuously tensioned.

Regards, Rod.

[Van Huskey]

As best I understand, the argument for de-tensioning a bandsaw is that the steel and the rubber will be damaged if they are left under tension. If this were true, we'd all be putting our cars up on blocks every night. They have rubber tires and steel springs, like the bandsaw.


The steel argument is just bogus, if you are not exceeding the elastic limit of the band or some component of the saw itself it is a non-issue, it is arguable that it actually hastens failure of both through work hardening BUT that is a very MINOR issue that would never be approached with a bandsaw/blade.

The tires CAN however be an issue as they can flat spot if they are left tensioned for a long (I have never determined what long would be and would vary by composition and design of the tire anyway). Car tires will also flat spot if left parked for extended periods of time, rarely an issue for most of us. In the same way if you use your BS several times a week (or maybe even once) you probably won't see flat spotting BUT as I said the design, type and possibly the environmental conditions of the tire probably have a lot to do with this.

[Will Overton]

Car tires will also flat spot if left parked for extended periods of time, rarely an issue for most of us.

Of course if you're old enough to remember tires with nylon cords, you also remember thumping down the road for a few miles, in winter, until the tires warmed up. ;)

[Van Huskey]

, neither do the Felder saws.
.


If I am not mistaken the Felder machines are Italian as well, unless things have changed ACM builds them, not even sure the NA bound ones visit Hall in Tirol or if they just ship direct to Felder Canada and Felder US.


Tension levers could be nice I suppose if you change blades a lot but that is rare when you get to larger machines. If you use one BS or have a smaller one for curves and change blades often it might be worth the few seconds saved. My general impression is blade tension levers are a "feature" that is easy to add and many (most) Asian saws seem to have them tacked on it helps them look better on paper.

[Van Huskey]

Of course if you're old enough to remember tires with nylon cords, you also remember thumping down the road for a few miles, in winter, until the tires warmed up. ;)


This is true and I still remember when tire commercials touted "steel belted" as a big deal!

[george wilson]

My 14" Delta has been under tension for 46 years. Never a problem.

[Scot Ferraro]

On my Laguna LT18 it clearly states on one of the saw's warning labels to de-tension the blade overnight to prevent warped wheels and blade breakage. Maybe this is overkill or one of those warnings to limit any liability, but it is cheap insurance IMHO -- a few quick turns of the hand wheel is all it takes. I suppose this could be more of an issue with a larger blade. I have not had any issues with the wheels or tires on my machine yet and it is going on 9 years old now.

Scot

[Van Huskey]

My 14" Delta has been under tension for 46 years. Never a problem.


George, that blade has lasted a long time! If I didn't know better I would say you hadn't cut much. Sounds like it is tipped with something from NASA... unobtanium maybe? :D

[Will Blick]

Call Timberwolf, ask them for their catalog, or it maybe on pdf on their web site.... great info on BS blades, including de tensioning....

This is one of those issues where experience of others can not be analyzed unless you had all the details.... for example, what % of max. tension is everyones blades at? That would be a big factor in analyzing responses. If you already run at a low tension, de tensioning would probably have little or now value. But if you run at high tension, I suggest it would be beneficial for the long term wear of the blade and the saw.

Another poster brought up the issue of putting our autos on blocks.... funny thing, with RV's that is often the case, they sit on their jacks or jack stands when not used for months..... same reason, reduce stress on the components below the frame....

I detension my MM20...specially when I start using the thin blades, such as 1/4".... I tighten enough to allow the blade to perform the task at hand....gets easier once you learn your machine..... then a quick single turn of the de tension wheel will reduce tension enough where there is no serious stress on the machine, no big deal....I too thought I would miss an automatic de tension, but its a non-issue to me now...

[Brent Smith]

Does a bandsaw need to be de-tensioned.....I don't know. I know I have read good arguments for and against over the years. For the amount of time it takes to do, I see no reason not to. Since I do release the tension, having a quick release makes it easy to do and let's me return to the same tension each time.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I release the tension on my MM-16 each time I'm finished as it can be weeks before I use it again. Why chance it? I turn the wheel 2 full turns. Then next time I go to use it, I turn it 2 full turns to tighten it and quickly recheck tracking. I haven't yet seen tracking effected but it's a relatively quick thing to do.

[Cliff Holmes]

For me, the major reason for the quick release is to ease blade changes.

[Joe Mioux]

I release the tension on my MM-16 each time I'm finished as it can be weeks before I use it again. Why chance it? I turn the wheel 2 full turns. Then next time I go to use it, I turn it 2 full turns to tighten it and quickly recheck tracking. I haven't yet seen tracking effected but it's a realively quick thing to do.

ditto that.

and re: a quick release: I don't see how that is an advantage over just backing off the tension when finished.

[Bill ThompsonNM]

As a scientist, I think this calls for an experiment -- would everyone interested in participating please ship me their bandsaw. I'll randomly pick a selection to leave tensioned for 46 years and the others I will carefully detension after use. I'll report back to you in 46 Years .

[Bill Huber]

I really like the quick release, maybe it makes no difference in the live of the blade or the tires but it sure is nice when changing blades.

Lower the lever and about two quick turns on the tension knob and that's it. Then switch blades and raise the lever turn the tension knob to set the tension.

[Van Huskey]

ditto that.

and re: a quick release: I don't see how that is an advantage over just backing off the tension when finished.

I think the positives would be returning to tension without even looking and if you are changing to a blade that needs the same tension you don't have to run it down and all the way back up.

Outside of the tires flat spotting when sitting for prolonged periods of time I don't see anything that science would back up, as long as the modulus of elasticity is not exceeded for any part then there should be NO issues at all. If the modulus of elasticity is exceeded or even approached closely the band and/or tool is defectively manufacturered or designed OR there is improper use, such as in the case of someone bottoming out the spring and continuing to crank or tensioning a 1/4" .022 blade to the 1 1/4" mark on the saw.

There are plenty of processes in the universe that are surrounded by black arts and behave in unusual ways, but I have yet to see a bandsaw do anything really strange. We "ain't" like we are talking “spooky action-at-a-distance,”!

We all do little things we don't have to for peace of mind, this is one of them but I just don't see any good reason aside for tires (and that if it is to be left a long time) to bother, though I have been known to crank off the tension as well. In any event no reason to wake up in a cold sweat after you have a dream about forgetting to back off the tension. If anything George's long term anaecdotal evidence should be some comfort. The more I think about the Euro vs Asian tension systems it may be that the Italian saws have traditionally been used for industry and rarely go more than 2-3 days without use where probably the majority of Asian saws are used by hobbiest or small non-production shops where the saws may sit idle for weeks, thus leading to the extra convenience and help in preventing an issue like tire flat spots when they would essentially be a non-issue in an industrial or production setting.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I often think we tend to over analyze things and be critical of things that really don't matter.


If you want to detension your bandsaw do.

If you don't want to don't.

I fail to see that it's really that important.

[John Mark Lane]

I often think we tend to over analyze things and be critical of things that really don't matter.


If you want to detension your bandsaw do.

If you don't want to don't.

I fail to see that it's really that important.


I agree! Let's talk about what color a bandsaw fence should be. I like blue. But I could get used to red. :)

Seriously, though, I appreciate the replies and I find it actually quite interesting. If experience (and there seems to be a lot of it here) suggests there is no real need for a quick-release (or even for de-tensioning as a general rule), then the inclusion of the quick-release on some bandsaws may indeed be a marketing gimmick as much as anything else. It seems to me, with fewer and fewer actual manufacturers, and more glorified "re-sellers", marketing is about half the game in power tools.

Anyway, the responses here have been very helpful. The one thing that still puzzles me is, the Jet 16 is apparently offered in Europe with a quick-release. But here without. Why in the world woudl that be?

[Thomas love]

I de-tension mine the third Friday of every other month :rolleyes:

[lowell holmes]

I replaced the adjustment knob on my 14" Jet with a crank. The cost was less than $20 and it works great.

[John Powers]

At $175.00 a pop its a reasonable thing to question for me. Retired with a kid set on going to Georgetown. That said, its a closed question for me after this input. Looks like a solution to a problem that doesn't exits. Now if I could just settle the roller bearings vs cool blocks issue.....

[Myk Rian]

I never de-tension mine, and have never had a problem.
The 1966 Delta 14" I'm restoring was never de-tensioned either. The tires are still round, even though they're rubber. Those, I'm replacing anyway.

[george wilson]

Now I CAN'T even think about releasing tension. My wife, who doesn't mix with machines,every few months will use my bandsaw to cut up plastic sheet. No doubt in the World,she would forget to re tension the blade,and ruin it by turning the saw on.

I will say that I only ever use 1/4" blades.

[Frank Drew]

Band saws in industry stay tensioned continuously.



Oliver, the maker of my industrial level band saw, recommended de-tensioning the band when not in use (evenings, weekends) in order prevent a rut developing in the tire over time -- even elastic materials such as rubber can lose their "memory" and ability to rebound. Seems easy enough to do along with other end of the day chores; depending on the kind of work we're doing, for many of us a band saw might sit idle for weeks at a time.

De-tensioning isn't the norm, of course, but I've certainly seen a lot of old band saws with ruts in their tires. Just sayin'...

As for the comparison with car tires, I'd expect much longer use out of a band saw tire than a car tire. Like decades.

[Erik Christensen]

my 19" saw has it & I use it - not sure how "necessary" it is

I think this is just one of the many examples of a specific extra tool feature - those who's products lack the feature claim it is not needed and those that do have it tout it as the greatest thing since sliced bread - who knows what the truth is?

i'd choose a bandsaw on - blade capacity, motor HP, quality of guides, wheel size, table size, stock fence, vendor rep, dust collection, etc

[Rod Sheridan]

my 19" saw has it & I use it - not sure how "necessary" it is

I think this is just one of the many examples of a specific extra tool feature - those who's products lack the feature claim it is not needed and those that do have it tout it as the greatest thing since sliced bread - who knows what the truth is?

i'd choose a bandsaw on - blade capacity, motor HP, quality of guides, wheel size, table size, stock fence, vendor rep, dust collection, etc

I agree eric, except my saw has a quick release yet I only use it for changing blades..........Regards, Rod.

[Cary Falk]

[QUOTE=george wilson;1468184]she would forget to re tension the blade,and ruin it by turning the saw on.

[QUOTE]
The blade pops off the wheel and nothing really happens after that. Don't ask me how I know this.:rolleyes:

[Greg Portland]

Looks like a solution to a problem that doesn't exits. Now if I could just settle the roller bearings vs cool blocks issue.....Agreed. A few seconds is all it takes to tension or de-tension.

I would strongly recommend the cool blocks. They hold the blade more firmly and work very well with narrow blades. My LT18 came with very good bearing guides and the ceramic replacements (similar to cool blocks) was a significant improvement due to less play in the blade. I replace the ceramic blocks with wood for my super-small blades (3/16", etc.) to prevent blade tooth damage.

[Joe Jensen]

I never release the tension and my bandsaws have gone weeks and weeks with no use. I bought a new PM141 in 1990. It lived in a garage in Arizona where the garage temp in the summer is regularly over 100 degrees. I never detensioned a blade on the saw and when I sold it a couple of years ago the tires were still in excellent shape, not hard, not deformed, and the saw still had no vibration.

[Chip Lindley]

Many smaller BSs (14" Deltas and clones) have a very poor design for tensioning anything but smaller blades. The knob is small and in a place hard to grip. Achieving proper tension with a wide blade is a major PITA. The tension lever turns a hard job into a very easy one.

The original Delta 14" BS had the tension faucet knob just above the frame, in an awkward spot beside the top wheel guard. Later versions added a longer shaft which stood above the wheel guard; still the same faucet handle. At least you could get your fist around it. A nice tensioning lever does away with all that!

Not the case with many larger BSs. These were better thought-out to be much more ergonomic. A more robust tension mechanism worked as it should to tension wide blades. Many, you can get two hands on!

[Joe Jensen]

Call Timberwolf, ask them for their catalog, or it maybe on pdf on their web site.... great info on BS blades, including de tensioning....

This is one of those issues where experience of others can not be analyzed unless you had all the details.... for example, what % of max. tension is everyones blades at? That would be a big factor in analyzing responses. If you already run at a low tension, de tensioning would probably have little or now value. But if you run at high tension, I suggest it would be beneficial for the long term wear of the blade and the saw.

Another poster brought up the issue of putting our autos on blocks.... funny thing, with RV's that is often the case, they sit on their jacks or jack stands when not used for months..... same reason, reduce stress on the components below the frame....

I detension my MM20...specially when I start using the thin blades, such as 1/4".... I tighten enough to allow the blade to perform the task at hand....gets easier once you learn your machine..... then a quick single turn of the de tension wheel will reduce tension enough where there is no serious stress on the machine, no big deal....I too thought I would miss an automatic de tension, but its a non-issue to me now...


I'm an electrical engineer and not a mechanical, but I was pursuing a double major in electrical and mechanical and I'm only 12 credits short of the mechanical engineering degree. I haven't used the knowledge professionally, but I'm fairly sure that tensioning and detensioning a band is worse from a materials science perspective than leaving it tensioned. Same for the weld. When you tension it stretches a little and when you detension it releases. It's the cycles of tension that cause fatigue. My educated but not professional opinion is that detensioning bandsaw blades is theoretically marginally worse for the blade but likely a little worse for the tire.

[Jason White]

A cheaper way to go is one of these....

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/Bandsaw-Tensioning--Crank--Heavy--Duty.aspx

I have one and it only takes me 4-6 quick turns to take the tension off the blade. Nice and beefy, too!


...to you?

It's one of the final short list of features that one saw I'm considering has, the other doesn't. On my old Delta 14, I never had a quick-release (never even knew they existed). Just left the saw sittin' there, and used it when I wanted it. Changed blades now and then (broke a few, as I recall). I like the idea of one, but have to weigh it against other factors.

Also, if anyone knows of an aftermarket one that will work on a Jet 16, I'd be mighty obliged...

[Mike OMelia]

I replaced the adjustment knob on my 14" Jet with a crank. The cost was less than $20 and it works great.

I like this idea, and I have thought about doing it. I have an 18" Jet, guess I could go to McMaster-Carr and grub around for a crank wheel...

Mike

[Chip Lindley]

John, I am retired also, with a son starting college this Fall (pre-Med) My brand new Carter Quick Release was only $75 off CL! I also settled the Carter BB guide issue for about $65 off eBay. I never buy @ LIST !

[Gary Radice]

Has anyone, ever, experienced any of the hypothesized problems of NOT de-tensioning?

[Mike OMelia]

Has anyone, ever, experienced any of the hypothesized problems of NOT de-tensioning?

Ar ar.... Been wondering the same thing myself. Perhaps this a good example of gilding the lilly.

[Charles Davis]

I remember to de-tension my blade about 8% of the time... the other 92% of the time usually results in a deep sense of guilt and regret... I'm considering installing a sensor that will detect me exiting the shop and the BS tensioned... I will probably have that sensor trigger a shock collar that I will wear and thus alert me to the situation. I'm hoping that eventually I will learn and can live without the shock collar... or more likely I'll just adapt to being shocked regularly. :eek:

[Myk Rian]

Has anyone, ever, experienced any of the hypothesized problems of NOT de-tensioning?
Nope. Not me. Never. Nada.

[Van Huskey]

I'm considering installing a sensor that will detect me exiting the shop and the BS tensioned... I will probably have that sensor trigger a shock collar that I will wear and thus alert me to the situation. I'm hoping that eventually I will learn and can live without the shock collar... or more likely I'll just adapt to being shocked regularly. :eek:


You could start with one of these if you have a 14" cast clone:

http://www.carterproducts.com/product.asp?product_id=313&cat_id=46

It is designed to cut the power to the saw if tension is lost this, use this in conjuntion with a door sensor so if the door is opened AND the tension is not off the band it turns a circuit on, what you have that circuit do is between you and your saw. Plus you get a cool tension meter to boot.

[george wilson]

Read all the posts. I have left mine tensioned since 1964. 14" Delta old model. No problems.

[Charles Davis]

You could start with one of these if you have a 14" cast clone:

http://www.carterproducts.com/product.asp?product_id=313&cat_id=46

It is designed to cut the power to the saw if tension is lost this, use this in conjuntion with a door sensor so if the door is opened AND the tension is not off the band it turns a circuit on, what you have that circuit do is between you and your saw. Plus you get a cool tension meter to boot.


That is a cool little device... at $200 I'll stick with my precision finger deflection technique... but that would certainly be neat to have... I have a Laguna LT14SE and the gauge on that thing is quite worthless