A Question thats been on my mind ???

[Harry Robinette]

Say 10 to 15 years ago or somewhere about there band-saw blades were mostly made from band steel with punched teeth or some maybe ground. Band-saws themselves had there tension gages made to adjust these blades.
In this day and age of Silicon blades,harden teeth w/soft back,Hard back w/soft teeth,carbide blades ect. Just what are we adjusting to. When I bought my 18" Rikon I bought a Timber Wolfe silicon steel low tension blade,read there packaging and tensioned the blade as per the packaging. The blade worked beautifully so I used them for about a year or so. I bought an Olson All-Pro blade and installed it by the gauge on the saw it worked but just didn't seam right,I decided to do the Timber Wolfe "Flutter" installation on it.The Olson blade works wonderful by Fluttering it instead of using the saw gauge. I don't know if it is just my saw and would like to hear from some of you fellow Creekers about my thoughts.
Idle time can cause my mind to wonder:eek:

[Scot Roberge]

Harry:

I also question the accuracy of tension gauges and have had excellent success using Timber Wolf's flutter tensioning technique on all of my blades. Once the tension is set, I unscrew the tensioning knob 7 turns after using the saw and then retension with 7 turns when I use it again. When I change blades, I redo the flutter tension adjustment.

[Reed Gray]

The guy I buy my blades from told me that most tension guides are junk, and are always on the light tension side. He advised me to put mine up to the highest tension possible. I went to about 3/4 of that, and it has performed fine. I do know there is a fancy tension gauge that you can buy that engineers and machine shop guys would love, and it is very expensive. I never bothered.

Care to explain the flutter techinque? Please? I probably have heard it before, but have CRS syndrome.... can't remember 'stuff'.

robo hippy

[John Keeton]

Reed, per Timberwolf -

"FOR TURN SCREW AND SPRING TENSIONING MACHINES
1. Remove guides–you CANNOT run this test if the band saw blade is restricted in any lateral movement.
2. Make sure tire surfaces are in good condition–they cannot be hard, flattened out, cracked or brittle. On mills with loose fitting V-belts, replace them with the next size down so they are tight fitting. This will eliminate over 80% of the vibration in your mill and the blade.
3. Mount the blade on the machine and apply the tension to the band that the manufacturer recommends for other steels.
4. Close all covers for safety purposes.
5. Start the machine, engage the clutch into the high speed cutting mode. NOTE: You will not be cutting any wood.
6. Stand at the head of the machine, with your hand on the turn screw tensioner and your eyes on the band saw blade. Very slowly start detensioning by half turns at a time, keeping your eyes on the band saw blade. The object is to bring the tension of the blade down to a point that the blade starts to flutter. TAKE YOUR TIME.
7. When you see the band start to flutter, you have hit ground “ZERO”. Now start ADDING quarter turns of tension, SLOWLY, until the band stops fluttering and is running stable again. At this point ADD one-eight to one-quarter turn of tension.
8. You have now tensioned our blade correctly. Shut off the machine and put your guides back in place. You are now ready to start sawing.
9. ALWAYS DETENSION YOUR BAND SAW BLADES. Since you do not know exactly where the proper tension is, it will be easier to remember if you take off 8, 9, or 10 full turns of tension until the band is completely relaxed. The next time you use our bands, add the same amount of turns of tension that were taken off. At this point, you will only have to run the flutter test one time."

[Bill Hensley]

I talked to the Rikon rep at a woodworking show and asked him about tensioning by the flutter method. He said the tension gauge is just a general guide and recommended another, easier method of setting tension.

Raise the upper guides as high as they will go
At the middle of the blade span press the side of the blade with your index finger with enough pressure to turn the tip of your finger white and the blade deflects ~ 1/8".

I also ask about using the de-tensioning lever and he said if the saw isn't going to be used for a week or two then let the tension off.

This works for me.

[Jamie Donaldson]

I have owned and used "several" bandsaws over the years, and tension springs in general are worthless guides after some time. I prefer to check the deflection as Bill described above, and know that the proper working tension is "bout right" for most uses. I seldom de-tension the blade unless I am going to be absent from the shop for some extended time, and then only if I remember to do so. I have a red fridge door magnet about 2" square I then place on the blade to remind me why the blade "acts funny" when I next use the saw, having forgotten to re-tension the blade.. ;)

[Reed Gray]

The 'flutter' method sounds like it is intended for the low tension blades. I do know some are meant to operate with less tension, where others are made to operate with more tension. Hmm, might have to contact my blade guy and ask him. I seem to remember the deflection method mentioned.

robo hippy

[Harry Robinette]

Like I said the flutter system works good for me so far. I thank all who responded I guess it's one of those if what your doing works don't break it. I do like the deflection method also might give it a try.
Boy,the things my mind can get me into when I start thinking.

[Don McLeod]

I have used both methods and both work fine, I went to the deflection method after watching a YouTube video by Cater's band saw man Alex Snodgrass. His method of setting up the band saw, putting on and adjusting the band saw blade is worth having a look at.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU