Woodtek 20" bandsaw will not track

[Tim Gunter]

I picked up an old 20" Woodtek (PBS) bandsaw from a company that went out of business. They used a 1/4" blade for their purposes and I purchased a Lenox 1" CT and have yet been able to get the blade to stay on the wheels. Here's what I did so far:
Set the upper wheel for parallel and the bottom wheel to be coplanar.
Changed the tires to urethane (this unit has flat tires, no crown)
Installed new bearings
Here's what happens, I bring the tension up enough to be tight on the wheels and spin by hand. The blade moves out to the outer edge of the wheels and hangs over by 7/16". I then tilt the upper wheel out to move the blade back onto the wheels but turning it about half a turn does not move the blade. If I de-tension at that time and move the blade back onto the center of the wheel and re-tension the blade runs off of the back of the wheels about 1/8" overhang. If I then move the upper wheel in to move the blade back onto the wheel, it moves some then off the front.
I can't make the blade stay on the wheels.

This bandsaw uses metal stamped wheels, perhaps that's the issue?
Thought perhaps the coplanar angles need to be adjusted somehow?
Any help would be appreciated.

[Bradley Gray]

The 1" blade requires several times the tension as a 1/4" blade - no doubt it is thicker also. Could be there is some play in the lower wheel such as a worn bearing. Also, take a close look at the tracking adjustment parts on the upper wheel for worn threads or bent parts. Since you have changed the tires and the wheel alignment, try setting up the 1/4" blade on the new tires and see how it tracks.

[david brum]

I would call Woodtek. They're a small company and seem good about customer service. I bought an older Woodtek shaper last year and called with questions. The tech guy that I talked with knew all about it and helped me get a replacement spindle. It was the same guy each time I called.

Per your problem, I wonder if your saw would be happier with a crowned rubber tire?

[Erik Loza]

Tim is this an ACM (of Italy...) machine, by chance?

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Tim Gunter]

Good ideas, thanks, Here are some more details in response. This saw uses solid 30MM shafts anchored to the frame and bearings to hold the hubs onto the shaft which the wheels bolt onto. I replaced the 4 bearings (2 in each hub) There is some movement on the lower shaft but that should have been taken up when tensioning?

As for Eric, the Woodtek technical guy, he's great and gets back to me via e-mail in a few days after questions. But so far no solution.

This unit was discontinued in 2000, the manual says it is a PBS-500. It has a Taiwan motor.
I just put on a 3/8" blade on the saw and it runs good on the front edge of the wheels! Only wish a 1" could do the same.

[Erik Loza]

Tim, what happens if you just leave that carbide blade to track where it wants to on the upper wheel? With the teeth hanging off?

Will it walk all the way off the wheel or does it stay put?

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Tim Gunter]

It likes to rest hanging off the front about 3/8" changing the tilt does not move it in until it is too much then pit races off the back. Tilting it the other way will eventually move it off the front.

[Dennis Ford]

Flat wheels are very sensitive to tilt, it may that tension on the 1" blade flexes the frame enough to change the tilt.

[Edward Oleen]

check the tires to see if they are dead flat, or if they are crowned. They should have a slight center crown in order to track properly. What you describe is just like the problems we had in wood shop when I was a kid. The bandsaw was WWII surplus from the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and had built at least two battle ships. To say it was thoroughly broken in is an understatement, but with new tires and a couple of new bearings, and a new motor, of course it was good as new.