Bandsaw Tension Guage

[Joe Jensen]

I've been an avid WW for over 35 years and I've owned good bandsaws for over 25 years. My current bandsaw is a Felder FB540 made by ACM of Italy. I've never put a ton of attention on the blade tension and I could never seem to get the flutter test to flutter the blade unless it was really loose. I recently got a great deal on a new old stock Starrett band saw tension gauge on ebay. I'm really surprised at how much more tension is required to properly tension a blade. Using the gauge is super simple and getting it out of the drawer takes longer than setting the tension.

[David Kumm]

I found the same thing Joe. I have several saws and different blades and each has a little different sweet spot. There is a trick- like anything else to getting consistent readings but I've lined up to three guages on a saw at the same time and gotten readings within 1000 psi. Absolute number isn't as important as repeatibility. Dave

[Dan Hintz]

Same here... I wasn't sure if I really needed it, but it makes setting up a blade easy right out of the box. I know what the tension should be for a specific blade, then I don't have to worry is the next cut going to be the best I can get.

[Gus Dundon]

Thinking of buying tension gauge.

[John TenEyck]

If you have a set of vernier calipers and a couple of small C-clamps you already have a tension gage. Set the verniers at some gap (gage length, or GL), say 4" and clamp the jaws to the blade with the two little clamps.

294040

Do this with all tension released from the blade. Crank up the tension and note the spring indicator position vs. the reading on the vernier calipers as you increase tension. Stop when you reach the something less than max. compression on the spring indicator. Now it's just a matter of calculating the tension knowing the Young's Modulus (E) of steel is about 30 x 10^6 psi.

E = Stress/Strain, or

Stress in psi = E x Strain, where Strain = (Vernier value - GL/GL), or

Blade Tension (psi) = 30 x 10^6 x (Vernier value - GL)/GL)

Plot the results as Blade Tension vs. Spring Deflection and it should be a straight line, like:

294041

Put a copy next to your BS and you have your tension gage for that type blade.

John

[Chris Padilla]

294043

I use this for my tension gauge. ;)

Seriously, I just crank it up until I can't easily deflect the blade more than a 1/4" and I call it good.

It has always worked on my MM20 bandsaw. I like to use Lenox blades (Trimaster, bimetal, etc.)

[Bruce Page]

294043

I use this for my tension gauge. ;)

Seriously, I just crank it up until I can't easily deflect the blade more than a 1/4" and I call it good.

It has always worked on my MM20 bandsaw. I like to use Lenox blades (Trimaster, bimetal, etc.)

I use this but I really only use it when I resaw. I use the machine's tension gauge for everything else.