Bandsaw blade tension gauge

[David Ragan]

Does anybody use a bandsaw tension gauge?

I have one, and have gone to 30-35K per mfg, but seems like it is not necessary. My main concern is getting really nice veneer cuts-which I have done satisfactorily.

I use a MM-16 with a 1 1/4" Resaw King blade. All this, and adjusting for blade drift has given me some fine results.

Should I just put the gauge on Craigs List?

[David Kumm]

They tend to sell pretty well on the used market. I like them as I have several saws with no indicator and knowing the tension sweet spot for each makes life easier and I believe helps the blades last longer. If you use mainly one saw and one blade, they become redundant after a while but even a saw with an indicator can mislead you. Sometimes friction in the ways or stretching of the cable can change the number. I'd keep but I'm an accountant and like to see the numbers. Dave

[Rod Sheridan]

I find them useful occasionally.

When you buy a new saw, or you're curious about the actual blade strain.

After that they tend to sit on the shelf.

I would keep it...........Rod.

[ian maybury]

Must say that as Rod/David it's the sort of tool i'd be inclined to hang on to too - but pm me with the details if you're certain you want to get rid of it. :) I know i'm never confident of the indicator on my saw - too much friction. (it's a big Italian)

This on the basis that when you're working to a limit with the potential to cause problems if missed in either direction. I spent a lot of time in a pretty methodical manner playing with tracking issues which promptly disappeared once i got a heavy enough saw to properly tension a 3/4 in bimetal. I'm a fan of high saw frame stiffness, and of the resulting ability to run decent blade tension levels without the frame twisting - bearing in mind that even if you run a relatively low static tension setting that a deep cut/many teeth engaged, a tough wood, a decent feed rate and coarse teeth may anyway result in high levels of tension below the table which will add to whatever static tension and other stressors the blade is experiencing.

The recent thread (and others) suggest that straying into stressing the blade too highly risks moving into 'boing' territory, and without good information I always have this uneasy feeling...

[David Ragan]

Must say that as Rod/David it's the sort of tool i'd be inclined to hang on to too - but pm me with the details if you're certain you want to get rid of it. :) I know i'm never confident of the indicator on my saw - too much friction. (it's a big Italian)

This on the basis that when you're working to a limit with the potential to cause problems if missed in either direction. I spent a lot of time in a pretty methodical manner playing with tracking issues which promptly disappeared once i got a heavy enough saw to properly tension a 3/4 in bimetal. I'm a fan of high saw frame stiffness, and of the resulting ability to run decent blade tension levels without the frame twisting - bearing in mind that even if you run a relatively low static tension setting that a deep cut/many teeth engaged, a tough wood, a decent feed rate and coarse teeth may anyway result in high levels of tension below the table which will add to whatever static tension and other stressors the blade is experiencing.

The recent thread (and others) suggest that straying into stressing the blade too highly risks moving into 'boing' territory, and without good information I always have this uneasy feeling...\\

Ian-I dont get the last part. you mean boing is broke?

In regards to speed of feed...is slower and slower always better, as long as the wood doesnt burn?

[ian maybury]

Yes, 'boing' as in broken David. Sorry - DIY phrase...

I'm no very experienced bandsaw user David, and have been speaking mostly/drawing from an engineering background on the fatigue issue - it's only in the last couple of years that I moved up to a heavy duty Italian (Agazzani NRA 600/24in) saw and a carbide blade. So others may have alternative views. My tendency is as a result probably to be more cautious about set ups and stuff than many might be.

That said my feeling is that presuming a good choice of blade (especially tooth pitch, gullet and sharpness - see the other thread) then for most sorts of saw there tends to be a 'sweet' feed speed. I always seemed to find i had a strong tendency to over feed when a blade wasn't cutting as cleanly as it should (because it was getting dull, or because it was a poor choice) - to over compensate.

A saw of whatever sort with a hook tooth e.g. a carbide bandsaw blade is probably self feeding to some degree anyway. Too slow/wrong blade may tend to burning as you say, but it probably requires a fairly extreme scenario. (other views?) I guess for me the confirmation that everything is right is when there's no labouring.

This seems to apply to most machines actually, including planers and jointers. The trick i seem to find is to stay relaxed enough that we sense all is not 100%/the feedback loop stays open, or that something has changed. Some mixture of feel, hearing, smell etc It's very easy to get suckered into becoming uptight and nervous, and in that sort of mind state it's easy to miss vibration, harsh sounds, or overdo how hard we feed...

[jerry cousins]

i also have a mm16, but use a 1" resaw king. my tension gauge sits in the drawer until i put a new blade on - once i have the drift and tension set i de-tension it 2 full turns - so i know next time 2 turns brings it back up. when i set up a new blade i set the gauge between 29k & 30k.
jerry

[Erik Loza]

...once i have the drift and tension set i de-tension it 2 full turns - so i know next time 2 turns brings it back up...

This is exactly how I advise MM bandsaw owners to do it.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Chris Padilla]

My gauge is attached to my body and I'm rather partial to it. :D

[David Ragan]

Two turns sounds great. How simple is that.

Ian-great point about relaxing and being open to the sensation of everything going on when using machinery. Kind of a Zen thing, right? That is why we do all this, to relax, and enjoy. Definately a meditative state. My friend calls it 'mindfulness'