Resaw King won't fit Powermatic 1500 Bandsaw HELP!

[Clif Moore]

For Christmas, I received a new Laguna Resaw King blade ( 1" width; 153" length ) for my new Powermatic 1500 bandsaw. While I have Timberwolf blades of lesser width that easily mount on the saw, I cannot mount the Resaw King. I can just barely, with much effort, get the blade on with the bandsaw fully de-tensioned. No way am I going to get this thing on with the appropriate tension setting. I measured the blade and it appears to be 153" although it fits just inside the 1/2" Timberwolf blade that was removed from the saw yesterday.

Any ideas?? Anybody run into this issue? I have never used a 1" width blade before. Something I don't know about 1" blades?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks.

[David Kumm]

Sounds a little short. Blades are seldom the exact length as they are welded between the teeth and err on the side of short. If you can get it on fully detensioned, even if difficult, it should be good. Dave

[Wade Lippman]

One of us is confused. You put it on, tension it, and you are good to go. You are not supposed to put it on tensioned.

[Clif Moore]

One of us is confused. You put it on, tension it, and you are good to go. You are not supposed to put it on tensioned.

Sorry if I was not clear. With the Bandsaw in Full Release (completely de-tensioned), I can barely and with much effort get the blade on the wheels. However, it is so tight that I can't tension the blade from that point. I don't want to break the blade.

[David Kumm]

Is there adjustment to the throw of the lever? You won't break the blade but that type of blade is high tension so a lever throw isn't as handy to use as a wheel. Lever should have a range of adjustment. Dave

[Clif Moore]

Is there adjustment to the throw of the lever? You won't break the blade but that type of blade is high tension so a lever throw isn't as handy to use as a wheel. Lever should have a range of adjustment. Dave

The tension lever has 3 positions: Full Release, Partial Tension/Idle Tracking, and Full Tension. With the blade on, using considerable pressure, I can get the lever to partial tension but it won't budge at all toward Full Tension. It's just too tight. I think that your original thought has to be correct. It's just a bit too short. The blade measures to 153" but it's a bit shorter than the Timberwolf blades that fit well. I'll call the vendor tomorrow.

Thanks.

[Phil Thien]

The tension lever has 3 positions: Full Release, Partial Tension/Idle Tracking, and Full Tension. With the blade on, using considerable pressure, I can get the lever to partial tension but it won't budge at all toward Full Tension. It's just too tight. I think that your original thought has to be correct. It's just a bit too short. The blade measures to 153" but it's a bit shorter than the Timberwolf blades that fit well. I'll call the vendor tomorrow.

Thanks.

Some saws have adjustable quick release tension mechanisms where an adjustment will apparently get the wheels a little closer together.

Consult your manual for your saw to see if your quick release mechanism is adjustable.

[Clif Moore]

Some saws have adjustable quick release tension mechanisms where an adjustment will apparently get the wheels a little closer together.

Consult your manual for your saw to see if your quick release mechanism is adjustable.

Good idea, Phil. I checked and this saw does not have that adjustment. My old Delta did IIRC.

[Matt Day]

So you're telling us that your saw has three levels of tension? Off, medium, and full on? That doesn't sound right. How would the saw know if you have a 1/8" blade or a 1" blade? Each take different levels of tension.

[Mike Cutler]

Clif

The tension wheel on the bottom of the upper frame probably needs to be backed off. At least mine does. I can't mount a new blade on my 18" saw without backing that adjustment wheel off. My saw also has a quick release lever.
Backing that tension wheel all the way off should drop the upper wheel down, and hopefully enable you to install the blade.
Page 15 of your manual does not tell you to back this hand wheel off when installing a new blade, but page 16 tells you to reset it post blade installation to the blade size you just installed.
Your tension lever settings are for post installation, following the setting of the hand wheel to the blade size installed.

If you've already done this, disregard my post. You may have a blade that is too short. It doesn't take much.

[Peter Quinn]

That saw has a quick release lever and a tension wheel. The lever drops down to idle or blade change level, my guess is you still need to back off that tension wheel to full release to get the slightly shorter blade to work, or perhaps this blade is the correct length and the old ones were slightly longer? In any case try backing the tension wheel fully off before returning the tension release to the up position, then you should have to add tension to get to the proper level for you blade. Make sense? My current saw has a tension wheel only, and it works so well I don't miss the quick release frankly, but the my former PM14 had a quick release lever. And a tension wheel. If I had the full tension setting set to a longer blade and put on a shorter one it didn't want to go either. So try backing off the wheel, go back to full up on the lever, then retention from there with your wheel.

[Clif Moore]

So you're telling us that your saw has three levels of tension? Off, medium, and full on? That doesn't sound right. How would the saw know if you have a 1/8" blade or a 1" blade? Each take different levels of tension.

I was referring to the Quick Tension Lever positions.

[Mike Heidrick]

I am guessing a good read of the saw's manual is in order.

[Clif Moore]

Clif

The tension wheel on the bottom of the upper frame probably needs to be backed off. At least mine does. I can't mount a new blade on my 18" saw without backing that adjustment wheel off. My saw also has a quick release lever.
Backing that tension wheel all the way off should drop the upper wheel down, and hopefully enable you to install the blade.
Page 15 of your manual does not tell you to back this hand wheel off when installing a new blade, but page 16 tells you to reset it post blade installation to the blade size you just installed.
Your tension lever settings are for post installation, following the setting of the hand wheel to the blade size installed.

If you've already done this, disregard my post. You may have a blade that is too short. It doesn't take much.

THAT DID IT!!!! Thanks so much, Mike. I thought I had the tension hand wheel as loose as it would go but nope. Loosened it quite a bit more and shazam.

Thanks everyone for sticking with me. I am very relieved.

[Clif Moore]

That saw has a quick release lever and a tension wheel. The lever drops down to idle or blade change level, my guess is you still need to back off that tension wheel to full release to get the slightly shorter blade to work, or perhaps this blade is the correct length and the old ones were slightly longer? In any case try backing the tension wheel fully off before returning the tension release to the up position, then you should have to add tension to get to the proper level for you blade. Make sense? My current saw has a tension wheel only, and it works so well I don't miss the quick release frankly, but the my former PM14 had a quick release lever. And a tension wheel. If I had the full tension setting set to a longer blade and put on a shorter one it didn't want to go either. So try backing off the wheel, go back to full up on the lever, then retention from there with your wheel.

You are right, Peter. Had to back off the tension wheel a lot more. Thought I had it out all the way but there was still a lot more play.

Thanks, man. Blade on!

[Clif Moore]

I am guessing a good read of the saw's manual is in order.

Unfortunately, reading and comprehension are two different things. :confused:

[Mike Heidrick]

Unfortunately, reading and comprehension are two different things. :confused:

Hey Clif. Found your manual. Looks like there is even a guide for the width of the blade. 8.10 is the section if that helps you. Looks like full loosen and then dial it back for a 1" blade may be the ticket.

Let me know if you need the link and I will PM it to you.

Mikie

[Peter Quinn]

You are right, Peter. Had to back off the tension wheel a lot more. Thought I had it out all the way but there was still a lot more play.

Thanks, man. Blade on!

Good deal, saw on sir! Work safely! And let us know how you like that resaw king. Do check out that manual, powermatic puts out some pretty decent ones, looks like that saw has some pretty cool tricks, I usually have to read, play, reread, play some more, reread before anything sinks in. My present saw is Italian, the only intelligible thing in the whole manual amounts to "This is a band saw, it cuts things, don't put your hands into the blade under any circumstances...". The rest of the details I had to figure out as I went, guess they figured don't cut off your hands was the most important part? Little things like how to tension the blade, or square up the tables, or set the tracking, or pretty much any detail you can think were left to the imagination.

[Clif Moore]

Hey Clif. Found your manual. Looks like there is even a guide for the width of the blade. 8.10 is the section if that helps you. Looks like full loosen and then dial it back for a 1" blade may be the ticket.

Let me know if you need the link and I will PM it to you.

Mikie

I got it Mike. Thanks!!

[Mike Heidrick]

Awesome saw and blade. Merry Christmas.

[Mike Cutler]

Unfortunately, reading and comprehension are two different things. :confused:

Clif

Don't beat yourself up too much. I've done it on mine, forgotten to back the tension wheel off, and I know better. Your owners manual also kinda helped lead you down the path,;)

[Clif Moore]

Awesome saw and blade. Merry Christmas.

Thanks. I am a very happy camper.

[Jeff Bartley]

Cliff,
Tell us how you like that saw!