Rikon 10-305 10" Bandsaw tracking question

[Raymond Seward]

I bought one used today....there were no tires on it and it looked practically new. Because of the no tire issue I could not check the tracking...Guy was firm at $70 and I bit....So I put Carter urethane tires on it and can't get the blade to track on the center...any tracking adjustment causes the blade to go off the edge in back or in front of the wheels....I ONCE got it tracking on the front edge for a while without falling off...it was a start I was thinking....a minute turn of the tracking knob and off the back it popped.
Now I am not new to bandsaws and tracking.. I've restored several BS's over the years and know what to look for....not on this one. Anyway I am looking for help from owners of this saw hoping they can give me a clue as to what to do or look for....thanks

[Frank Pratt]

I'm pretty new to bandsaws myself. I have a Rikon 10-325 that was horrendously horrible to get dialed. The top & bottom wheels were so far out of whack that I couldn't get the blade to track. There are those who say the wheels don't need to be coplanar & that may be so, but they at least need to be in the same room. I finally got it sorted & the it works well now, but I will always hate that saw a little.

[Chris Hachet]

I'm pretty new to bandsaws myself. I have a Rikon 10-325 that was horrendously horrible to get dialed. The top & bottom wheels were so far out of whack that I couldn't get the blade to track. There are those who say the wheels don't need to be coplanar & that may be so, but they at least need to be in the same room. I finally got it sorted & the it works well now, but I will always hate that saw a little.Sounds exactly like the 14 inch Jet in my workshop.

[Raymond Seward]

I'm pretty new to bandsaws myself. I have a Rikon 10-325 that was horrendously horrible to get dialed. The top & bottom wheels were so far out of whack that I couldn't get the blade to track. There are those who say the wheels don't need to be coplanar & that may be so, but they at least need to be in the same room. I finally got it sorted & the it works well now, but I will always hate that saw a little.

Frank....so did you do anything like modifications or add anything or just keep messing with it?
thank you
Ray

[Frank Pratt]

I had to adjust the pivot for the lower wheel, but also put in a spacer washer to bring the wheel out further. Then when I ran the saw I didn't notice that the pulleys were so far out of line that it destroyed the belt in short order. So then I had to adjust the position of the motor, which mounts with 4 little screws into the end of the motor. Well, the screws were so short that, with a couple of washer in there as shims, the threads in the motor stripped. I drilled & tapped the holes deeper & now that's all good.

Probably spent a good 8 or 10 hours mucking around getting it right. I whined to Rikon about it & they said they'd send me a new belt, but they never did. So screw it, I'll not buy Rikon again.

Maybe you can understand why every time I look at it I just don't feel like smiling.


Frank....so did you do anything like modifications or add anything or just keep messing with it?
thank you
Ray

[Raymond Seward]

Thank you Frank....I'll try your way....Ray

[Ellery Becnel]

I have that BS. I have not had any issues with tracking problems. It has been a little workhorse for me.
I followed the Alex Snodgrass process. It has worked well for me.

Ellery Becnel

[Van Huskey]

With bandsaws having wheels as narrow as the 10-305 the wheels will need to be fairly close to co-planer. I am one that subscribes to wheels don't need to be coplaner (in fact they are often designed that way) but if they are too far out you will never keep the blades on the wheels. Having never torn into a 10-305 I don't know what options you have but my guess would be shimming would be the best option and possibly the only option.

[lowell holmes]

I had forgotten about it, but I did have to shim the top wheel out to make the blade track on my 14" Jet. Since I did that and put new tires on it, there has been no issues.

[Raymond Seward]

I shimmed the top wheel IN....and that did the trick. Thanks for your help & ideas!