Bandsaw Blade Adjustment

[David Davies]

I finally got around to installing my Woodmaster blade onto my Minimax S600 and was fiddling around with adjusting the Carter Micro-Precision guides on my saw. I was following the Snodgrass youtube video steps.
1. Tension off blade
2. Blade gullet approx center of top wheel
3. Tension blade - I went to 25,000
4. Adjust tilt of top wheel to keep blade tracking in same spot
5. I had top guide half way up from the table and got both the top and bottom guides adjusted so everything was about a couple thousands apart.

So I'm fat dumb and happy and go to move the top guide all the way to the top and then to the bottom and I notice there is a significant gap between the blade and the bearing with the guide bottomed out on the table (greater than 1/4"). It seems as if the blade is angled from the top to the bottom wheel. I've let the saw run for a minute after tensioning it before adjusting the guides to make sure the blade wasn't going to move on the wheels.

Any thoughts about what I need to adjust?
Thanks,
Dave

[John K Jordan]

...It seems as if the blade is angled from the top to the bottom wheel....

Just to be clear, is the the blade angled from front to back or from side to side? (you said the gap was between the blade and the bearing but I don't know what your guides look like - the guides on my bandsaw have a bearing behind the blade and two bearings on either side of the blade, 10 bearings total.)

If angled from front to back, is it riding in the center of the bottom wheel as well as the top?

I know many people say making the wheels coplaner is not necessary but it can be a problem if they are not and the blade rides in different places top and bottom.

Another thing that can happen on some saws is an adjustment in the adjustable bearing support. If your blade is square with the table but the support is out of whack the guides can move closer or further away from the blade at different heights. Be easy enough to check with a framing square.

BTW, I'm no bandsaw expert but I've tuned my own bandsaws successfully.

JKJ

[John Lanciani]

You need to adjust the guidepost to be parallel to the blade. There are four screws on the side of the upper wheel enclosure that are used for this adjustment.

[lowell holmes]

Since it's 5:40 PM, I assume the problem is fixed. :)

[David Davies]

John was correct. Actually a fair amount of adjustment possibilities. Four set screws to adjust the lean of the guidepost and two big bolts to adjust the fore/aft positioning. Thanks again, John.

Dave

[David Pascoe]

The tires on the wheels are crowned, meaning curved. If the blade is not running in the exact centers, that means it is either running toe-in or toe-out, with the net result that it will not cut straight. However you do it, it is critical to get the blades running in exact centers of tires.

[John Lanciani]

The tires on the wheels are crowned, meaning curved. If the blade is not running in the exact centers, that means it is either running toe-in or toe-out, with the net result that it will not cut straight. However you do it, it is critical to get the blades running in exact centers of tires.

The tires on my MM20, and David's S600 are flat. Blades that are 1/2" and wider get run with the teeth off of the front of the tire, never centered.

[Tom Trees]

John Lanciani wrote ....
You need to adjust the guidepost to be parallel to the blade. There are four screws on the side of the upper wheel enclosure that are used for this adjustment.

I have a Griggio/ACM SNA600 (1997 If I remember correctly) and the guidepost is fixed.
The lower tire on it is a bit shook, and I have done all kinds of adjustments to it in the past.
Just got a new Centauro tire recently, but I'm waiting on some more advice on the tire, as there is some flaws on it ...

Thread ....Centauro 600 replacment tire with flaws.. does it look OK to you? ......Anyway, sorry bout the interruption, back to my question....

Do you consider the coplanar wheels to be the reference point for all.
Just interested for a few reasons
Leveling machine, and such...I would like to know how much your machines rock.
Its kind of a difficult question to answer ...
I have my shooting board on the table often, and cutting end grain it does wobble .
Might lower my base and see if it improves a bit .
Thanks for reading
Thanks
Tom

[David Davies]

John Lanciani...so you're saying I should reposition my blade to get the teeth off of the tire?
Dave

[Tom Trees]

The large Italian machines are all set-up like this.
I can't wait to put an inch blade on my machine
Tom

[John Lanciani]

Yes, for blades 1/2" and wider the bottom of the gullet should be at the edge of the tire. This does two things, it keeps the teeth from losing their set and it makes the tires last longer.

[David Davies]

THX. Love this forum.
Dave