Delta X5 wheels out of parallel alignment, please help!

[chris del]

Today I picked up a set of Carter guides for my Delta X5 bandsaw... The saw is a year old and the blade had never sat perfactly on both wheels but up untill now I have overlooked it.
I removed the table to install the Carter guides and when the table was off I took the opportunity to run a strait egde across pulley faces ( something that cannot be done with the table on) The top and bottom wheel have parallel misalignment of 3/16" . Explains why my 3/4" blade runs perfactly centered on the top wheel, but near the edge of the bottom one.
There is nothing in my manual about adjusting the wheels..... cannot find anything on the net....
Please help.

Chris


Found how to shim the upper wheel on FWW. thanks

http://www.canadianwoodworking.com/forum/images/misc/progress.gif

[glenn bradley]

Don't X-5's have a 5 year warranty? I'd be getting Delta to step up.

[chris del]

Dont think Delta is in the setup business.... But you would think @$1500 CDN, you would not have to shim wheels.... I already had to grind the cast iron guard lug (where the guard bolts to when you use the riser) to get it to fit.

Chris

[Jim Becker]

If they are out that 3/16" when the top wheel is at "zero tilt", you'll have to shim. Nature of the beast. I do agree that's a "bit out" for what should be a quality machine; however, there is also a school of thought that the wheels don't really need to be coplaner given that you tilt the top wheel to track it.

[glenn bradley]

I may have to retract my statement. Sorry, knee-jerk reaction.

[chris del]

If they are out that 3/16" when the top wheel is at "zero tilt", you'll have to shim. Nature of the beast. I do agree that's a "bit out" for what should be a quality machine; however, there is also a school of thought that the wheels don't really need to be coplaner given that you tilt the top wheel to track it.

The bandsaw was running fine like I said for a year, however if the wheels are not on the same plane (within a reasonable tolerance) than you will get what I am getting. Blade centered on one wheel, to the side of another.... no big deal unless I am using a wide blade, teeth will overlap the tire and touch the aluminum wheel edge which created a bit of noise.
3/16" was a bad estimate, more like .060 or 1/16"..... I have some .062 washers at work that I will try tomorrow. I think anything within .010" should be more than fine.

Chris

[John Gornall]

Mine, about 4 years old, was out about the same. Got a shim set from Tufftooth - Canadian bandsaw source - took about 10 min to get the wheels coplanar. Runs great now.

Goto - http://www.tufftooth.com/

These new, Chinese made, bandsaws are a bargin but need a bit of work to tweak them at first. I had a few issues with mine but nothing that couldn't be sorted out with a file, tap and drill, and a small hammer. Kinda like tuning an old Stanley Plane.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Best my old mind remembers is to tilt table to 45 degrees and check for co-planer wheels. Also you can take a 4' level and hot glue some scraps that are the same size on both ends. This will give you clearance from table.