strange bandsaw tracking issue

[Kevin Perez]

I just got a new Timberwolf blade for by bandsaw and it is doing something strange. When properly tensioned, and tracking roughly in the center of the tires, it moves front to back about 1/16" to 1/8" of an inch. Maybe it's a new, improved oscillating bandsaw. Uhh, nope. Just a regular Grizzly G0555. Is this a blade problem? Not to sound dumb, but how can I check?

[Pete Bradley]

In practice, 1/16 isn't likely to do much unless you're running a very narrow band. Is this the first time you've run this saw? In other words, do you know if the behavior is specific to this band?

First suspect is that your tires are worn, poorly crowned, or gummed up.

If it's just this band, I'd suspect a weld that isn't perfectly straight. You can check it with a straightedge against the back of the band across the weld.

Pete

[Kevin Perez]

I've run this saw plenty before, but never with this particular band. I'll will check the weld. Thanks.

[Tom Hamilton]

Hi Kevin:

Funny you should ask, as I had a similar issue this afternoon with my 513X. After getting into the manual I discovered the tracking adjustment on the back of the saw. Loosen the locking lever, turn the hand wheel and you can steer the blade from one edge of the upper wheel to the other.

Perhaps your's has loosened, as mine had.

Hope this helps.

Tom, in Houston, tracking on the crown again.

[Kevin Perez]

Mine seems to be tracking on the crown, but I'll check that, too.

[Al Weber]

I had a similar problem recently on my Rikon 18" when I bought a Timberwolf. I called Rikon and was told by the service representative that this is likely too little tension. I had set the tension using the "flutter" method so I was surprised by the answer. The Rikon rep says that Suffolk cuts their blades slightly long and that this is what leads to the beam direction oscillation. I tried increasing the tension and while I can reduce it to a usable level, I still see some of the same behavior. My Rikon is almost new so it isn't related to the tire wear.

I'd try increasing the tension to see if it helps.

[Kevin Perez]

I used the flutter method, too. I tried increasing tension, but that didn't seem to make a difference. Tracking is on crown. Wheels are co-planar. I guess the blade may be welded a little off. It seems to cut fine. I will try a different blade and see if this is limited to the 1/2" blade. My other two blades are timberwolf, too.

[Tony Ward]

Hi

I will deliberately over tighten my blades to get the correct tension. On one machine I have the blades made 5mm (1/2") shorter, to enable correct tensioning.

I have a 1/4" 10tpi blade bandsawing a 14" log, no blade wandering. The tension gauge (for what it is worth) indicates the correct tension for a 1" wide blade!

Tighten up, what have you got to loose?

[Pete Bradley]

Sometimes changing width can change tracking behavior. If you can track other bands of the same width, definitely check the weld. I got one with a bad weld from Suffolk and they sent me a ppd shipping label and replaced it immediately.

For typical machines with a screw-spring-carrier tensioning mechanism, as long as the spring doesn't bottom out, band length doesn't affect tension.

Pete

[Hans Braul]

Tighten up, what have you got to loose?

According to an article in FWW, something like "5 ways to Improve Your Bandsaw Performance", one of the things he recommended was not to overtension your blade, as you would wear grooves in your tires that way, thereby making it track wrong. As long as all the adjustments are done correctly and the blade is welded straight there should be no need for excessive tension. I'm a bandsaw newbie but I followed his instructions to the letter and my saw now works perfectly.

Regards,
Hans