My very own bandsaw question.

[Jim O'Dell]

Well, I ran out of wood to use this weekend on the multistation benches. Bob brought me the levellers, so I got them on. What to do next? So I tuned up the TS and used my dial guage and magnetic base for the first time, (The one I used the winning gift certificate for from one of the drawings here) Arbor less than 1/1000th variation. Not bad for Ridgid! Blade is about 3 to 4 thou out. Oh well.
Oh yeah, band saw. So I finish the TS and say what's next? Then I hear the MM E16 yelling "ME!!! ME!!! IT'S MY TURN, DONT YA THINK???" So I do my best to remember what Sam told me on the phone, what, a year ago?? Turn each top and bottom screw 3 turns....Just kidding Sam! actually ended up going 1/4 turn, lock things back down and install the 1/4" blade. Tracks great!! Adjust the top wheel with a few problems getting the hang of things, then go to the guide bearings. No problem on the side bearings top and bottom, bottom thrust bearing easy to adjust. Top thrust bearing...HUH??? hits the guide bar and is still about 3/8" or so from the back of the blade. 66872 Is this the same problem people have discussed here on the MM16? I'm guessing I need to mark this, take it apart and cut out the area so that the bearing will move forward? Just want to make sure before I go whacking into this bandsaw. I know it's 2 years old, but it's never been used, not even by a little old lady on Sundays!!
Any help you can give will be muchly appreciated. Jim.

[Pete Bradley]

Something looks wrong. See if this picture from the MM site helps.

Pete

http://www.minimax-usa.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/0aada8f0c633bf024bead4e3fd7578d6.jpg

[Jim O'Dell]

Pete, I wonder if that isn't the modification that was being done to the MM16? Anyway, I got mine working. I couldn't stand it any longer:eek: . I mean 2 years just sitting there was enough! :D
I cut the metal and everything works great. 66876 So I attached the duct to the cyclone, and made a couple cuts. 66875 I think they went fine. That resaw of the pine is just a scosh over 1/16", and I don't think I have the blade tensioned properly. So I'm happy.
Thanks for the note! Jim.

[Jim Becker]

Interesting...I'll have to look at my MM16 (older version) and see if I could, in fact, bring the thrust bearing up that far. I've never put a narrow blade on it to-date, despite having a few hanging on the wall waiting for their chance to cut....

[Jim O'Dell]

Sam Blasco answered my thread over on another forum, and he used a piece of phenolic with a kerf that the back of the blade rides in. It is pinched on the sides by those bearings, and from the back by the thrust bearing. Looks to be very ingenious, and easy. I could still do this for smaller than 1/4" blades. Really simple solution. His guide set up is like the one in Pete's picture above. Jim.

[Roy Wall]

Jim,

That cut-out you did is the standard Fix...... looks good! You could always track the blade towards the back of the wheel... I believe MM says 1/2" blades or wider go to the front edge.........whereas thinner blades.....1/4" ish are tracked in the center -- probably to address this thrust bearing issue.

[Jim O'Dell]

Thanks Roy. This works fine. Jim.

[Phil Thien]

I know it's 2 years old, but it's never been used, not even by a little old lady on Sundays!!
Any help you can give will be muchly appreciated. Jim.

Why did it sit unused for two years?

[Jim O'Dell]

Phil, I bought it when it was introduced to the US at a VERY attrractive price. At that time, I didn't even have power to the building I was rehabbing for my shop. See http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=14427&highlight=COOLMEADOW+CREATIONS for a 2 1/2 year running saga of this rehab. I've only had power since the end of '06. Repairing a roof that started leaking, and interior wall sheathing were more important at the time. But the savings on the band saw made it worth getting it at that time. Jim.