Timberwolf blade flutter?

[Cliff Newton]

I'm trying to figure out just how much flutter is acceptable with these bandsaw blades. I can tighten it up to a point where there is no flutter at all, but it seems to be awful tight. Since these are supposed to be low tension blades, I think I may be tightening too much. Can anyone explain just exactly how to tension these blades perfectly? Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Steven Wilson]

Tighten up until the flutter goes away. I seriously doubt your are overtightening them. Unless you have a bandsaw tension gage you don't really know how much strain you're applying to the blade. Check out http://www.suffolkmachinery.com/six_rules.asp for how to tension your Timberwolf blade properly

[Mark Singer]

Cliff,
I have gotten a few Timberwolfs with bad welds. The weld will cause flutter. I tension them by sound. A rule of thumb is to set a 1/2" blade at about the 3/8" tenion point....so about a third reduction. Just be carefull if you "back out" of a cut to use much force or the blade will come off the tires. On the larger blades try to get the teeth to ride forward of the tire a bit.The edge of the tire at about the mid gullet point...it saves the tires and may redoce flutter since the flat part of the blade is better supported

[Hal Flynt]

I had the opportunity to talk with one of the nice folks at PS Wood?? (I don't remember their full name just now) about the Timberwolf tightening at the Atlanta WW Show last month.

I commented that I noticed that if I started off real loose, I could start with flutter and it would go away as I tightened, then come back as I tightened a little more and go away again with more tension. He was quick to tell me to stop at the first "flutter stop". The second flutter was a second harmonic and too tight. It really doesn’t need much tension. I have made very successful cuts from too loose to moderately tight, then saw more wander with more tension.

FWIW