Band saw frustration

[Mark Stutz]

The afternoon in the shop started out great! Resawed some wide maple for a project for LOML. Made the new resaw fence last night. Started to dcange the blade to do a radius cut, and I could not detension it enough to get the 1/2 inch band off! The captured nut seemed to somehow have stripped or crossthreaded :confused: I have 14 in. Jet with riser block and use Timberwolf blades, so there was actually little tension on it to begin with. Had to take off the upper wheel and partially disassemble the mechanism, and was able to cut the threaded rod. I was using a replacement crank type unit so at least it is still functional.
Now......anyone have any idea how this happened so I don't repeat it? When reassembling, should I do anything other that make sure there is no dust on the spindle? White lithium grease.? :confused:

[Don Henthorn Smithville, TX]

My only guess would be a loose fitting threaded nut that got bound up on the threaded rod.. I'd eyeball it pretty close to see if there is galling or malformation and if there is I would buy a length of threaded rod and a nut that fit well together and make my own crank. That is what I did and it works great.

[Scott Post]

My Delta did the same thing, although the threads weren't completely stripped they were worn out enough that cranking it was really difficult. I just replaced it this weekend with the one from Iturra. I had originally planned to just make my own with 3/8-16 threaded rod but figured it would eventually strip just like the original. The Iturra uses an ACME thread with a taller bearing bronze nut. The difference is amazing - it cranks up and down effortlessly. Since it's an ACME thread it's also a coarser pitch so it takes much less turns to tension and untension the blade which will make me more apt to actually remove the tension when I'm done, something I didn't do with the original rod.

[John Miliunas]

Mark, I can't help but wonder if it's not the same thing that happened to me on my old Jet. I got one of these crank kits and, for whatever reason, I elected to put the new rod w/crank handle in and leave the original nut on the machine. Seemed to work just fine. Wrong answer! Turns out, the thread, although appearing to be identical, is just a hair different. I'm not sure if it's the pitch or coarseness or what, but different, nonetheless. After a couple months of use, I noticed it getting harder and harder to crank. I cleaned it, lubed it and generally kept an eye on it. Not close enough, though, to have noticed that the stock nut was wearing down the rod. Sure enough, one fateful day, while trying to tension up a blade, I'd get it up just so far, then hear a loud "click" and rod would jump up several threads. It was hosed! I was fortunate enough to get a replacement from the OEM, but THIS time, I installed it with their nut and it was REAL smooth sailing from that point on. :cool: