flat band saw wheels/tires?

[Matthew Hills]

I've read that it is important to crown bandsaw tires to control the blade tracking.

If this is true, why do some manufacturer's design their saws with flat wheels/tires? (E.g., Minimax and Inca) Do these saws still have a very small amount of crown, or are they making an error, or operating on a different principle?

Thanks,
Matt

[Geoff Crimmins]

I've heard that they are designed to run wider blades with the teeth hanging off the front of the tires, rather than centered on the tire. I've also heard that tracking problems can often be solved by crowning the tires.

[Jim Becker]

It's merely a design difference. With larger saws and wider bands with just the teeth just off the edge as is normal for these machines, you have almost all of the band in full tension contact with the wheel and that's potentially got power advantages in my mind. Since the teeth are not in contact with the wheel, the tire doesn't impact the set of the teeth. With a crowed tire, you only have a small portion of the band in contact with the tire/wheel. Now with narrow blades, a crowed wheel makes for easier tracking and the crown also helps reduce impact on the set of the teeth

[lowell holmes]

IIRC, it's been a while since I replaced bandsaw tires. I bought neoprene tires for my 14" Jet bandsaw.
For what it's worth, the wheels are crowned.
I saw a type on line and followed it successfully.
I nuked the tires in the microwave to heat the tires so they could be stretched while installing. That had to be 20 years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU

[Mel Fulks]

Jim ,that's a seldom seen and well stated difference. Years ago a band saw I used in employment ,a real big one, ran flawlessly with the teeth way off the wheel. Every new hire wanted to "adjust" it.

[Bradley Gray]

I think it depends on the saw. I have an old 32" Crescent. I replaced the flat tires almost 40 years ago and did not crown them. I generally run a 3/8" blade, centered on the flat tire. Never been a problem tracking.

[Lorenzo Geib]

Just saw this thread. I have a 1930’s 14” bandsaw that came with flat tires and ran it for 30 years with the original tires. A few years ago I replaced the tires with urethane and made no attempt to crown them.

The saw has has always performed flawlessly with no drift. I have noticed that when the saw is properly adjusted, the wheels are not coplanar by just a bit. When the wheels are coplanar, the saw doesn’t track.

i also noticed the 36” saw I used in a shop also had flat tires, so I stopped worrying about it. The blade in both cases centers on the tire.

[Bill Space]

I've read that it is important to crown bandsaw tires to control the blade tracking.

If this is true, why do some manufacturer's design their saws with flat wheels/tires? (E.g., Minimax and Inca) Do these saws still have a very small amount of crown, or are they making an error, or operating on a different principle?

Thanks,
Matt

The explanation I have read is that the edge of the flat wheel has the same effect on an overhanging blade as the crown does on a blade that is riding on the top of the crown.

In other words, the crown tends to hold the blade on the crown, and the blade overhang tends to hold the blade over the wheel edge.

Just information gained after asking myself myself the same question in the past.

So flat VS crowned tires is a design choice.

Bill

[Paul Tubergen]

FWIW the 18 minimax has crowned wheels and sets up differently from the MM series saws.

[glenn bradley]

The same things don't apply to different machines!?! Incredible . The crowned or flat tire is not the whole difference in the machines. I recommend using the type that the machine was designed for, aligning the machine properly and cutting some wood. . . . of we could talk about it some more . Sorry, the OP may not have searched the forum and realize how much this topic is discussed. It is one of our premier recurring topics.

[Rod Sheridan]

Non crowned woodworking band saws work just like metal cutting band saws, teeth hanging off the front edge of the wheel.

Metal cutting saws also have no tires, the blade band runs directly on the steel wheel.

I use a non crowned band saw and a crowned saw, both work as well as each other, they're just set up differently........Rod.

[Randall J Cox]

FWIW the 18 minimax has crowned wheels and sets up differently from the MM series saws.

I have an 18" minimax S45 and the factory tires on the wheels are not crowned, teeth hang over edge of wheel on 1/2" blade. Tracks fine. Randy