Need Bandsaw Help...

[Derek Arita]

I'm not a bandsaw guy, as you'll soon see. I have a MM16. I'm running a 3/16" blade in it. I think I've got everything adjusted right, however of course, I could be wrong. As I make my cuts, I can see the blade flipping from side to side, wandering during the cut. Not all the time, but it does wander. Whether I slow my feed rate down or speed it up, it's the same thing. What things should I be looking at and readjusting? Everything is stock on the BS.

[Doug Garson]

Sounds like not enough tension or a bum blade, probably tension. Lot's of Youtube videos show how to set tension correctly.

[Matt Mattingley]

Tension is always one problem to look at. Your guides are another. Your tire surface might be damaged, worn out teeth on one side could also do weird things.

[George Makra]

This could help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU&t=541s

[Ben Bunting]

Small blade, if you are cross-cutting you may want a 1/4 inch blade and adjust blade blocks or bearings, whichever you have.

[Jim Becker]

3/16" is indeed pretty narrow to work on a flat-wheel saw like the MM16. You CAN do that...don't misunderstand me...but at that narrow width, it's nearly impossible to track the "normal" way with the teeth off the edge of the wheel like you would with wider bands. When I do put a narrow blade on mine, I have to completely re-track it and then be very careful with tension so I don't "un-set" the blade too quickly and cause a lot of wandering. Don't use a narrow blade unless the specific cut you are doing requires it. I keep a 3/8" or 1/2" blade on my MM16 for general cutting and very rarely need something narrower. These blades track correctly with the teeth just off the edge of the wheel.

[Derek Cohen]

I agree completely with Jim. 3/16" is indeed a very narrow blade. I rarely use smaller than 3/8" bimetal blade on a 17 1/2" bandsaw for general use. Re-sawing is with a 1" carbide blade. Each is set up with careful attention to tension.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[John K Jordan]

3/16" is indeed pretty narrow to work on a flat-wheel saw like the MM16. ...

If tasks that need such a narrow blade were common, perhaps it would be best to acquire second, smaller saw, with crowned wheels/tires, and embed the blade in wooden blocks. I used lignum vitae for that.

[David Kumm]

Does every blade do the same thing? If not, the blade itself can have a twist. I crank my small blades to over 30k tension but if there is a kink- even very slight- or a bad weld, no amount of tension will fix it. Dave

[Derek Arita]

I usually run no smaller than 1/4" on this saw, but I had to sell my 14" Jet, just to make room. Anyhow, the blades tracks really well and teeth are right over the edge. The things I'm not sure about are tension and my guides. I get the guides just kissing the blade, but they have so much play in them that they are useless with such a small blade. As for tension, I'm afraid to tension to much as I feel I could snap the blade. I do have an Iturra tension gage, however I don't really know how to use it, so...
I'll study those vids and see if I can improve things. Thanks for the help.

[David Kumm]

Use the gauge. You only need to make sure the needle is loaded when you tighten the screws so it moves when the blade tightens. I'd also move the small blades with fine teeth more towards the center of the tire. Those teeth won't hurt the rubber and it gives you some room when setting the tracking. That saw is stout but tension won't snap the blade unless the weld is bad. Dave

[Van Huskey]

First, using the gauge may be an exercise in futility, I don't try to use them on anything more narrow than 1/2" so if it works for you, you are a better man than me (I have met Dave and he is indeed a better man than me).

Second, that narrow of a blade on a flat tired saw is not ideal, I don't use anything more narrow than a 1/4" blade on any of my Minimax saws and rarely that narrow. You need to track it in the middle of the tire and for best results use one of three guide options. Either get the Minimax small blade guides (I have a set that came with a used saw but never really use them), get the Carter Stabilizer that fits the Euro saws stud, I think it is the Jet1 but I can check if you are interested or third use the "Blasco" guides. The Blasco guides, as I call them come from Sam Blasco and he got the idea from his father. Take a small chunk of wood and cut a kerf in it with the blade you want to use. Then mount that block between the Euro guide bearings and tighten them down to hold it. You can slide it slightly forward to give the blade a little pretension like the Carter Stabilizer does. You can make them as simple or fancy as you desire. These will all help stabilize (to borrow the Carter term) the blade near the cut.

Good luck.