I have a 7-1/2" Harbor Freight metal bandsaw that has worked very well
for me until today. The thing keeps tossing the blade of the wheels.
I tuned the drive wheel so the blade is aligned correctly and my
question involves tuning the alignment wheels where the blade enters
and leaves the cutting area of the saw. This bandsaw has two three
wheel assemblies that align the blade to the left, right and one to
keep the blade forward. They are located in the front and end of the
cutting area ... I am running the saw horizontally - not vertically in
case you are wondering.

How tight against the blade should those wheels be? Also, I am
assuming that the blade should be essentially in one plane through the
cutting area both in terms of the vertical and the horizontal.

What happens is that I am cutting, the blade binds and if I don't lift
the saw up quickly, the blade pops off the wheels. The blade is both
tight on the drive wheels and the feed rate is as low as I can go.
Also, it's a brand new kennametal blade & the model has worked just
fine for me in the past. An older blade had the same problem?

Any hints, tips .... ??? The manual wasn't too bad by Harbor Freight
standards, but didn't really get into tuning the saw.

--George

I don't have a tester, but I am tightening the same as I always have.
I seriously crank down on the handle. I do get a tad nervous
wondering how well the Harbor Freight mystery metal will hold up to
the torque, but so far, the handle has held.

Can you guesstimate how much deflection you see in a blade with a
7-1/2" work area?

--George

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 18:03:14 -0700, Grant Erwin
wrote:

You probably aren't tightening the blade enough. If you live near me,
you can borrow my Starrett bandsaw tension gage. If not, tune it to
about an octave above middle C when plucked. (This for a 1/2x0.025" blade)

Grant

Deflection? Anything will deflect. I certainly can't just push it
sideways with a finger, though. Really, pick it like a guitar
string. You should hear a musical note, and it shouldn't be too
low either.

Grant

George wrote:

I don't have a tester, but I am tightening the same as I always have.
I seriously crank down on the handle. I do get a tad nervous
wondering how well the Harbor Freight mystery metal will hold up to
the torque, but so far, the handle has held.

Can you guesstimate how much deflection you see in a blade with a
7-1/2" work area?

--George

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 18:03:14 -0700, Grant Erwin
wrote:


You probably aren't tightening the blade enough. If you live near me,
you can borrow my Starrett bandsaw tension gage. If not, tune it to
about an octave above middle C when plucked. (This for a 1/2x0.025" blade)

Grant

Hmmm .... I'll crank it up some one night and give it a try. It's
tight, but it's not *that* tight.

Thanks for the tip Grant.

--G--

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 19:29:31 -0700, Grant Erwin
wrote:

Deflection? Anything will deflect. I certainly can't just push it
sideways with a finger, though. Really, pick it like a guitar
string. You should hear a musical note, and it shouldn't be too
low either.

Grant

George wrote:

I don't have a tester, but I am tightening the same as I always have.
I seriously crank down on the handle. I do get a tad nervous
wondering how well the Harbor Freight mystery metal will hold up to
the torque, but so far, the handle has held.

Can you guesstimate how much deflection you see in a blade with a
7-1/2" work area?

--George

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 18:03:14 -0700, Grant Erwin
wrote:


You probably aren't tightening the blade enough. If you live near me,
you can borrow my Starrett bandsaw tension gage. If not, tune it to
about an octave above middle C when plucked. (This for a 1/2x0.025" blade)

Grant