Axminster hobby bandsaw problem/question

[ellisn]

So after all this time I had a free hour this afternoon to try and get the bandsaw set up. Fixed a 1/2" blade as I intend on doing some resizing. Got the tracking so the blade ran middle of top wheel but even though it stayed put when turning the wheel the bottom was seated slightly off the back, not sure this is ideal but nothing in the manual about aligning the wheels as I guess this means the bottom wheel sits further back than the top. Tensioned the blade then went to fix the table, problem the table insert hits the blade and bends it out of shape. Do I cut the insert to allow for a larger blade?

Hope someone can help as I have some oak to play with.

Neil

 

[dj.]

Neil, any chance of posting some pictures of the problem, it`s a lot easier to diagnose a problem when you can see it.

Second thought would be to give Axminster a bell.


Regards.

dj.

 

[RogerS]

Also the exact model

 

[ellisn]

Hi

It is Axminster Hobby Series AWHBS250N Bandsaw

The back of the blade doesn't fit in the table insert slot so is being pushed from the back. The fact the blade doesn't track centre to the bottom wheel makes me wonder if I should play more with the tracking even though it runs central at the moment with the top wheel, maybe the tracking can find a place where it runs central to both wheels.

Neil

 

[ellisn]

I'll take a look this afternoon and see if the wheels are aligned, the saw came fit with a 1/4" blade but they sent a 1/2" as well. I did buy tuff blades as well but will save them for when I have made all the mistakes as I don't want to ruin them

 

[RogerS]

Looks to me as if the table simply needs the fixing bolts slackening off and it rotating so that the blade is more parallel to the slot. I wouldn't worry too much about being centred on the wheels...the important thing is that as the wheels are rotated that the blade stays in one position and doesn't drift.

You should be able to temporarily pop that insert out of the table. Then you can see much more clearly what the blade is doing.

 

[ellisn]

Hi, Thanks for the help, I think the blade would be parallel to the slot but in the picture it is being pushed out of shape by the table insert. Not sure but maybe I shouldn't have played with the tracking when the table top was off, I could take a file to the table insert and deepen the slot, just wanted to check if this was normal procedure. It could be that the table insert is for the 1/4" blade and a 1/2" needs a different insert.

 

[Steve Maskery]

I would simply elongate the slot in the throat plate to begin with and see if that clearance allows the blade to run properly. You are going to have to learn how to make replacement throat plates anyway, they don't last very long, especially if you do a lot of curved cutting. For splinter-free cutting of veneered board, for example, you will need to make and fit ZCIs. So the insert that comes with the machine can be regarded as temporary anyway.

If that doesn't work, then we look elsewhere.
S

 

[ellisn]

Thanks Steve

yes I took a small round file to it, had to go a bit back but now it seems fine:

Have the blade square after a bit of jiggling so tomorrow I should get to do some test cuts, added a bit of tension and re-tracked the blade and both top and bottom wheels have the blade similarly aligned now.

I would have given it a go properly today but I had a little planner thicknesser to play with which I must say worked very well for a cheapy

Thanks for all the help

Neil

 

[Grahamshed]

Was the planer/thicknesser an axminster one as well ? I am thinking about one.

 

[ellisn]

Hi Graham, no I went for the woodstar PT85, Was pleased to see that there ahave been a couple of improvements to the review on youtube. The fence is now far more stable and the outfeed bed stays parallel to the infeed... at least for the moment. But made a nice job of a piece of oak.

Neil