Band Saw Setup Query

[Graham54]

Hi all, I've recently acquired a used Elektra Beckum BAS 316G which had been in storage for a while. I've given it a good clean and made a few adjustments to align the blade guides but I'm sure something is wrong somewhere. With the 1/4" blade installed, I just cannot get the top blade bearing guides behind the teeth of the blade even with the carriage set fully back. The lower (solid) blocks are only just behind the teeth but I suppose that will be good enough. I've attached a photo where you can see the guides and where the adjustment is fully retracted. The only solution I can see is getting smaller bearings - if they exist. Any ideas...?

 

[Peter T]

Can you adjust the top wheel tracking to move the blade forward?

This would also change direction of cut slightly so you would need to reset the fence.

 

[Graham54]

Can you adjust the top wheel tracking to move the blade forward?

Thank you Peter, I have just tried that and it did bring the blade forward just enough to clear the bearings. However, the blade is now quite close to the front edge of the top wheel and I thought that it was supposed to run in the centre. Would this be safe? It still runs in the centre of the lower wheel.

 

[Peter T]

Can you adjust the top wheel tracking to move the blade forward?

Thank you Peter, I have just tried that and it did bring the blade forward just enough to clear the bearings. However, the blade is now quite close to the front edge of the top wheel and I thought that it was supposed to run in the centre. Would this be safe? It still runs in the centre of the lower wheel.

You're quite right of course. It is better if the blade is roughly centred on the top wheel.

In that case I'm sorry but I've reached the limit of my experience. I'm sure someone more experienced will be along to provide more help.

As a last resort, however, could you elongate the bearing guide fixing slot with a round file?

 

[Graham54]

As a last resort, however, could you elongate the bearing guide fixing slot with a round file?

That also occurred to me but I'm not keen on making any permanent hacks in case I'm overlooking something.

 

[Mike.S]

Hhmm - if the guides cover the teeth when the blade's in the mid-tyre position it suggests the wheel or guides are awry. Have you checked if top and bottom wheels are co-planar? Might also be worth checking if the casing (blade guard) that houses the bearing guide is vertical/straight - perhaps it's fixings have worked loose or it's been bent.

Otherwise I'm stumped.

 

[devonwoody]

Running those narrow blades can be a problem on some bandsaws, I think mine needs a special attachment to the bearing carrier if I use that size. Perhaps yours is the same, try another thread requesting assistance with the brand of saw mentioned in the title might produce a result?

 

[AndyT]

I don't have this bandsaw and am just thinking about how it might be designed... but if you look up from underneath at the bolt that holds the lower part of the guide in place - you have presumably moved this as far back as it will go - but if you remove it entirely, is there a second hole further back that the bolt could go into, so that the whole lower sub-assembly would sit further back from the blade?

 

[Graham54]

Might also be worth checking if the casing (blade guard) that houses the bearing guide is vertical/straight - perhaps it's fixings have worked loose or it's been bent.

A quick panic, as I hadn't thought of that, followed by a sigh of relief that the housing is straight & true as are the wheels. However, the riser (guide post?) seems to have a lot of front to back play pivoting around the tightening screw when it's undone so effectively the bearings can be a couple of mm forward or behind depending on how I'm holding it when I tighten it up. If I push the riser back as I tighten it up the bearings will clear the blade teeth but it seems a sloppy way to do it.

Running those narrow blades can be a problem on some bandsaws, I think mine needs a special attachment to the bearing carrier if I use that size. Perhaps yours is the same, try another thread requesting assistance with the brand of saw mentioned in the title might produce a result?

Well, I'm not too happy with the blade anyway, it was on the machine when I bought it and installed with the teeth the wrong way round. I'm going to order one of those Tuff blades before I do anything drastic.

if you look up from underneath at the bolt that holds the lower part of the guide in place - you have presumably moved this as far back as it will go - but if you remove it entirely, is there a second hole further back that the bolt could go into, so that the whole lower sub-assembly would sit further back from the blade?

The two bolts underneath are for side to side adjustment only and the two bolts you see in the pic are holding the whole assembly to the riser and there are no more holes to choose from.

Thanks all for your replies, I'll order a new blade first then take it from there...