Bandsaw wheel alignment

[Matt_S]

Since buying my bandsaw from a forum member I've used the blade that was in it and had no need to adjust. This week though I've been struggling to keep the blade on the wheel no matter how I adjust so have taken it apart this morning. I think I've found the problem, a missing grub screw from the lower wheel. As you can see the wheel has rubbed against the body and has a good few mill horizontal movement, which would make adjusting the top wheel useless!

Close up of the hole.

I'm no engineer, and have tried searching the web for parts. Can an engineer tell me what I need to buy? internal dimension is 5mm and depth 9mm.

 

[9fingers]

You are missing a key - a short length of rectangular steel that fits half in the shaft and half in the hub - poss 6mm square and a socket grub screw which from your dimension could well be M6 thread.

Does not have to be a grub screw a suitable M6 bolt would do the job provided not too much hangs out to cause vibration and you have enough access to tighten it fully.

Bob

 

[Matt_S]

Thanks Bob. I have the spline that goes in the shaft, it is just the bolt. So I need an m6, will order a proper one but hopefully I have a bolt and can use it again later today!

 

[9fingers]

As a check, an M6 bolt will be about 5.9mm diameter and the thread pitch will be exactly 1mm. measure over several crests and divide by the number of troughs.

Once you know what you need, these guys sell fixings singly.

http://www.emkaysupplies.co.uk/

Bob

 

[Matt_S]

That company seem great. Filled the form in over weekend and they'll be in the post today. Did the checks on a bolt I found that fitted and it was definitely an M6. Ordered a couple of lengths to see what's best, also ordered a couple of each!

Managed to use saw, had about 20mm of bolt sticking out but didn't seem to affect performance and I managed to get the saw aligned again. Kind of glad the screw was missing, made me take it apart and now feel I know how to adjust it!