BAS 316G Bandsaw setup

[galleywood]

This is my first post.
I recently got my first bandsaw (EB BAS 316G) and have put in a new 3/8 Tuffsaws' blade and am setting it up as per Steve Maskery's DVD.
Having set the tracking and tension this is the position of the blade on the top and bottom wheels:-
Pic 1 - blade running on top wheel, with gullet central - that is just the way it worked out, I did not set out to achieve this.
Pic 2 - blade partially hanging off lower wheel.
Pic 3 - gap between upper wheel and frame (approx 2 to 3mm).
When I dressed the back of the blade with an oil stone, even very light pressure caused the blade to move further forward on the lower wheel and it may well have come off if I had continued.
I have had to remove the bottom door catch on the upper door in order to close it as it fouls the wheel - bear in mind Pic 3.
When I saw the bandsaw in use when I bought it both door catches were in use - I can't vouch for the rest of the setup as i did not have the knowledge from Steve's DVD then.
I am concerned the the position of the blade on the lower wheel is too far forward and may come off in use.
I am wondering if i should try and induce some tilt to the lower wheel axle to get the blade to track nearer the centre.
The axle has (4) steering bolts at the back end which would have to overcome the alignment caused by the M20 nut that secures it to the frame.
What are your opinions, please

 

[Baldhead]

DO NOT TRY TO MOVE THE BOTTOM WHEEL. Please accept my apologies for shouting but you should not touch the bottom wheel, it's my understanding that it does not matter where the blade lies on the bottom wheel, Steve (Maskery) will be able to help, so my advice would be to leave well alone until Steve reads your post.

Baldhead

Edit - Welcome to the forum

 

[gidon]

I had to adjust bottom wheel on my Record BS350 recently. It had be fine but leaving the blade in tension for many years has tilted it slightly I guess. General advice is to leave bottom wheel alone - Record told me not to touch it.

But found this document on web: http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/libr ... _guide.pdf

Steve also briefly covers this in his video too which gave me the confidence to try it - but these instructions cover it in more detail.

My Record bandsaw uses the softest steel I've every come across for all bolts (had to replace the tensioning bolt when I first got it years ago). If yours is the same be careful you don't strip the threads tilting the bottom wheel. I've replaced the tensioning bolts and this lower wheel adjustment bolts with stainless steel bolts. But still need to be careful you don't strip the internal thread on the bandsaw.

Be careful with any adjustment on the 3 and 9 o'clock bolts - this adjusts the blade wobble (back and forth).

If this is a new saw I would speak to manufacturer first.

Cheers

Gidon

 

[galleywood]

Gidon

Thanks for the info.
I won't do anything for a while until I think I have exhausted all ideas.

I can understand how the rear steering bolts should adjust the lower wheel's attitude but I'm not sure how an M6 bolt can overcome the effect that the M20 axle clamping nut has on the axle's attitude.

I am beginning to wonder if the steering bolts are just for show and are a copy of what is on superior machines.
For certain there is no properly engineered pivot point that these bolts steer the axle around.

Regards

 

[gidon]

I know what you mean - but believe me they do adjust the tilt. I got mine from the position your blade is to the centre of the wheel. And the top wheel tracks perfectly.

We're talking very slight movements here - but enough to get the adjustment right. I did try and remove the massive nut on the inside just for curiosity but on my bandsaw there's a hole in the rear of the axle to lock movement and decided to give it a miss since I could adjust satisfactorily without doing that.

I can't understand for the life of me why they use M6 bolts for this.

Cheers

Gidon

 

[galleywood]

I can only assume that the M6 bolts cause the sheet metal frame to flex at the place where the axle is clamped by the M20 nut - I would have preffered to see a pair of spherical seat washers though.

If I do attempt a move I will have replacement bolts and nuts to hand and take measurements of the attitude of the lower wheel relative to the door closure face at the points of the clockface, when the blade is tensioned and relaxed.
Regards

 

[woodpig]

If you do need to adjust the lower wheel just make small adjustments and then run the blade and check alignment and tension etc as you go. You should not need to adjust the 3 and 9 o'clock bolts except that if you don't loosten them a little the wheel shaft may be difficult to move with the other two bolts.

Blade tension and alignment are interlinked, one effects the other and is different for each blade I've found.

 

[Steve Maskery]

The bottom wheel is factory set and should never need adjusting. If you do adjust it, you can move the North-South bolts, but the E-W ones should not be touched. If you do have to slacken them off, make sure you make a note of how much and make sure they go back to the same position. If you don't, your blade will be shrugged off as soon as you switch the machine on.

The tracking of the top wheel will have a much greater effect on the behaviour of the saw.

S

 

[Halo Jones]

I had never had any trouble setting 12 mm blades on my BAS 316G. First time I tried setting 6 mm blades I had similar problems to you with even gentle pressure causing the blade to move off the crown of the tyre. Eventually I just eased off slightly on the tension and all was sorted. I do find the only problem with this saw is that it doesn't have a tensioning guide so you are always guessing whether the blade is over or under tensioned.

HTH,

H.

 

[galleywood]

Would you say that the position of the blade on the bottom wheel is acceptable?
Given that there is not much clearance between the top wheel and the frame (Pic 3), which might compromise tracking on other blades, and the fact that I have had to remove the door catch, would that suggest that over time the 'factory setting' of the lower wheel has been lost and taken up by excessive tracking adjustment to the top wheel?

 

[woodpig]

If the blade has been tensioned really hard and left like it for a long time it may possibly have moved something out of alignment?

 

[galleywood]

Update on lower wheel adjustment.

I have successfully adjusted the lower wheel 'tracking' and now have the blade running in the centre of both wheels.
I used the method posted by 'Gidon'.

It took (3) adjustments of the '6 o'clock' steering bolt - (2) x 1/2 turn of the bolt to lift the axle, followed by (1) x 1/4 turn back, as the blade was toward the back of the lower wheel after the (2) half turns.

I had to replace the bolt as the threads were stripped.

I hope this gives others the confidence to try this if they have a similar situation.

Gidon - my machine's bolts must be made from the same batch of steel that yours are - see photo.

Many thanks to all those that posted replys.

 

[woodpig]

Glad you're sorted. I generally replace nuts and bolts and other sub standard fittings as and when they need adjusting. I've done this on a couple of Lathes and a Milling Machine. Can't beat decent english fasteners if you can get them.

 

[gidon]

Nice one galleywood - glad you are sorted.

Gidon