Euro 260 blade falling off !

[Washy21]

Hi

Can anyone help me:

I have just bought a used Inca Euro 260 bandsaw and I'm having major difficulty getting the blade to stay on. I have the manual but it doesn't really go into enough detail about how this is is accomplished.

On the side of the machine there is an adjustment knob which clearly moves the pulley wheel along an axis, thus adjusting the position of the blade. The trouble is that I can't determine the setting and when I rotate the wheels by hand after tensioning the blade you can physically see it moving towards the edge of the wheel and then of course it falls off. Even if I get it to stay on one wheel it tends to then move off the other wheel. I'm getting a tad frustrated because I can't, after many hours, get it set up.

I know a similar thread discussed this issue but it did not really offer the solution. Does the thrust bearing have anything to do with keeping the band from falling off the back for example ?

 

[carlb40]

Sounds like the tracking maybe out?

 

[marcros]

is it always coming off one side, or does it vary depending on where the adjustment knob is. I seem to recall reading something that the knob made a huge adjustment on some saws- so much so that a whole turn could move it from throwing the blade off one side, to throwing it off the other.

I am new to bandsawing, but from what i have learned, first check that the wheels are co-planar, then sort your tracking. put blade on, turn by hand. if it starts to move, adjust before it throws it off and try again- you only need to turn the top wheel around enough to see whether it is moving the blade off centre or not.

 

[CHJ]

First off check that the two wheels are co-planar and in-line, I suspect the knob you are adjusting is for tracking and tilts the top wheel to adjust blade riding position, but you need to start from a knowm correct wheel alignment.

 

[Washy21]

Hi

Many thanks for this. I suspect that this is what is going wrong but not sure how to get the straight edge onto the wheels (an access problem) I'll take a look and report back.

Thanks

 

[CHJ]

Some blocks of hardwood (same thickness) fixed to your straight edge might help.

 

[Washy21]

Thanks again - appreciated.

 

[marcros]

Don't take it to the tip- it will be fixable and and they are sought after bandsaws!

 

[Washy21]

Don't take it to the tip- it will be fixable and and they are sought after bandsaws!

The problem I have though is that I have been at it for two days solid with no success whatsoever and I need to be up and running urgently. I guess it's an issue I have to deal with but something is telling me that 'things are amiss'. I have taken the makeshift spacers out and used a known straight edge to align the wheels but it's not having it at all no matter what adjustment I make at either end.

Cheers

 

[marcros]

can you post up some pics of the problem bits? if you are going to scrap it, give me a shout because i wouldn't mind it for a project if the price is right.

 

[Washy21]

Just managed to get the blade to stay on after an awful lot of measuring with straight edge. I have run it several times and it has stayed on course and in the same position. I'll try it again tomorrow and report back but beer is calling to ease the frustration.

 

[marcros]

have you read through inca-bandsaw-t43150.html?hilit=inca

i only read the first page, but it seems that wobbling and non-co-planar wheels are reasonably common issues. the co=planarness is corrected by shimming, as the previous owner had done. You may have disturbed something in transporting it. You will need to work out why the wheel is wobbling, but it may not be as serious as you expect.

The cracked part, you will have to see whether it matters or not. if it has lasted until now, then possibly not.

 

[Washy21]

Yeah, just read that thread - thanks.

I think the shims by the previous owner must have been installed for some other reason - or the whole thing had moved in shipping. I say this because in the untouched state the shims were sending the wheel out by nearly and inch and so it was impossible to line them up. I have removed the shims now and have just used the grub screw to hold it in co-planar alignment. Hopefully, it's a starting point now that the blade is staying on in the same position. I will fine tune side guides and thrust bearing tomorrow and see how it goes from there.

Thanks again for your reply.

 

[marcros]

no problems.

is it bearings on the side of the blade or some form of square blocks. IIRC the latter can be substituted for lignum vitae as a replacement/upgrade (i.e. a pen blank if you dont have any offcuts)

 

[Washy21]

HI

It's square blocks and I'm assuming they are cool blocks because of the leaflet that came with it. They look a bit frayed so I'll clean them up tomorrow and try it out.

Cheers

 

[Washy21]

UPDATE

I managed to get the wheels aligned and so far the blade is staying on. I did a test cut today and all worked fine. That said, I think I need to tune up the saw for better performance.

For the benefit of future Inca 260 users this is what I did to achive stability of the blade.

• Fully release the upper wheel adjuster so that the wheel finds its own natural alignment.
• Use a straight edge to achieve co-planarity between the wheels and it is likely that the bottom wheel will have to be adjusted on its spindle to achieve this (grub screw needs to be undone).
• Once the wheels are aligned place blade on both wheels and add some tension.
• Spin the wheel and check the tracking of the blade. At this point it may be neccessary to adjust the upper wheel but do this very carefully and assess the movement of the blade on both wheels. If all is okay increase the tension to working tension and re-check the upper wheel adjustment.
• Once it is clear that the blade is not moving of course on both wheels replace the cover and turn on with a few short bursts.
• Then the saw can be fine tuned.

The Inca manual advises that the blade be set with the teeth about 1/16th over the tire edge. I am using a thin blade and have not done this because quite frankly I'm a bit dubious about disturbing anything a the moment.

 

[L2wis]

Nice one posting a summary, I think I might have bust the top wheel adjuster on my inca by overtighting it. Really should have checked the bottom wheel.

 

[Washy21]

Yes I could have easy have broken things on mine. That said, I have at least learned how crucial it is to have the wheels in co planarity before attempting to tweak anything else. I'm still not convinced it is 100 percent right but at least now I'm able to work with it.

And strangely, when I bought the saw there was a book enclosed in the box called The INCA Woodworking Machinery Handbook and that appears to be worth at least as much as the saw. (hammer)

 

[L2wis]

Haha get it flogged!!!

 

[Gerard Scanlan]

If the guide bearings are set too far forward (the round ones that support the back of blade) they will push the blade off the wheels as you start to rotate the wheels. Narrow blades are best run in the centre of the wheel tyre and not along the edge. A half inch blade can of course run with the teeth over the edge. The book is indeed worth more than the machine to people who have got have a copy, but the bandsaw will be worth more to you in the long term as it runs like a dream once you get the hang of it. Tuff saw blades are excellent for the Inca.