More bandsaw woes

[Student]

Only this time it isn't drift or blades coming off the wheels. In my case, the saw keeps stalling even at ridiculously low feed rates.

I've got an Axy BS250 that I bought several years ago. It used to cut alright, although nowhere near the 120 mm thickness that is mentioned on the Axy website. However, having invested in some Tuffsaw blades, 3 TPI, I was managing to cut 100 mm thick oak. Recently, the saw was struggling to cut even 25 mm pine so my initial thought was that the blade was blunt. As a result, I bought a new blade from Tuffsaws and used the Alex Snodgrass video to set the bandsaw up. Result, nothing; it's stalling in 18 mm ply. I thought it might be that the drive belt was slipping but, in that case, I would expect to hear the motor turning which it isn't. So, if it isn't the blade or the set up, what could be causing the problem?

 

[MikeG.]

I'd check the belts.

 

[ro]

Have you checked that both wheels spin freely when the blade and drive belt are off and that there is no play in the bearings?

 

[CHJ]

Having checked that a wheel bearing is not seized as mentioned above, check drive belt is not slipping then check that the Motor Start/Run capacitor is not failing/failed.

 

[Lons]

Sounds stupid but check that the blade is on the correct way around, easily done. :wink:

Check that you can easily turn the wheels by hand (power disconnected), if ok then remove the blade and run the saw without, listen carefully to the motor to check it.
Could possibly be seized bearing/s.

Check the belt tension, it's adjustable on mine though not sure about the Axi.
If still no good give the Axi technical guys a ring to see what they say.

 

[Racers]

+1 on the run capacitor.

Pete

 

[Myfordman]

+1 on the run capacitor.

Pete

I would agree but only if your motor has TWO capacitors. look for either two cylindrical bulges on the outside or only one bulge and a second hidden capacitor often inside the cover where the cable enters.

The run capacitor is usually the one with the lower capacitance value printed on it.

 

[Orraloon]

One other thing to check is the pulley on the motor shaft is tight. I had one where the grub screw and key had both disappeared. Thing was spinning on friction alone
Regards
John

 

[Alexam]

When the blade is on, but not connected to power, turn the wheel by hand and see which way the blade comes off. Towards you or to the back. Probably towards you as the rear bearing would prevent it going back. Therefore, adjust the leaver that tilts the top wheel ever so slightly until the blade stays central. When you think it's right, shut the door and try it with power, but just a short burst and check the position again.

Its easy to have moved the leaver too far, but could also be the blade tension is too high.
CHECKING BLADE TENSION - Flutter test Video's -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chyo9chuwJs and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8zZuDosSy0
Tuning a bandsaw is only that and nothing else. If you really want to get the very best use of your bandsaw on an ongoing basis, then the Steve Maskery DVD's will show you far more and they are a real investment that you should own. http://www.workshopessentials.com/shop/ '.

Check it and report back on your findings.

Malcolm

 

[CHJ]

When the blade is on, but not connected to power, turn the wheel by hand and see which way the blade comes off. Towards you or to the back. Probably towards you as the rear bearing would prevent it going back. Therefore, adjust the leaver that tilts the top wheel ever so slightly until the blade stays central. When you think it's right, shut the door and try it with power, but just a short burst and check the position again.

Its easy to have moved the leaver too far, but could also be the blade tension is too high.
CHECKING BLADE TENSION - Flutter test Video's -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chyo9chuwJs and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8zZuDosSy0
Tuning a bandsaw is only that and nothing else. If you really want to get the very best use of your bandsaw on an ongoing basis, then the Steve Maskery DVD's will show you far more and they are a real investment that you should own. http://www.workshopessentials.com/shop/ '.

Check it and report back on your findings.

Malcolm

The OP's post has nothing to do with Blade Tracking, he currently is not getting enough torque from his motor to Drive the Blade in the Cut.

In my case, the saw keeps stalling even at ridiculously low feed rates.

 

[CHJ]

+1 on the run capacitor.

Pete

I would agree but only if your motor has TWO capacitors. look for either two cylindrical bulges on the outside or only one bulge and a second hidden capacitor often inside the cover where the cable enters.

The run capacitor is usually the one with the lower capacitance value printed on it.

I have had a Lathe with a single Start/Run Capacitor that started in the correct direction without assistance but lacked any significant Torque, the capacitor wase obviously developing a fault but not completly blown or short circuit, because fitting a new servicable item cured it. The Old Item when put on a bridge was showing about a tenth of its rated value.

 

[CHJ]

In my case, the saw keeps stalling even at ridiculously low feed rates.

Does the Motor start with a Snap or or gather speed relatively slowly?

 

[Alexam]

My mistake, when I read blade comes off the wheel ......... must pay more attention before answering.


I did have a similar problem when I misjudged the clearance that the timber needed under the guides. It was wedging the guide against the timber and squashing the blade tight. When I heightened the guides it was ok.

Malcolm

 

[Bodgers]

Only this time it isn't drift or blades coming off the wheels. In my case, the saw keeps stalling even at ridiculously low feed rates.

I've got an Axy BS250 that I bought several years ago. It used to cut alright, although nowhere near the 120 mm thickness that is mentioned on the Axy website. However, having invested in some Tuffsaw blades, 3 TPI, I was managing to cut 100 mm thick oak. Recently, the saw was struggling to cut even 25 mm pine so my initial thought was that the blade was blunt. As a result, I bought a new blade from Tuffsaws and used the Alex Snodgrass video to set the bandsaw up. Result, nothing; it's stalling in 18 mm ply. I thought it might be that the drive belt was slipping but, in that case, I would expect to hear the motor turning which it isn't. So, if it isn't the blade or the set up, what could be causing the problem?

My Axy hbs250 would never cut 100mm oak at any thing other than complete snail pace speed (with stalling along the way) so congrats on doing that previously! After buying all kinds of Tuffsaw blades and playing around with the setup I flogged it and bought something with more grunt.

 

[Myfordman]

+1 on the run capacitor.

Pete

I would agree but only if your motor has TWO capacitors. look for either two cylindrical bulges on the outside or only one bulge and a second hidden capacitor often inside the cover where the cable enters.

The run capacitor is usually the one with the lower capacitance value printed on it.

I have had a Lathe with a single Start/Run Capacitor that started in the correct direction without assistance but lacked any significant Torque, the capacitor wase obviously developing a fault but not completely blown or short circuit, because fitting a new servicable item cured it. The Old Item when put on a bridge was showing about a tenth of its rated value.

To supplement my reply, a low power motor can just have a run capacitor which is is circuit all the time and this is possibly the case that Chas refers to.

This type of motor does not suffer from excess torque and so could be the type in use by the OP. Replacing the capacitor with a generic (rather than a makers spare) will be a low cost experiment to try and restore the performance.

 

[Student]

My apologies for taking time to reply - my wife has been hogging our PC for the last couple of days and I've also been out and about.

My thanks to Chas for coming back to the problem. The saw starts cutting so there's no problem with stuck bearings etc. It just stalls when cutting anything reasonably thick. I did check the drive belt tension when I was setting up the saw after fitting the new blade, which is on the right way round.

Bodger mentions that his Axy 250 never cut 100 m oak. As I said, mine did although the feed rate was glacial but at least it cut and didn't stall. I did do a quick test again last night with a piece of 22 x 44 pine. The saw coped with the 22 mm cut but not the 44 mm; at least not with any speed - one inch in 20 seconds! During the summer, whilst at my daughter's house in France, having heard the good reviews of the Aldi Workzone BS, I bought the Scheppach equivalent. This was less than 1/2 the price of the Axy 250 and cuts a lot better. I've been thinking about upgrading to a Record 350 or similar but can't justify doing so at present.

I know nothing about electrics; Bob (Myfordman) and Chas's suggestions mean nothing to me I'm afraid. However, I'll look at the inside of the machine, power off of course, and see what gives.

Thanks to all for your suggestions.

 

[Student]

I finally got around to looking at the electrics today. The machine has one capacitor which says

CBB 60
10 "whatever the Greek letter for u" F
450/500AC 50/60Hz
25/70/21 CPO
EN 60252
No. 4003 1260

Having failed Physics O Level, none of this makes any sense to me. Although I used to be fully au fait with partial differential equations and, subsequently, at mortality statistics, electrics/electronics have always been a closed book. Consequently, all the information on the outside of the capacitor might just as well have been written in Swahili as far as I am concerned.

However, thanks to Google and Amazon, I have found this. Is this what I need

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TOOGOO-Polypro ... +capacitor

Thanks in advance for any help.

P.S. I might give Axminster a call to see if they hold spares.

 

[Myfordman]

Electrically fine but very slow delivery but matches the rate of progress to date ha!
Plenty on ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from ... or&_sop=15
higher price but quicker delivery.

 

[hawkeyefxr]

I finally got around to looking at the electrics today. The machine has one capacitor which says

CBB 60
10 "whatever the Greek letter for u" F
450/500AC 50/60Hz
25/70/21 CPO
EN 60252
No. 4003 1260

Having failed Physics O Level, none of this makes any sense to me. Although I used to be fully au fait with partial differential equations and, subsequently, at mortality statistics, electrics/electronics have always been a closed book. Consequently, all the information on the outside of the capacitor might just as well have been written in Swahili as far as I am concerned.

However, thanks to Google and Amazon, I have found this. Is this what I need

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TOOGOO-Polypro ... +capacitor

Thanks in advance for any help.

P.S. I might give Axminster a call to see if they hold spares.

The u"F is 'micro farads" spelling probably wrong but single phase motors need the to get running and starting.
If all rotating bits run free with no bandsaw fitted try replacing the the capacitor.

 

[Student]

Hawkeye - thanks for the information about the symbol for "micro". I used to know such things but had forgotten. The prevailing wisdom of Bob, Pete and Chas was that it was possible that the capacitor is at fault so have called Axminster and they are putting one in the post (the cost being more in line with Bob's e-bay suggestions than the cheapo one I linked to). I've used Axminster since it should avoid my ordering the wrong type from the bay.

With regard to Bob's comment about my slow progress to date on fixing the band saw, I haven't had any need to use it in recent weeks as I decided to play around with some new hand tools. For years I have used my 1960s Stanley No. 4, a cheap block plane, a Stanley hardpoint tenon saw and a limited selection of Marples chisels again dating back to the 1960s. So, in recent months, I've bought a WoodRiver No. 5 plane, a WoodRiver block plane, a set of Narex chisel, a couple of Veritas saws and a Veritas router plane. I know that there will be some on this forum who say such extravagance is not necessary but they are a joy to own and use. So, over the Christmas period, other than make a log store for my son, I've been playing with hand tools in the workshop. However, I do have a couple of projects coming up where the bandsaw will be of use so need to get it fixed.