Band S aws

[hawkeyefxr]

I have a Scheppach Basato 1 bench bandsaw, i bought it new asi don't have room for a floor standing one though i would dearly love one but money and age do not allow this.
The guides are not ball races just hardened guides in brass that allows the guides to rotate.

My problems.
Setting up the band saw is a right fiddle, getting the blade tension right (i am using a 3/8 wide blade) is just about critical otherwise it runs off the drive wheel. I get the blade tension so that it does not run off but not over tightened. I then set the guides so the side ones do not rub the blade and have minimal clearance. The back guides are also set the same.
As i rotate the the wheels with my finger on the spokes it makes scraping noises which i would expect when in use, not just free rotating.
My blades are not shop bought one but made by someone that just makes bandsaw blades ( i think i got that info here a few years back.)
I would say that i can cut about 1/2 in hardwood and 1in thick softwood bit i have to be very careful and no put to much pressure on the wood.
I have watched various videos on setting the blade and i am sure i have done the same.

Does anyone have any ideas on blade setup.
Also is there a better bench bandsaw to be had.

 

[Trevanion]

Are you setting the tracking of the top wheel at all?

 

[sunnybob]

If the blade is making a scraping noise, thats what its doing. most likely on the back bearing / guides.

get the blade running where you want it without any guides being anywhere near it.
Slowly tighten the blade (making front to back adjustments as needed) until viewed from the front the blade appears to be still. No vibration or wobble.

Set the side guides to be about a half the blades width back from the teeth, and with minimum side gap. Check this by running the machine and watching the guides If you have bearings and they rotate, too tight. If you have blocks and you can see the blade bending away or hear them rubbing, too tight. Once set, move the rear guides forward enough so that if you push the blade back by hand, the rear guide stops the teeth being squeezed by the side guides.

Job done.
Its a very common newbie mistake to allow the blade teeth to be pushed back between the side guides. This instantly squeezes all the teeth flat and the blade wont cut through toffee afterwards. You then need a new blade.

Expect to destroy a couple of blades while learning to do this correctly.

 

[hawkeyefxr]

Are you setting the tracking of the top wheel at all?

Setting the tracking on the top wheel.

 

[hawkeyefxr]

If the blade is making a scraping noise, thats what its doing. most likely on the back bearing / guides.

get the blade running where you want it without any guides being anywhere near it.
Slowly tighten the blade (making front to back adjustments as needed) until viewed from the front the blade appears to be still. No vibration or wobble.

There is only one direction of adjusting the blade tension ( i think?) and that is up and down.

Set the side guides to be about a half the blades width back from the teeth, and with minimum side gap. Check this by running the machine and watching the guides If you have bearings and they rotate, too tight. If you have blocks and you can see the blade bending away or hear them rubbing, too tight. Once set, move the rear guides forward enough so that if you push the blade back by hand, the rear guide stops the teeth being squeezed by the side guides.

Yea i did adjust the run depth of the blade when i first got the bandsaw a few years back, but not now.

Job done.
Its a very common newbie mistake to allow the blade teeth to be pushed back between the side guides. This instantly squeezes all the teeth flat and the blade wont cut through toffee afterwards. You then need a new blade.

Expect to destroy a couple of blades while learning to do this correctly.

 

[sunnybob]

All 2 wheel bandsaws have TWO blade adjustments. The large one on top lifts the top wheel and tensions the blade.
At the back of the top wheel is another on the outside, that rocks the top wheel front to back. this one is used to keep the blade where it needs to be on the top wheel.
you need to adjust both in turn bit by bit, to get the blade in the correct position and tight.

You have to adjust ALL guides EVERY time you change a blade, even if its (supposedly) the same size.
I supect the new blade has flat teeth by now.

 

[twodoctors]

I had one of those before. Nice bandsaw.

Tensioning the blade can be tricky. What I found was that too much tension the blade will "jump" from front to back and then front again when you try to adjust the forward/backward alignment. My advice on tension is do it tight enough so that the blade doesn't flutter. What I do is to tighten the tension enough so there is no slip. Turn it on and tighten it further until the fluttering stops. If the blade moves forward or backwards then you've overtightened it. Start again.

Keep the teeth in the the centre of the top wheel.

Ones you have the tracking sorted then you can adjust the guides. Again I only found this out after a couple of years of bandsawing... the guides are there to guide the blade. You want absolute minimum gap between the guide and the blade. Literally a paper thin gap. This applies also to the thrust guide. If you hear squeaking or the blade moves when cutting then you are probably pushing too hard. Let the blade do the work.

Good luck.

Adrian


(There is always the Alex Snodgrass video as a backup)

 

[hawkeyefxr]

All 2 wheel bandsaws have TWO blade adjustments. The large one on top lifts the top wheel and tensions the blade.
At the back of the top wheel is another on the outside, that rocks the top wheel front to back. this one is used to keep the blade where it needs to be on the top wheel.
you need to adjust both in turn bit by bit, to get the blade in the correct position and tight.

You have to adjust ALL guides EVERY time you change a blade, even if its (supposedly) the same size.
I supect the new blade has flat teeth by now.

I will go and look for that second top wheel adjustment later on, i have nor seen one that jumps out at me though

 

[hawkeyefxr]

I had one of those before. Nice bandsaw.

Tensioning the blade can be tricky. What I found was that too much tension the blade will "jump" from front to back and then front again when you try to adjust the forward/backward alignment. My advice on tension is do it tight enough so that the blade doesn't flutter. What I do is to tighten the tension enough so there is no slip. Turn it on and tighten it further until the fluttering stops. If the blade moves forward or backwards then you've overtightened it. Start again.

Keep the teeth in the the centre of the top wheel.

Ones you have the tracking sorted then you can adjust the guides. Again I only found this out after a couple of years of bandsawing... the guides are there to guide the blade. You want absolute minimum gap between the guide and the blade. Literally a paper thin gap. This applies also to the thrust guide. If you hear squeaking or the blade moves when cutting then you are probably pushing too hard. Let the blade do the work.

Good luck.

Adrian


(There is always the Alex Snodgrass video as a backup)

Thanks for the reply i have been setting the teeth in the middle of the wheel.

 

[galleywood]

Look at the 360 view on this website. https://www.scheppach.com/product-detai ... 01901.aspx
The tracking knob is at the rear and has a locking lever/wingnut.

 

[Ttrees]

Its also a good idea to take the tension off the blade somewhat, if you feel like the tracking knob is bit difficult to turn.
Guides outta the way and the blade is tracking where you want it on the crowned wheels
Have you still an issue with scraping noises?
Is there noise without the blade installed from the belt?
Is there a brush that cleans the wheel that is perhaps too tight?
If there is no brush, don't clean those tires of sawdust as the tracks of the blade might give a clue.
You've not got resin build up on them or the blade by any chance?
This needs to be cleaned off regularly if so.
Have you tried a different brand blade?
Is there any side to side fluttering on any of those blades, which would make setting side guides closely rub against the blade, or is there any back and fourth dancing on the tires?
Just some things that might help.
All thats been recommended you could call stage 1 of adjustments.
Buy different brand blades before commencing further, as its definitely not uncommon to come across some lemons.
The saw might work better with a thicker gauge blade (thickness of the blade stock, not talking about blade width.

Tom

 

[hawkeyefxr]

It seems i don't have tracking adjustment, i do have the plastic wing nut but this just releases the grip so that the top adjuster can be used to tension the blade.

 

[sunnybob]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTw7i51opUI
at around 20 seconds in it shows the back of the machine. Dead centre on the top half is a plastic knob with a locking wing nut.
loosen the wing nut, then adjust the blade tension, then get the blade running well on the wheel by adjusting the rear knob. when its tight and running well, tighten the locking wing nut.

 

[hawkeyefxr]

Ok, apologies first, yes that 360 does show the tracking adjuster and obviously mines has that even though i said it didn't. My lame excuse i am old. lol.

Anyway, been fiddling with my bandsaw and got the tracking and tension right, The top wheel has the teeth just over the front edge of the wheel wile the bottom wheel has the teeth in the centre of the wheel. I have removed the entire top guide block and opened up the bottom guides so they are nowhere near the blade. I have rotated it by finger (supply plug out) and it runs fine. I have run it with power still fine, but, as it stops it rotates backwards a little and the blade comes off the wheel, now i don't know if having the guides in place will stop this but i would say no as there should be no rubbing of the blade on any of the guides.
Have come down for a coffee as i need to get on with my projects in the house, will go back tomorrow and set the guides up.

 

[Ttrees]

If your saw has crowned tires then most suggest you should have the teeth overhanging off of the crown, and not the edge of the wheels
This is for better tracking of the blade because the crown acts to keep the blade central on the wheel.
I cant explain why a crowned profile works, but Matthias Wandel does explain this well in this video
[youtube]6sM0Qjumyro[/youtube]
Its only on saws that have flat tires that you overhang the teeth off of the tires.
Tom

 

[samhay]

>but, as it stops it rotates backwards a little and the blade comes off the wheel, now i don't know if having the guides in place will stop this but i would say no as there should be no rubbing of the blade on any of the guides.

Not what the guides are for. This suggests to me that you have set the tension too high (in addition to perhaps problems with positioning of the blade on the top wheel). It's also possible you have a flat spot on one/both of your wheels.

 

[hawkeyefxr]

Good point about the tension, i will slacken it tomorrow and see what happens

 

[hawkeyefxr]

I have seen this before regarding crowned surfaces, the thing is both wheels have crowned tyres, the blade is not rubber, and we run with the teeth running in the centre of one when off on the other.
A friend has a little powered stroke saw and that runs with a rubbery belt and one crowned wheel and it runs perfect.
The other i noticed is that the bandsaw shown has quite a wide wheel and a narrow blade. In my case i have a 3/8, 9.5mm wide blade and 12mm tyres, this means there is just 1.5mm each side of the blade. As one wheel has the teeth running in the centre of one wheel it is on a knife edge of coming off.
I will slcken the blade as i have mention and see what happens. I just want to understand the why's and wherfor's lol.

The band saw is supposed be able to run a 13mm wide blade, what that's like to setup must be a thing of fiction!!

 

[hawkeyefxr]

Would be interested to hear from other people with small bandsaws like i have and people with floor standing bandsaws.