Bandsaw vibration

[Claymore]

Hi,
I have a Axminster Hobby Series HBS310N bandsaw and for some unknown reason its started to vibrate/wobble as if its on uneven floor (its not its on solid concrete floor) I don't use it much so its not had too much use.
I have a 3/4" Tuffsaws 4tpi blade fitted and it was fine last week but today it vibrated (it still cuts perfect and the guides are set correctly)
Any tips ideas what to check? can't see anything loose and tracking looks fine.
Help
Brian

 

[worn thumbs]

My first point of investigation would be checking the bottom wheel to see if any objects or clumps have attached themselves to the tyre.If the tyre is clean,try hoovering the dust from the wheels as a machine that spends long periods standing will have dust accumulating at the lowest point and this will affect the balance of the wheels.If the motor drives the bottom wheel via a belt,the pulleys and belt might be worth checking too.

Good luck

 

[Claymore]

Cheers I will investigate today

 

[blackrodd]

The only thing I can think of is motor shaft and any variable speed and pulleys and belt needs looking at.
Failing that, the top and bottom wheel bearings having some movement, possibly as a result of rust and infrequent use?
Regards Rodders

 

[Claymore]

I have had no luck sorting the sodding bandsaw out Grrrrrrrr Its spotless including blade/belts and I cannot feel any wobble/rattle on the wheels, tyres are as new too.
Could it be the blade? I don't normally use a 3/4" blade but decided to get one for resawing some Oak 4" thick I tensioned the blade as much as possible (there is no indicator on my saw) but could the blade be too much for my saw to handle? ok it says in the manual a 3/4" blade will fit but as the saw isn't a top of the range pro/heavy duty would i be better sticking with a 1/2" blade?
Hopefully this will make some sense but as I'm a novice woodworker you have to learn somehow and you guys usually are spot on.
Cheers
Brian

 

[NickWelford]

Have you tried swapping the blade for a sore one?

 

[CHJ]

Take Blade off.
Slacken off drive belt/ remove from motor pulley.

Run Motor, does it vibrate, is motor loose on mounting, is motor pulley loose on motor shaft?

No!

Refit drive belt to lower pulley and check as above regarding vibration, lower pulley problems.

No!

Check both wheel tyres and refit blade. and try again.

By the way, it's not essential to have a wider blade to re-saw wood, as long as blade is sharp with adequate kerf to prevent any odd tooth offset affecting side pressure and set-up correctly then you can cut to the full depth of the machine with a narrow blade.

 

[Steve Maskery]

The ability of a bandsaw oto take a blade is not really dependent on the size of the wheel, more the strength of the frame. A 3/4" blade is a pretty hefty piece of steel and you have an entry-level saw...
I have a beefy Scheppach and I would regard 3/4" as the upper limit on that. I think you should regard 1/2" as a wide blade.
I would be surprised if you could tension that blade properly on such a small saw.

The good news is that you should be able to saw 4" with a 1/2" rip blade. It might be the limit of the saw and you might have to do it slowly. I'm afraid that it is not really man enough for the job, not in the long term. But for a one-off, you should just about get through it.

Remember that the more steel there is in the blade, the more force it requires to tension it properly So a 3/4" blade needs 50% more force (c..f a 1/2") all other things being equal.

 

[custard]

Your bandsaw takes a 3/4" blade in the same way that a Mini takes 28 people,

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/car ... ecord.html

It can be done, but it's not a comfortable experience for the machine or the operator!

 

[Steve Maskery]

Very well put, custard! Thank you for the smile.
S

 

[Claymore]

Thanks guys and I get the point regarding the the 3/4" blades which will be binned and replaced with the 1/2" one. Also will spend some time and double check everything and hopefully solve the the vibration, Its very rare for me to saw anything thicker than 2" and the saw handles that fine.
cheers
Brian

 

[Claymore]

Right I have double checked the bandsaw wheels/belt.tyres etc and fitted a brand new 1/2" Tuffsaws blade and set the guides up and It still vibrates grrrrrrrrr its slightly better but not much, I have placed a 2mm piece of wood under one of the stands feet and this eliminated some of the vibration but its still feels like its juddering while using. Any suggestions what to check next?
Cheers
Brian

 

[Steve Maskery]

At the risk of sounding facetious, and I'm not trying to be, how about, er, a 3mm piece of wood? The point I'm making is that if the stand itself is not on a firm footing, then movement and vibration are bound to follow.

Does it vibrate if you run it with no blade on at all?

Does it vibrate if you install a 1/4" blade? Even a little saw like that should be able to handle a 1/4" blade, I would have thought.

 

[Claymore]

Hi,
I have experimented today with various blades including a 1/4" one and no difference, it doesn't vibrate when no blade is fitted and its a standing on a solid concrete floor.
Although its not a gert big heavy duty pro bandsaw its certainly not little and is a beefier bit of kit than my old Clarke 3 wheel bandsaw which didn't vibrate lol grrrrrr
My wife told me to order one of big Record bandsaws if i can't sort this out but not sure which is the best model (it needs to plug into normal 3 pin plug sockets) personally I'd rather sort the Axminster and but a decent tablesaw for the workshop and a decent dust extraction setup.

 

[John15]

You could contact Axminster. They are very helpful.

John

 

[Claymore]

Good idea John! now why didn't I think of that lol
Will give them a ring tomorrow and see what they suggest
Cheers
Brian

 

[blackrodd]

I see the spec on you're 310 bandsaw gives a blade size of minimum 1/4" to 5/8" max. ( 6mm, to 16mm)
so is the blade you mentioned 16mm, or 19mm wide This could make a big difference.
Rodders

 

[Claymore]

Hi Rodders,
The blade fitted now is a 1/2" one (I did have a 3/4" one fitted, in the back of the saws handbook it says blades min 1/4" to 3/4" max hence reason i fitted one but have since been told that the saw isn't man enough to tension such wide blade 8-( )
So like i said its now fitted with a 1/2" Tuffsaws blade (tried a 1/4" on today and it still vibrated)
I have very little experience using bandsaws (as you may guess lol) so feel a pillock not being able to sort it but as i live out in the middle of nowhere with no'one I can't just call a mate in to fix it hence reason I consulted the Oracle on here 9-)
Cheers
Brian
ps wish Axminster would open their first Scottish store here won't hold my breath though lol

 

[Steve Maskery]

If it is all set up properly it should not vibrate. I think we are all agreed on that. It should take a 1/2" blade, just. It should certainly take a 1/4" blade. Tuffsaws blades are the best, so it's not the blade.
Where do we go from here?
Are you sure it is tensioned properly? How do you know?
Can you take a short film of it vibrating, maybe using your phone, and put it up on YouTube for us to see your problem? As you say, it would be so much easier if you just just call someone to come over and have a look, problems are always easier if you can see them with your own eyes.

 

[CHJ]

With the machine running and blade fitted do a "Screwdriver Stethoscope" * check around the back of the machine, concentrate on areas such as Wheel shaft mounting points, motor and its mounting blade guide system.

*Large screwdriver, place blade against machine structure and press ear to end of handle.


All sounds should be whines or hums, if you hear roughness or crunching, rattles etc. suspect bearings or loose fitting wheel supports.


Have you checked both drive wheels for balance, ** has a clip weight been knocked off one of the wheels when changing blades?

** With blade and drive belt off, spin the wheels by hand, do either of them always stop in the same place? it shouldn't.