Kity 613 bandsaw

[quintain]

My 20+ yr old kity 613 bandsaw is having an infrequent blade change.
It is a very good machine for my limited use; genrerally max 2" (50mm) stock with mostly straightish and slight curved runs.

I have today fitted a 3/4" (20mm?) 4 TPI blade.
The new blade runs on the top wheel with the angled cutters just proud of the front of the top wheel' as per Kity's unusual setup.
I am reasonably aware of how to tension the blade; I use the " wobble test" where no top or bottom guides are in use; I also know how to adjust the angle of the top wheel to put the cutters just ovehanging the front of the top wheel.
I check and check again after every blade tensionning or angle adjustment that all is correct on the top wheel. i.e rotate the top wheel many times by hand and then (pray, have another coffee) and switch it on

BUT
The blade runs on the lower wheel with the angled cutters more into the middle of the wheel i.e. NOT overhanging the front wheel edge.

Question:
1. Is the location of the blade on the lower wheel important

Best Regards
Richard

 

[Amplidyne]

Been a bit since I used mine. IIRC, I usually used to end up up using a combination of tension adjustment, and top wheel tilt to get the blade running right.
I'd have thought that having the blade running with the teeth on the rubber would chew it up. Others may know differently.

 

[quintain]

Been a bit since I used mine. IIRC, I usually used to end up up using a combination of tension adjustment, and top wheel tilt to get the blade running right.
I'd have thought that having the blade running with the teeth on the rubber would chew it up. Others may know differently.

Dear AmplIdyne
My grey haired persona needed to google IIRC..(if i rember correctly)
Like you, I thought even running on rubber would bu**er up the cutters that is why I asked the question.
I look for additianal advice

 

[Amplidyne]

Dear AmplIdyne
My grey haired persona needed to google IIRC..(if i rember correctly)
Like you, I thought even running on rubber would bu**er up the cutters that is why I asked the question.
I look for additianal advice

Sorry, I've been at the single malt. Not used to it these days! And it really is a while since I used mine. As I've said before, I'm allergic to the wood dust, so I'm cautious. As I said, use both the adjustments to get it right. I remember that it could be a right burger sometimes. Good bandsaw though IMHO. (There's another one!)

 

[quintain]

Sorry, I've been at the single malt. Not used to it these days! And it really is a while since I used mine. As I've said before, I'm allergic to the wood dust, so I'm cautious. As I said, use both the adjustments to get it right. I remember that it could be a right burger sometimes. Good bandsaw though IMHO. (There's another one!)

Enjoy the single malt but if you have more than one; is it a multiple malt???

 

[Amplidyne]

Single malts?

 

[Sideways]

Yes.
The teeth must not be on the tyre, top or bottom.

Well done for selecting a 4 tpi blade. That is a far more practical blade for many uses than the high tpi blades that so often cause problems with bandsaws. Still, a 20mm blade is up at the limit of what a kity 613 is capable of tensioning.
They are decent small saw but 20mm is a wide blade by the standard of small saws and will need max tension to stiffen it to resist sideways deflection.
But beware: never wind the tension spring up so tight that you compress the coils until they are touching each other. Do that and you have damaged the spring. It will take a permanent set.

Tracking a 613 involves adjusting the tracking control on the top band wheel iteratively as you adjust the blade tension. As you alter the tension, it affects the tracking so the two controls have to be adjusted alternately in smallish steps.
All this done with blade guides backed fully off.
If the blade is tracking wrongly on the bottom wheel when the tension and upper tracking are correct, you need to adjust the angle of the lower wheel spindle.
To access that, remove the louvre cover enclosing the motor and you will see the rear of the spindle for the lower wheel. There are 4 bolts at right angles to the spindle, pointed up, down, left and right. These allow the lower wheel to be tracked like the upper wheel, with the teeth of the blade off the front edge of the tyre.

There is a photo in this thread, which is worth a read. The photos in the earlier posts were corrupted when the forum software changed to xenforo, not missing but not in line any longer, but it's the later posts that should be more helpful.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/thread...rip-and-rebuild-long-post.110486/post-1453167

 

[Fergie 307]

Sideways advice is spot on as usual. I would agree that a 20mm blade is pushing the limits of the machine. I have the very similar 612, and have never used more than a half inch blade.

 

[Beau]

Beautifully covered by Sideways. Only thing I would add is my 613 originally came with a 3/4 inch blade and it was more than capable of running it. I did have to adjust the tracking on the lower wheel once or twice when I had it. Great bandsaws and if I had the room I would have one as my second machine

 

[quintain]

To everyone who has contributed...thank you, especially Sideways.

He said "the two controls have to be adjusted alternately in smallish steps." I am not a heavy handed worker but I took the advice and reset the blade, using almost micro adjustments rather than a 1/4++ turn on either of the selected adjusting knobs.
I now have the 3/4" saw with the blade tips and most of the gullet in front of the top wheel. The blade tips BUT NOT the gullet are clear of the bottom wheel. I will try to find time to (minutely) adjust the lower wheel screws.
I conclude by saying again this is the best forum on the net. There are no urine takers; only contributors who not only know what they are talking about but are willing to help such as myself who needs help.
Thank you....

BTW With my lovely wife Betty we are developing a self build site at www.floshmeadowsselfbuild.co.uk (N.B: an adviser to NaCSBA considered it the largest 'privately owned' self build site in the UK) if any person on the forum wishes to buy, or knows anyone who does want to buy a plot we will happily offer a small-ish discount