Blade Tracking |
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Blade tracking involves positioning the blade on the wheels of the bandsaw. There are two meth- ods of tracking: Center Tracking and Coplanar Tracking. Center tracking, the easiest, is simply adjusting the tilt of the upper wheel so the blade rides in the middle of the rubber tire. This adjust- ment works together with the slight crown on the tire to center the blade when the wheels spin.
To adjust the blade using center tracking:
1.Disconnect the bandsaw from the power source. Adjust the upper and lower guide blocks and the support bearings away from the blade.
2.Loosen the lock nuts on the tracking control knobs, and turn the knobs clockwise or counterclockwise while turning the upper wheel by hand. A slight amount of twist of the upper wheel can occur if these knobs are not adjusted evenly. This can result in tracking problems for smaller blades. When turning the wheel by hand, ensure that there are no sharp edges to cut your hand.
3.Turn the upper wheel and the tracking knobs until the blade is centered on the crown of the upper wheel tire. Turn the wheel at least three more full turns to ensure that the blade is tracking in its final position.
4.Retighten the lock nuts, double check blade tracking, and then close the upper wheel cover.
Coplanar Tracking is a more difficult process but provides longer blade life and allows straighter cuts. To learn more about this, read the next sec- tion on Aligning Wheels.
Wheel alignment is one of best ways to ensure that you get optimal performance from your band- saw.
When both wheels are aligned, or coplanar (see Figure 13), the bandsaw is more likely to cut straight without wandering. Vibration, heat, and blade wear are also considerably decreased.
For the best performance, verify that your wheels are coplanar when you first get your bandsaw.
Figure 13.
Before measuring the wheels for being coplanar, you should always tighten the blade to the degree that it will be used during operation. The wheels may be coplanar with the blade loose, then be pulled out of alignment when the blade is tightened. To check the wheel alignment:
1.Unplug the bandsaw!
2.The body of the bandsaw does not allow you to place a regular straightedge across both wheels at the same time. To overcome this situation, you need make a coplanarity gauge. A 55" x 2Ó x 4Ó board will work well for this. Joint one side or make sure that one side is straight. Refer to Figure 14 for more details on how to make this gauge.
G4186Z 18" Bandsaw |