Blade Tracking
Personal injury or death can occur if the machine starts while your hand is touching the bandsaw wheel during tracking adjustments. Disconnect power from the bandsaw before performing blade tracking adjustments.
The blade tracking is primarily affected by the tilt of the upper wheel, also known as "Center Tracking"; and the alignment of both wheels, also known as "Coplanar Tracking." (For Coplanar Tracking, see the Wheel Alignment instructions on Page 46.)
The wheels on this bandsaw were aligned at the factory, so Center Tracking is the only adjust- ment that needs to be performed when the saw is new.
To center track the blade:
1.DISCONNECT BANDSAW FROM POWER!
2.Make sure the upper and lower blade guides are adjusted away from the blade (see Page 21).
3.Move the quick tension lever to the tightened position and turn the blade tension handwheel until the blade tension matches the mark on the blade tension scale for the appropriate blade thickness (Figure 12).
Blade Tension |
Scale |
Blade Tension |
Handwheel |
Quick |
Tension |
Lever |
Figure 12. Blade tensioning controls.
4.Open the upper wheel cover.
5.Spin the upper wheel by hand at least three times and watch how the blade rides on the crown of the wheel. Refer to Figure 13 for an illustration of this concept.
The cast iron spokes may have sharp edges and the blade teeth may extend beyond the edge of the wheel, creating a laceration hazard. Be careful when turning the wheels by hand.
Blade Centered
on Peak of Crown
Blade |
|
Centered |
|
on Wheel | Wheel |
|
CENTER TRACKING
