---------------------------------------------------------- Pietenpol-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Fri 02/18/05: 1 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 10:07 PM - Band Saw Adjustments (Rcaprd@aol.com) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 10:07:30 PM PST US From: Rcaprd@aol.com Subject: Pietenpol-List: Band Saw Adjustments --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: Rcaprd@aol.com In a message dated 2/17/05 7:03:37 PM Central Standard Time, wingding@usmo.com writes: << Hi Chuck: I got a Harbor Freight metal cutting bandsaw but I am not real pleased with it. I doesn't cut straight in the horizontal position, the blade veers off to one side. In the vertical position the blade jumps off the wheels. Is there any way to correct this? My buddy has a King brand, but the same saw and his is great. Dennis >> Dennis, I had the exact same problem with mine, but it only jumped off every once in a while, mostly when the teeth caught and stalled the movement of the blade, then it would jump off. It seems to be a fairly common problem with these saws. I used it like that for quite a while, before attempting to figure out the problem. Here is what I did to correct it : Just remember...Safety First !! Always make a Visual Disconnect, when working on any piece of equipment, which means UNPLUG THE CHORD !! The saw is designed to twist the blade at the portion where it does the cutting. It seemed that it didn't twist the blade quite far enough to make a 90 cut, and it would make a crooked cut. There is a sliding portion of the blade guides, where the roller bearings are, and at each of these locations I made a small shim to go under there on one side of the lock bolt, to make it twist the blade just a little bit more. The shim is about .015" thick, and 1/4" wide, and about 3" or 4" long. I placed the shim on the side of the threaded locking bolt, so it would twist the blade a little bit more. Presto !! Makes straight 90 cuts !! There is also adjustments on the idler pulley, for blade tension, and blade track. These adjustments have to be done to keep the blade on course. For the blade tension, loosen the two bolts that lock the sliding idler pulley, I think it takes a 12mm wrench, and tighten the blade with the 3" black knob, till the blade on the back side is tight enough to twang maybe a B flat note (nice and tight, but not too tight). Then rotate the motor by hand, to see how the blade tracks. You will have to remove the belt guard to do this. If it creeps off the pulley, adjust the other bolt that makes the idler pulley angle in a little, and you can actually watch the blade go back on the pulley. Do this by hand, with the saw unplugged, to get the blade on track. Make the blade come back on the pulleys, but not so much as to make the blade ride on the little ridge on the back side of the pulley. If you over adjust, it would probably wear out that ridge. When satisfied, plug the saw back in, and with the blade cover still swung out of the way, just bump the switch on, and right back off, a couple of times. If the blade still looks like it is on track, turn it on, and watch to see what the blade does. If it stays in place on the pulleys, turn it off, close and secure the blade cover, and have at it. If it does not track on the pulleys, and tends to creep off the pulley, stop and unplug the plug, and re-adjust the blade guide on the idler pulley - the one that makes the idler pulley angle in and out. When the blade jumps off, I unplug the saw, raise it to the verticle position, open the blade cover, get the blade on the top idler pulley, and part way around the driven pulley. Then with a stick of wood, I hold the blade in place on the driven pulley, while I rotate the motor by hand, until the blade goes all the way around the driven pulley. Chuck Gantzer in the rain soaked Land of Oz