Adjusting/setting up a bandsaw

[Mayhem]

Yesterday I picked up a second hand Taiwanese 4 1/2" x 6" horizontal bandsaw for a little under half the cost of a new Chinese one. The old boy I bought it from had made a stand with wheels for it, which is an improvement on the flimsy frame they ship with.

Now, I know how to insert metal, turn it on and watch it cut but I have absolutely no idea how to set up the blade/guides etc. Anyone know of a good source of info on this?

It needs a new blade and note the the rollers that sit on the back of the blade have been grooved by the blade. I did a test cut on some square tube and blade isn't cutting straight. The metal is longer at the bottom of the cut.

Yes - I know that without pictures it never happened

[Mayhem]

Thanks John - I just found the PDF of that text.

Is this the procedure you follow? My quick search today turned up several different methods, so I was hoping to get one that is tried and tested.

[doubleboost]

(06-02-2013, 06:19 AM)Mayhem Wrote: Thanks John - I just found the PDF of that text.

Is this the procedure you follow? My quick search today turned up several different methods, so I was hoping to get one that is tried and tested.

This one works for me
(I deleted the post) your link is better
John

[Mayhem]

Excellent John - thanks for verifying that.

[DaveH]

Mayhem,
That 'blade adjustment' by John Pitkin is probably one of the best articles around. If you follow that you will be fine

DaveH

[Highpower]

(06-02-2013, 01:54 AM)Mayhem Wrote: It needs a new blade and note the the rollers that sit on the back of the blade have been grooved by the blade.

Darren, I always keep a spare set of bearings (guide rollers) on hand for my saw. They are dirt cheap, and you never know when one is going to lock up or go wonky on you. If you are going to change the blade anyway, that would be a good time to do the bearings as well.

VXB Bearings

I read on another site about someone that just picked up one of those saws, and had an interesting idea. He plans on throwing away the junk sheet metal stand and bolting his saw to one of the small Harbor Freight hydraulic lift tables. Adjustable height, and the castors make it easy to wheel around.

[f350ca]

I must be lucky. I bought a 4 x 6 years ago (maybe 20) It still sits on its tin stand, the wheels fell off so it just gets drug around now. It still has the original guide bearings that have never been adjusted, the vice gets adjusted square after its been swung for a bevel cut. The drive wheel came loose once, think it uses a cap screw to hold it on. Its still running but set up vertically now to make small cuts. It ate blades with no coolant so I bought a chinese next size bigger one with coolant 6 or 7 years ago. It takes a 3/4 wide blade that keep cutting forever. Again its never had the guides adjusted and cuts straight as long as the blade is reasonable sharp and has some set left. I've never adjusted the blade tracking on either of them. The wet one gets the cuttings shovelled out when the coolant cant make it back to the tank. These things are bullet proof.

[DaveH]

(06-02-2013, 10:23 AM)f350ca Wrote: the wheels fell off so ......................

DaveH

[EdK]

I must have gotten lucky on mine also. I've not done a thing to it since I got it and it cuts just fine. I got the one from Enco back when they were rebadged Rong Fu's made in Taiwan. Now the Enco 4x6's are made in China. I did mount it on a low rider wooden stand I made that was going to be temporary but it's worked out so well that it's now permanent. The stand is similar to the attached picture.

Ed

   

[Mayhem]

Ed - yours looks like the exact same one I have, right down to the colour.

I won't get to play with it until next weekend but I suspect some of the issues with it cutting straight may be due to the speed at which the blade descends. As I said, I need to play a little more...