Hi everyone,
I have a Jet 14" bandsaw with the riser block, which I've had for about 1.5
years. When I first bought it I put a 1/2" Timberwolf blade on it and in
all that time have not had to change the blade (I usually resaw with it
and/or make reasonably large curves, plus I have a scroll saw for really
tight radii).
Anyway, for my current project I decided to switch out the 1/2" blade and
put a 1/8" blade on it. I have a quick-tension lever and so I removed the
1/2" blade just fine and put the 1/8" in place and put tension up to that
point using the JET tension scale. I was rotating the upper wheel by hand
to check the tracking when the blade suddenly jumped off the wheel with a
horrendous BANG!
When I examined the situation, I found that the blade had become wedged
between the upper wheel and the housing. What's worse, the upper wheel had
somehow been pushed ABOVE the housing - not good. I was able to extricate
the blade easily enough, but when I removed the tension with the tension
lever, I found that the entire wheel assembly was moving (which I thought
was what always happens anyway?), including the tension scale.
I'm not sure if I'm explaining this very well, but the problem that now
stands is that when I turn the tension lever, the tension scale which used
to be stationary (relative to the little indicator washer) is now moving and
the upper wheel is moving all the way until it wedges against the upper
wheel housing.
I took the wheel off and there doesn't seem to be any means of clamping the
tension scale/wheel assembly in place (which wouldn't make sense to me
anyway, as if done, how would you put tension on the blade?). I looked at
it from every which way for about 45 minutes and I can't see what the heck
is wrong.
Anyone every have this happen or can tell me what I'm missing and how to fix
it??
Thanks!
Mike
Mystic, CT
It seems you are describing the way things are supposed to work when there
is no blade on the saw. It is the blade which resists, limiting the travel
and compressing the spring.
If you have a blade in the saw, it's too long.
"Mike in Mystic" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I'm not sure if I'm explaining this very well, but the problem that now
> stands is that when I turn the tension lever, the tension scale which used
> to be stationary (relative to the little indicator washer) is now moving
and
> the upper wheel is moving all the way until it wedges against the upper
> wheel housing.
>
> I took the wheel off and there doesn't seem to be any means of clamping
the
> tension scale/wheel assembly in place (which wouldn't make sense to me
> anyway, as if done, how would you put tension on the blade?). I looked at
> it from every which way for about 45 minutes and I can't see what the heck
> is wrong.
>
> Anyone every have this happen or can tell me what I'm missing and how to
fix
> it??
I also have the 14incher with riser block and had a similar experience with
the 1/8" blade. I think there is supposed to be that movement in the upper
area... I got the blade to track by adjusting the tracking. The blade ended
up tracking on the edge, not the center, but it worked OK.
I would be curious as to other's experiences.
Don Sforza
Middlebury, CT
'58 Alfa Spider Veloce
'74 Triumph TR6
"Mike in Mystic" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi everyone,
>
> I have a Jet 14" bandsaw with the riser block, which I've had for about
1.5
> years. When I first bought it I put a 1/2" Timberwolf blade on it and in
> all that time have not had to change the blade (I usually resaw with it
> and/or make reasonably large curves, plus I have a scroll saw for really
> tight radii).
>
> Anyway, for my current project I decided to switch out the 1/2" blade and
> put a 1/8" blade on it. I have a quick-tension lever and so I removed the
> 1/2" blade just fine and put the 1/8" in place and put tension up to that
> point using the JET tension scale. I was rotating the upper wheel by hand
> to check the tracking when the blade suddenly jumped off the wheel with a
> horrendous BANG!
>
> When I examined the situation, I found that the blade had become wedged
> between the upper wheel and the housing. What's worse, the upper wheel
had
> somehow been pushed ABOVE the housing - not good. I was able to extricate
> the blade easily enough, but when I removed the tension with the tension
> lever, I found that the entire wheel assembly was moving (which I thought
> was what always happens anyway?), including the tension scale.
>
> I'm not sure if I'm explaining this very well, but the problem that now
> stands is that when I turn the tension lever, the tension scale which used
> to be stationary (relative to the little indicator washer) is now moving
and
> the upper wheel is moving all the way until it wedges against the upper
> wheel housing.
>
> I took the wheel off and there doesn't seem to be any means of clamping
the
> tension scale/wheel assembly in place (which wouldn't make sense to me
> anyway, as if done, how would you put tension on the blade?). I looked at
> it from every which way for about 45 minutes and I can't see what the heck
> is wrong.
>
> Anyone every have this happen or can tell me what I'm missing and how to
fix
> it??
>
> Thanks!
>
>
> Mike
> Mystic, CT
>
>
Thank George,
I was overlooking the obvious. I was so consumed with how the wheel had
been thrust up past the wheel housing, that when I was retensioning the
blade I didn't even notice that the blade had fallen behind the lower wheel
and no tension was being applied to it. The way the tension scale thing had
been wedged up to its limits made, as well as the very loud noise when the
blade slipped off the wheel, made me think something had to have broken.
Anyway, thanks for reminding me to look for the simple solutions!
Mike