Adjusting your Metalworking Band Saw

By: Gord Thorogood

Metal cutting Band saws usually have the facility to be adjusted back to the original settings and will require these adjustments occasionally, depending on the frequency of use.

Adjustments should be done in the following order:

1 - Remove the blade and clean the drive and idler wheels of all oils and foreign materials. Saws that are capable of using water soluble oils will leave an oily residue on the driving surface of the wheels when the water evaporates, causing the blade to slip off when the saw is under load.

2 - Using the blade as a gauge, check the guide bearings to ensure that they move freely and are not tight on the blade. The blade should be able to slide between the bearings without the bearings rotating when you hold the bearings with your fingers. The bearings are mounted on eccentric shafts and can be adjusted quite readily.

3 - Mount the blade on the machine and check the blade tracking. If the tracking needs adjusting there are usually set screws near the idler wheel axle to change the attitude of the axle. When these screws change the attitude of the axle this will cause the blade to track either further on the wheel or move off the wheel.

4 - When the blade is tracking properly, adjust the bearing guides to twist the blade into a vertical position. When you do a test cut you may have to readjust the guides to give a 90-degree to the blade. When both the vertical and horizontal settings are 90-degree you should get accurate square cuts. You should select the proper blade and speed setting for the material you are going to cut.

Remember each time you use your machine the conditions may require sane change in the machine, perhaps a different speed or a different blade. If you make these changes then you can expect the machine to operate at its fullest potential.

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