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laguna 1412 blade tracking

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1412 laguna laguna 1412 question
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9.6K views 28 replies 14 participants last post by  tvrgeek  
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Ok-another one of my (continual) issues with the 1412 bandsaw. I put a 3/4" resaw blade on it today. The blade tracked to the back (closed side) of the saw. I loosened up the blade tracking knob just a bit and the flywheel 'flopped' down like it had fallen out of its bearing/bushing. After messing around with the blade tension and the tracking knob I was able to get the blade to track.

The floppyiness of the flywheel didn't seem right. Should the flywheel seem like it's going to fall completely out of the saw when the tracking knob is loosened / adjusted. One thing I noticed s that the tracking screw is almost all the way out of the housing. IIRC that was the only way I could get a blade to track when I was setting up the saw originally. I also had an issue where I had to adjust the bottom wheel because of tracking issues - it wasn't coplaner with the top wheel. I had to call the Laguna customer support to help me get that resolved. It's very likely the whole thing is still screwed up.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get the wheels coplaner and the 'floppyness' taken out of the flywheel when the tracking knob is adjusted. I'm (still) really really really frustrated with this saw.
Thanks!!
 
#5 · (Edited by Moderator)
Are you calling the top wheel the "flywheel"? The 1412 takes a 115" blade. There should be no flopping. My 1412 tracked perfectly with zero drift out of the box 2 years ago and still does. Was your saw new in the box or was it used or a demo where people have played with the adjustments? Did you watch the Laguna 1412 setup videos? The wheels don't need to be coplanar. Snodgrass will explain this in his video. Laguna says the blade should track in the center of the upper wheel (even though Alex Snodgrass says the gullet should be in the center of the wheel). When changing blades from 3/4 to 1/2 to 1/4" there is only a very slight adjustment of the tracking knob. The tensioning doesn't affect the tracking. Move the upper and lower guides out of the way, de-tension, change blade, re-tension for the new blade and adjust tracking then the guides. I love this saw and know it well.

Image


One adjustment you can make is to slightly loosen the nut that adjusts the tension lever slide in the picture below. It allows the top wheel to slide down for blade changing.* Here is a quick video.
Image


The tension "meter" is only attached by magnets and can move so I drew a line under mine with a marker to make sure it's where it's supposed to be.
Image


1/2" blade tracking in the center of the upper wheel.
Image


The blade doesn't track in the center of the bottom wheel so they are not coplanar and don't need to be.
Image
 
#7 ·
Andy is 100% correct. I have purchased and used both a 1412 and a 14bx. Never had any such problems. I have found Laguna support extremely helpful so would definitely call them. I use multiple blades on the Laguna from 1/8" (with Carter stabilizer) to the 3/4" Resaw King. At first I was hesitant about changing blades but now I change the blades often and very easily. Occasionally I have to slightly adjust the tracking knob but usually not. Both are amazing saws in my opinion. I would also echo Andy's advice to look at all the Laguna support 1412 youtube videos. And the Snodgrass video addresses the non importance of coplanarity.
 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
Yes. With no blade on there that is normal. So the floppyness and "coplanarity" are non issues so after you watch the Laguna and Snodgrass vids let's figure out what if any issues you really have and get you cutting. What is the saw not doing properly for you? Does it drift? Is the table flat and square to the blade? I can resaw any 12" tall wood down to at least 1/16" with my Resaw King blade as long as everything is square and properly adjusted. If you can't let's figure out why and fix it.
 
A
#10 ·
Not to threadjack - but since this has been dormant for a month and there are obviously VERY experienced folks on this thread - I'm having a similar issue and it's completely killed my productivity for the weekend so far.

I'm using a today-days-old Timberwolf 1/2" 3tpi 115" blade. I had the same blade on it before, but hit some metal in a piece of wood and caused the blade to dull (so I thought, because that's when this problem started). Went out same day and bought a new blade.

My 1412 is tracking heavily towards the fence, cutting wood into wedges instead of straight lines. I've had it a few years and it's never been this bad.

I've checked that everything is square and tension is correct, adjusted my fence (ran some 2"x2"x8" pieces freehand on a drawn line to figure out tracking, marked the table, adjusted fence accordingly. I had to adjust the fence with as much angle as the 3 adjustment bolts would allow. That didn't make any difference. It still tracks into the fence to a point that it either pulls away in the rear or the blade will track all the way into the fence.

I've tried running the blade on dead center of the upper wheel and on the center of the blade gullet. Both with the same results.

Guides are 1/16" behind the gullets and just off of the rear guide. Everything turns freely.

Without the fence, running wood through the blade on a straight line requires the wood to be at a decently strong angle off of 'square' to follow the line. More so than I can (or should) be adjusting the fence to accommodate.

Can anyone thing of anything that I've missed? I have an entire shop sitting dormant until I can fix this issue, as I can't produce the product I make without being able to cut accurate thin slices on the bandsaw.

Thank you!!!!
 
#14 · (Edited by Moderator)
Maybe we can figure this out together. I've had my 1412 for 2 years and the other week a chunk of something somehow got past the blade guard and stopped the blade dead in it's tracks. Since then I've had this feeling that something is now not right but I've been afraid to check. Let us know what Laguna support says. It tracked perfectly with no drift right out of the box for the past 2 years. I have always tracked the blade (not the gullet) in the center of the wheel.
 
B
#16 ·
It looks and sounds like something is broken or maybe way out of adjustment on your saw trsnider. In the video you posted, that play/looseness in the upper wheel is absolutely not normal. The upper wheel on my saw has no play at all.

Did you attempt to adjust the upper wheel on your saw to try to make it coplanar with the bottom wheel? if so, what prompted you to do that? Do some bandsaws require that the upper and lower wheels be coplanar?

I have a 1412 and (knock on wood) it works perfectly. I track the blade so that the crown of the wheel is just behind the gullet in the blade. I adjust the guides so that they are very close to the blade but not so close that they drag significantly on the blade. I use a cigarette paper or a dollar bill to get the right gap. It's a little fussy.

I've never checked to see if the wheels on my saw are coplanar. Maybe I'm lucky, but I've never had to adjust my fence to compensate for blade drift-no matter what blade width I use (1/4, 1/2, 3/4).

I hope you figure out the problem and are able to fix it.
 
A
#18 ·
I am no expert here, but I think that the store where I bought my laguna 1412 is. They sell enough of them that they were able to buy a large quantity and sell them for $999 in Nov - Dec. The salesman there said you do have to pay attention to the lower wheel to get the blade to track properly. He wrote a detailed procedure on how to adjust it if you need to. I can scan and email it if you want. I haven't gotten mine set up yet so I dont know. I'm new here and not sure how this works here to contact me, maybe someone can help?
 
#19 · (Edited by Moderator)
Adam one possibility is the table moved. I'm not familiar with the trunnions on that laguna saw. So take this for what it's worth.
If the table is loose on the trunnions and rotatedin the wrong direction it will put the tracking of the blade out of wack. With the fence.
A good way to check or set the alignment is to install a wide blade on the saw. Then use a good straight 12 ruler up against the side of the try not to touch the teeth. The ruler should be parallel with the miter, slot hopefully you saw table has one.
Good Luck
 
#21 ·
Forgive me as I am very new to bandsaws, but could the "hit" have bent something with the guides? Have you tried backing off the guides completely to see it's natural tracking? How about a strait edge to see if the band is parallel to the table?

Watching intently as I am 99% sure I wil be buying a 1412 to replace my 10 inch Delta. I did get the Delta to track after following the Snodgrass advice but still want a "real" saw. Guides being fussy is my hold back. That is why I keep thinking about the Rikon
 
B
#22 ·
In the video you posted, that play/looseness in the upper wheel is absolutely not normal.
- Bill_Steele

Gotta respectfully disagree. With no blade on it mine has the same play. It s just pivoting on the tracking adjustment. Don t have time to make another video but that is normal.

- Andybb
Click to expand...
I was wrong. Thank you for respectfully disagreeing-I appreciate it. I checked last night and to my surprise-when the upper wheel is not under tension it definitely moves just like yours in the video-I couldn't believe it. My saw tracks straight despite this and I can resaw to a consistent thickness throughout.
 
#25 ·
Unfortunately Laguna support isn't available on the weekend. So I'm still diagnosing the problem. I installed another blade and increased the blade tension quite a bit. Feels like it's doing better, but the cut is far from clean. Will keep working on it.

- Adam12Hicks
Click to expand...
Adam, watch that Alex Snodgrass video linked above. A couple things from what you have said. Since it got a little better with more blade tension. Typically a blade drift issue like you have is a tension issue. No two blades are exact. Sold as 115", But as they are made by a human, one is 115, the next 115-1/4", ore 114-7/8". so you will have some different tension with each new blade.
Also already mentioned about the table getting bumped. As Alex's video shows a simple block of wood cut test to makes sure the table is square to the blade.
Back it all off, and readjust from scratch.
good luck.
 
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