[langski93]

I have installed a brand new 1" 3 tpi steel blade on my MM16 bandsaw for the first time ever. Despite spending an inordinate amount of time trying to get proper tracking, the blade significantly skips or "pulses" forward towards me after each revolution in the area of the weld. On each revolution about 4 inches before the weld, the blade moves and then tracks correctly soon after. The rest of the blade is stable and tracks correctly. I have even tried to compensate and push that area of the blade back further toward the center of the upper wheel than the rest of the blade, but that area immediately walks back to its original place. Is this typical on a large blade? I have never used the 1" size. The MM16 wheel is not crowned and the manufacturer instructs the user to have the teeth overhang the wheel by just a fraction. All is well except that one area. Thoughts?

Many Thanks

 

[splintergroup]

I have a MM16 as well..

That really sounds like a bad weld. If you can hold the back of the blade against a long straight edge (like the front rail of a table saw fence), you should be able to see a gap near where you thing the 'bump' is.

Not much you can do to correct it unless you can weld your own blades. Most blade vendors will honor warranties for bad welds.

 

[BillWhite]

Bad weld as was said. Do ya want to use such a wide blade for sure? Most I've ever used is 1/2" 3 tpi. Zips through almost anything I've needed to cut.
Bill

 

[langski93]

Thanks for replies. I had been using a 1/2 generic blade and it worked fine, but I had not done any serious re-sawing and that is why I put the 1" on it. I am going to check it tomorrow with a straight edge. In the meantime, I ordered a 1/2 and 3/4 Woodslicer. I've read good things about them and I want to get used to different sizes. Maybe I'll spring for a carbide tipped blade at some point when I am feeling wealthy.

langski

 

[woodbutcherbynight]

Had a similar problem last year with a blade, contacted manufacture with video using a dial indicator and moving the blade by hand. They claimed the blade weld was good, BUT the seller got involved somehow and the seller sent me a new blade. New one works correctly and no issues since. I even took the blade to someone that has same saw and it did same thing on his saw. He lent me a blade to try on mine, even came over and helped set up. No issues. They mentioned that tension on the blade all the time was bad. I use a Carter Tensioner so this was not the problem either.

 

[WhyMe]

I had a blade with a crown in the back at the weld and when it hit the guide rollers it would jump forward. I clamped the blade between two pieces of wood about 8" long and took a file and flattened out the back for about the whole 8" length. That fixed the problem good enough for me. I emailed the supplier just as a FYI to let them know about the crooked weld and that I was able to file out the hump. They sent me a new blade without me asking for a new one. This is where I got the blade.. http://www.probandsawworks.com/

 

[DrDirt]

yep bad weld
Since it is a 1 inch blade it will be fairly rigid…
you can take the blade and hold it against the flat edge of a 4 foot level with the weld at the center, and see how it rocks/or has a gap, but then also double check that other sections of the blade set flat.

or hold the blade like a hulahoop and rest the weld on the wing of your table saw (teeth up).

if the vendor gives you a hard time about returning it - just get the blade re-welded at a machine shop… will take them maybe 5-10 minutes

Back in high school - our big Delta bandsaw, had a blade welder on the front of it…

they get welded lickity split… then you just have the weld ground down flush.

 

[langski93]

You guys are spot on. I put a straight edge on the section while it was still on the machine (moved the blade guard completely out of the way) and sure enough the blade rides agains the straight edge until I hit the weld section and the blade arcs away from the straight edge for about 12" +-, but really can't detect it without the straight edge. Rather than go thru the hassle of a return and its been in storage since about 8 months ago, I was thinking about bringing it to be repaired. If they have to cut out a section I wonder how much leeway I have. The blade is 154". Any thoughts on this?

 

[splintergroup]

My early model MM16 uses a nominal 12' (144 inch) blade, I can easily go +/- 2" on this and given you have the same diameter wheel, you should have the same range (it should be stated on a sticker near your tension gauge).

A reweld should remove no more than maybe 1/2"

 

[woodbutcherbynight]

Make yourself one of these. Two things, it will help you see the problem, second and probably more useful it can be used in various places in the shop to measure those small "just a tad more" cuts.

For more pics and information try this link

 

[DrDirt]

Langski - the will cut the blade at the weld, then just reweld it straight.

You will lose 1/4 to 1/2 inch of blade from the rewelding.

 

[HorizontalMike]

Depending on just "how bad" the weld is off, there may be another option. If the weld is not off too much, you might try 'stoning' the back of the blade. I have done this on occasion when the back of the blade creates a crown from constantly riding against the rear guide roller. You can tell by running your fingernail across the back of the blade. While doing this, I actually did find the weld slightly off. Stoning fixed that as well.

I have done this while running the BS, and lightly running a well oiled sharpening stone gently on the rear of the blade. Push too hard and you can push the blade off of the wheels, so 'gently' is the operative word here.

FWIW, I run a TW 3-2 3/4" blade on a 14" BS.

Google stoning the back of a bandsaw blade and you can find several different methods/techniques.