Steel City Bandsaw

[mstoube]

Greetings;

The blade on my Steel City bandsaw jumped on the wheels the other day and I cannot seem to get it back on.  I've release the tension arm and backed the tension dial on top nigh on all the way out and yet the blade "just won't" slip onto both the upper and lower wheels.  I can get it on one wheel, but you'd almost think the blade is about 1-1/2" inches too short which it isn't.  

Any ideas out there on how I fix this?


Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[R Clark]

On my Delta 14", there are times when I loosen the tension and then keep unscrewing the tension knob, but the upper wheel just doesn't move very much.  I think it binds in there somehow.  Only when I "jiggle" the wheel a little does it break loose and move.

Two thoughts:

1.  What I described above.

2.  Is there a chance there's a slight kink in the blade that is preventing reinstallation?  Do you have any idea why it jumped off the wheel?  There's usually a reason it did that.  Do you have another blade you can try?

[iclark]

In addition to WxMan's suggestions (good ones), it can be difficult to see the lower guides when you are installing a blade. If the blade does not slip into the upper and lower guides properly, then the blade will act like it is too short.

[mstoube]

In addition to WxMan's suggestions (good ones), it can be difficult to see the lower guides when you are installing a blade. If the blade does not slip into the upper and lower guides properly, then the blade will act like it is too short.

so far, no joy.  wiggling the upper wheel doesn't make it drop down at all.  I can get the blade between the upper and lower guides just fine, but then I can't get it onto the upper wheel at the rear of the machine.

I was backing out a bit of a cut as to not ruin the piece I was cutting when the blade jumped.  Even going to another blade makes no difference as to getting it on the wheels. 

Even using some rubber mallet persuasion doesn't make the upper wheel drop down at all, and removing the nut and washer on the face doesn't seem to release the wheel for me to remove it.

[mstoube]

New information. apparently the mechanism that tensions via the lever had become "goobered up" completely loosening the upper blade size tensioner and using a mallet and chunk of wood, I was able to persuade the mechanism to move down where it should have gone by itself and got my blade on!

Thanks to all for the suggestions!

[R Clark]

New information.  apparently the mechanism that tensions via the lever had become "goobered up"  completely loosening the upper blade size tensioner and using a mallet and chunk of wood, I was able to persuade the mechanism to move down where it should have gone by itself and got my blade on!

Thanks to all for the suggestions!

Glad to hear that you got it straightened out.

Now you're going to shame me into going out and cleaning my bandsaw!

[Stwood_]

I was gonna say, it has to be because of the upper wheel not sliding down all the way.
Glad you got it going.

[TDKPE]

Just be sure the slide actually slides easily, or the tensioning screw will load the spring but not transfer all of the force to the wheel hub and from there to the blade.