Band saw installation

[oldc6]

[ATTACH]26520[/ATTACH][ATTACH][ATTACH]26522[/ATTACH][/ATTACH][ATTACH][ATTACH][ATTACH]26523[/ATTACH][/ATTACH][/ATTACH]everybody likes pictures so, will attempt to attach.
no paper clip on my screen so, tried another way
will see what shows.
SDSMIth has described it quite well.........

[JPG]

Once again the existence of more than one version of the band saw mounting tubes has created confusion.

There are three versions.

1) vintage straight tubes.

2) vintage(but still available) off set tubes that allow way tube clearance for the larger aluminum table.

3) newer eccentric tubes which allow lateral adjustment.

So how do 'we' describe them to avoid confusion?

My 'opinion' is in bold text above.

[db5]

There are three versions.
1) vintage straight tubes.
2) vintage(but still available) off set tubes that allow way tube clearance for the larger aluminum table.
3) newer eccentric tubes which allow lateral adjustment.

Vintage is what era (years)?

I have a band-saw which was part of a Mk. VII (1964) package. (Vintage?). I now have the 2nd Gen. 510. It has problems but works even though things seem to be in alignment. I'm asking this because others may not decipher what the solutions might be. I think mine is not alignment but the bearings.

Yes, I know. I'm a pain in the butt. But if you really knew me you would know that I'm a head-guy not a proctologist. Not the head you frequented in the USMC, but some of the stench is the same. Clean out is a bitch. Burn out is better.

BTW, in future I'm attaching any or multiple icons just to mess with everyone. I think I'll start with this.

[JPG]

Vintage is what era (years)?

I have a band-saw which was part of a Mk. VII (1964) package. (Vintage?). I now have the 2nd Gen. 510. It has problems but works even though things seem to be in alignment. I'm asking this because others may not decipher what the solutions might be. I think mine is not alignment but the bearings.

Yes, I know. I'm a pain in the butt. But if you really knew me you would know that I'm a head-guy not a proctologist. Not the head you frequented in the USMC, but some of the stench is the same. Clean out is a bitch. Burn out is better.

BTW, in future I'm attaching any or multiple icons just to mess with everyone. I think I'll start with this.

Vintage as in 'older' version. In the case of the 'offset' tubes they are the same as the current version.

Back in vintage land, the 'normal'(as opposed to offset) mounting tubes were all straight.


Phyc...whatever, heal thy self!:D

[larryr52]

A bandsaw fitted with offset legs does not need the collars, remove them. The offset tubes seat on the offset and are locked into the Mark V's left side power mount. Vertical alignment is achieved by loosening the set screws in the bandsaw and raising the bandsaw to align the drive hubs then tighten the set screws. Front to rear alignment should be performed prior to vertical alignment.

Thanks, I guess the owners manual is wrong, I don't usually read those things, thanks everyone for your help.

[larryr52]

thanks, I guess the manual is incorrect. I don't usually read them, lesson learned.

[billmayo]

I find the straight tubes for many of the SPTs will have a thin spiral ring around the tube toward one end. This spiral ring tube end always goes into the headrest or base arm to stop downward movement of the tube. Then the SPT is raised or lower on the upper half of the tube and locked down with the SPT set screws when the drive shaft matches the headstock shaft. On a couple of the tubes, I had to cut off of some of the tube upper half to allow the SPT to be lower for the shaft mating. Many times, the mounting tubes are installed backward and locking rings were used to prevent downward movement of the tubes but that is not the correct installation for these tubes.

[dusty]

I find the straight tubes for many of the SPTs will have a thin spiral ring around the tube toward one end. This spiral ring tube end always goes into the headrest or base arm to stop downward movement of the tube. Then the SPT is raised or lower on the upper half of the tube and locked down with the SPT set screws when the drive shaft matches the headstock shaft. On a couple of the tubes, I had to cut off of some of the tube upper half to allow the SPT to be lower for the shaft mating. Many times, the mounting tubes are installed backward and locking rings were used to prevent downward movement of the tubes but that is not the correct installation for these tubes.

When were the SPT tubes straight? I cannot imagine how straight tubes ever worked. I always have to tweak the eccentric tubes to achieve left/right alignment.

If the Mark 7 owners report that straight tubes work, I would not be surprised. With a headrest at both ends of the tubes (rather than a base arm assembly) I would understand near perfect alignment.

PS: I just checked my eccentric tubes to verify how I have them installed. Three sets have the "short end" down with the "long end" up into the SPT. I am not saying this is "right" but it is the way mine have always been. I use stop collars on those in the bandsaws and belt sander but not on the jointer. I did not check the orientation of the tubes in the jointer. That is more lifting than I am willing to do just for curiosity.

[JPG]

The reason one has to tweak the eccentric tubes is because of their presence.

With straight tubes, the tolerances of the base of the SPT(s) is the only variable(other than the headstock etc.). That is, all the SPTs should align the same(right or wrong). The jointer is itself adjustable.

But with straight tubes getting proper alignment is not easy. Adjusting the screw under the rear way tubes has been suggested(by Nick no less), but I consider that screw's purpose to be for an altogether different and conflicting purpose(tubes parallel).

That leaves the base mounting to the bench tubes as the only way to shift the alignment front to rear by 'twisting' the base on the tubes in a horizontal plane.

Because of all that, the eccentric tubes were introduced by SS Inc. as an 'improvement'. I am guessing the die cast parts are cheaper also.

[BuckeyeDennis]

[quote="JPG"]The reason one has to tweak the eccentric tubes is because of their presence.

With straight tubes, the tolerances of the base of the SPT(s) is the only variable(other than the headstock etc.). That is, all the SPTs should align the same(right or wrong). The jointer is itself adjustable.

But with straight tubes getting proper alignment is not easy. Adjusting the screw under the rear way tubes has been suggested(by Nick no less), but I consider that screw's purpose to be for an altogether different and conflicting purpose(tubes parallel).

That leaves the base mounting to the bench tubes as the only way to shift the alignment front to rear by 'twisting' the base on the tubes in a horizontal plane.

Because of all that, the eccentric tubes were introduced by SS Inc. as an 'improvement'. I am guessing the die cast parts are cheaper also.]

And besides, I strongly suspect that the SS coupler was designed to tolerate a fair amount of SPT misalignment. I do believe that the current coupler design dates back to the straight mounting tube days. So were the eccentric mounting tubes a clever solution to a nonexistent problem?

With eccentric tubes making near-perfect alignment possible, the couplers could probably be considerable shorter. On the flip side, the combination of good alignment and a long coupler may well contribute to the virtually unlimited coupler life that most of us enjoy.