Blades keep breaking on my bandsaw

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Woodworkingal
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Blades keep breaking on my bandsaw

Post by Woodworkingal »

Hi there new to this site, but not new to woodworking.
My problem is I moved my power station to a different place in my shop and now the blades keep breaking. I'll admit I don't know much about the maintenance but she's been so good for over 20 years I haven't had to do a lot to her. Now I'm going threw blades like crazy. Sad thing is no shopsmith in Canada :(
Any advice?
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JPG
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Re: Blades keep breaking on my bandsaw

Post by JPG »

I am inclined to think the blade breaking is caused by something that moved in the bandsaw when the power station was 'relocated'.

Prime suspects are the blade upper and lower guides which may be pinching the blade (at the weld?).

Sight unseen, that be my guess.
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Woodworkingal
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Re: Blades keep breaking on my bandsaw

Post by Woodworkingal »

Thanks :) wish you were here to tell ;)
All my blades were breaking at the weld except for one.
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beeg
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Re: Blades keep breaking on my bandsaw

Post by beeg »

Woodworkingal wrote:All my blades were breaking at the weld except for one.
Can you check all of the alignments for your bandsaw? Can the blades be replaced because they broke at the weld?
SS 500(09/1980), DC3300, jointer, bandsaw, belt sander, Strip Sander, drum sanders,molder, dado, biscuit joiner, universal lathe tool rest, Oneway talon chuck, router bits & chucks and a De Walt 735 planer,a #5,#6, block planes. ALL in a 100 square foot shop.
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Bob
Woodworkingal
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Re: Blades keep breaking on my bandsaw

Post by Woodworkingal »

I have had the blades replaced because they broke at the weld, but the day I got them back two broke again! I love my lil shopsmith and don't want to retire her as now I finally have two saws and like having one with the 1/8 blade and one with a 3/16 blade for my bandsaw boxes.
My dad was mr maintenance but has passed away and I tried to read the online manual but it's all foreign to me :(
Lol it's like I can drive the car but don't ask me to fix it. What I wouldn't give for someone to give my old girl a once over!
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rjent
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Re: Blades keep breaking on my bandsaw

Post by rjent »

If you are willing to list your location, hopefully we have a member that can give you a hand. Sorry to hear of the dad's passing, sounds like he was integral to your world. Hopefully someone can help you out .... :D
Dick
1965 Mark VII S/N 407684
1951 10 ER S/N ER 44570 -- Reborn 9/16/14
1950 10 ER S/N ER 33479 Reborn July 2016
1950 10 ER S/N ER 39671
1951 jigsaw X 2
1951 !0 ER #3 in rebuild
500, Jointer, Bsaw, Bsander, Planer
2014 Mark 7 W/Lift assist - 14 4" Jointer - DC3300
And a plethora of small stuff .....

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dusty
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Re: Blades keep breaking on my bandsaw

Post by dusty »

Woodworkingal wrote:Hi there new to this site, but not new to woodworking.
My problem is I moved my power station to a different place in my shop and now the blades keep breaking. I'll admit I don't know much about the maintenance but she's been so good for over 20 years I haven't had to do a lot to her. Now I'm going threw blades like crazy. Sad thing is no shopsmith in Canada :(
Any advice?
Please confirm that we are discussing a Shopsmith band saw. How many broken blades are involved? Are the blades properly tensioned?

I would start by backing off the cool blocks so that they do not touch the blade and spinning the wheels by hand while watching the blade. It should track in a relatively consistent path at all times.

Consistently breaking at the weld seems odd if the band saw itself was the problem. Talk to Shopsmith Customer Service about this. Some Shopsmith band saw blades are guaranteed against breaking at the weld. Are these older blades (been around awhile) or heavily used blades?

What size blades seem to break most frequently? I know you said "Power Station" but please confirm that you do not have a "Power Stand"? I am not sure what difference it makes but maybe.
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Woodworkingal
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Re: Blades keep breaking on my bandsaw

Post by Woodworkingal »

I'm in castlegar BC. I miss having shopsmith in Canada. My dad used to work for them, he was a handy guy to have around :)
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rpd
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Re: Blades keep breaking on my bandsaw

Post by rpd »

Woodworkingal wrote: Sad thing is no shopsmith in Canada :(
Any advice?
Welcome aboard.
There is a ShopSmith Canadian Distributor in Ontario, that you can order parts from. All In One Wood Tools
Ron Dyck
==================================================================
10ER #23430, 10ER #84609, 10ER #94987,two SS A-34 jigsaws for 10ER.
1959 Mark 5 #356595 Greenie, SS Magna Jointer, SS planer, SS bandsaw, SS scroll saw (gray), DC3300,
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rpd
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Re: Blades keep breaking on my bandsaw

Post by rpd »

Also here is a link to an online manual for the ShopSmith band saw. Band saw manual
Ron Dyck
==================================================================
10ER #23430, 10ER #84609, 10ER #94987,two SS A-34 jigsaws for 10ER.
1959 Mark 5 #356595 Greenie, SS Magna Jointer, SS planer, SS bandsaw, SS scroll saw (gray), DC3300,
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