Can the Shopsmith Bandsaw Be Quieted

[dusty]

I don't intend to argue the point but I am going to make a statement based on my own observations this past week.

I have been running WITHOUT the upper and lower backup bearings in an effort to isolate the sources of unwanted noise. The upper and lower backup bearing are not needed to prevent the blade from running off the back of the wheels. The auto-track bearing handles that task real well. Having said that, I have NOT been cutting wood when configured in this manner.

As for adjustments that need to be made when changing blade sizes....only the cool blocks and of course tension.

I'll get back on the original task of quieting my machines when I get the new (7x22x10) backup bearings from VXB.

[ChrisNeilan]

I have two Shopsmith bandsaws. One is pretty quit, one louder (much). The one with the new bearings is the louder one. I'll detail the differences later with photos...

[Gene Howe]

Just ran 64 linear ft of 5"wide white oak with nary a squeal. Just used an "L" board clamped to the table for a fence. No need to adjust for drift cuz there ain't none! I'm tellin' ya...it's the Carter guides. They are the best thing I've ever done to my band saw.....well, adding a dust port and a hole to tighten and loosen the blade were nifty mods, too.

[jsburger]

I don't intend to argue the point but I am going to make a statement based on my own observations this past week.

I have been running WITHOUT the upper and lower backup bearings in an effort to isolate the sources of unwanted noise. The upper and lower backup bearing are not needed to prevent the blade from running off the back of the wheels. The auto-track bearing handles that task real well. Having said that, I have NOT been cutting wood when configured in this manner.

As for adjustments that need to be made when changing blade sizes....only the cool blocks and of course tension.

I'll get back on the original task of quieting my machines when I get the new (7x22x10) backup bearings from VXB.

I would not expect the blade to run off the wheels if you are not cutting wood. The AUTO tracking bearing on the SS maintains tracking as opposed to the tracking adjustment on other band saws.

The backup bearings are there to prevent the blade from being pushed off the wheels when pressure is applied to the blade during cutting. JPG says that means they are positioning the blade. If a free running blade does not need the backup bearings to track properly then they are not doing any positioning. They simply keep the blade on the wheels when pressure is applied during cutting. By the same token there is no reason for the upper bearing to be positioned slightly behind the blade when the saw is running free. If that is done when you cut the blade is pushed back against the upper bearing and significantly increases the pressure on the lower bearing. Maybe that is causing the squeal some people have. I installed the LDH double upper and lower backup bearing mod. Both bearings are adjusted to just barely touch the back of the blade when free running. No squeal here ever.

[benush26]

Would insulating the covers help?

If my worthless leech cousin keeps his promise to clean all his crap out of my garage next week, ( Yah right! ) I should be able to get back into the garage and start on projects which have been backed up for nearly a year.

Last Fall I bought the Carter bearing guides and Bill's bearing kit to put on bandsaw #1, and will try a unique location for dust extraction, however I had made plans to add sound absorbing material to both the metal and plastic covers.

Is it possible that the covers act as echo reverb chambers therefore increasing the noise from bearings or metal rubbing, etc which are squealing?

If, and at the moment it's a BIG if I get some work space back, I'll try different material to see if anything helps and report back here.

Bandsaw #2 will stay as a 1/16" blade only. I will add the Carter upper bearing, so not concerned about any noise coming from it, but may try some noise deadening materials on it, also.

Be well,
Ben

[dusty]

Yes, I do believe that the installation of some sound deadening material would change the noise issue but is it worth the effort?

[jsburger]

Yes, I do believe that the installation of some sound deadening material would change the noise issue but is it worth the effort?

I don't think it is worth the effort. I think the LDH bearing upgrade and the Carter blade guides will do much more than spray foam. The other more important thing is the cuts will be more smooth an accurate.

[JPG]

Ahh, but eliminating those 'non-show-stoppers' was a design goal at the time.

[claimdude]

Here are the links I mentioned above.

https://youtu.be/fblBc33CXqI

https://youtu.be/YUWJRIuPqKo

Ed

Ed,

I did the dual bearing upgrade on my bandsaw early last year. Replaced all the bearings on the table side with dual bearings centered on the balde and the bearing at the back of the machine that was a dual bearing already. Before the upgrade my bandsaw squealed something fierce. Since the upgrade it sounds like your first video link above. Very quiet to me. Recently I replaced my ceramic guides with the carter upgrade. Very nice upgrade. No noticeable change in noise level but mine already ran quiet enough to suit me. The SS bandsaw I had before this one (I bought it new years ago) also squealed badly. I did not upgrade the bearings on it as I didn't know about the technique at the time.

Jack

[JPG]

FWIW, the wheel bevels are not reversed from the upper wheel cant, but are half it.

I am inclined to think Dusty's saw has near perfect cant for the blade to properly track on the lower wheel with no lower bearing. The upper wheel cant should affect that. Then again, maybe cant is too much reducing the need for the lower bearing.

I be curious if the blade position on the lower wheel is affected by that lower bearing. I am guessing it tracks more towards the rear of the wheel with the lower bearing 'missing'.

If the blade applies minimal pressure to the lower bearing, perhaps that is a recipe for squeal????