Bandsaw blade not tracking in center

dbos1254 · Post by **dbos1254** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 1:34 pm

I can not get my bandsaw blade to track in the center of both wheels. I replaced the rubber tires with urethane and replaced the guide bearings . The auto track bearings were double ,but the other bearings were single.(as sold by SS). I reviewed a post that told how to check alignments and I have the blade centering between the auto track bearings and centered on the upper and lower bearings. The blade will stay pretty close to the middle on the lower wheel, but rides toward the inside edge on the upper wheel.(the edge closest to the shopsmith motor). It stays on the tire but just barely. When I put a straight edge on the lower wheel and run it up to the upper wheel ,the top of the upper wheel is off the straight edge 1/4 inch. Should these wheels be on the same plane? Is there an adjustment?

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:24 pm

The Shopsmith bandsaw is not like other bandsaws whose blade tracks in the center of the wheels. On the Shopsmith, as you stand in front of the bandsaw as if you're using it, the blade tracks toward the back of the upper wheel. It's held in place there by the bearing on the left near the tensioning mechanism and the lower bearing under the table. The bearing above the table only contacts the blade when you're cutting wood.

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:31 pm

dbos1254 wrote:When I put a straight edge on the lower wheel and run it up to the upper wheel ,the top of the upper wheel is off the straight edge 1/4 inch. Should these wheels be on the same plane? Is there an adjustment?

I think that the .25" is excessive, But I'd leave it alone. No the wheels should knot be in the same plane. Ya might want to do some reading here.

https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=8542

maggeorge · Post by **maggeorge** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 4:22 pm

This link might be helpful also

http://bandsawblog.com/waysto-properly- ... saw-blade/

Good luck!

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 6:54 pm

maggeorge wrote:This link might be helpful also

http://bandsawblog.com/waysto-properly-track-band-saw-blade/

Good luck!

It would be best if owners of the Shopsmith Band Saw refrain from reading that!

It describes adjustments and details that simply do not exist on the Shopsmith Band Saw.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 7:32 pm

If you would place the straight edge across the UPPER wheel and it sticks out from the lower wheel by 1/4" that's just about right for running.

Yes, the blade should track near the back of the upper tire.

bosox · Post by **bosox** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 9:56 am

Position the bracket properly so the blade will be centered.
It would be best to verify if the all the adjustments are correct.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 2:46 pm

The blade guide bearing and bracket are only adjustable to center the bearing to the blade which should be tangent to both wheels.

There is no adjustment for 'centering the blade on the wheel'.

tentionfree · Post by **tentionfree** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 6:37 am

Dear the blade should track near the back of the upper tire....

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 8:44 am

JPG40504 wrote:The blade guide bearing and bracket are only adjustable to center the bearing to the blade which should be tangent to both wheels.

There is no adjustment for 'centering the blade on the wheel'.

Because the blade is not suppose to track in the center of the wheel.

The manual that comes with the bandsaw explains the adjustments very well UNLESS the reader has the preconceived notion that the blade is "tracking wrong" and that is what is going to get "fixed".

Where would one get such a "preconceived notion"? Hmmm - By reading manuals and wood working magazines that are discussing almost any bandsaw other than the Shopsmith Bandsaw.

dbos1254: Read posts #2, #3 and #5 this thread. I think that there is a real good chance that your bandsaw is "right on".