Aligning Bandsaw (CI table) with power shaft?

fitzhugh · Post by **fitzhugh** » Fri May 16, 2014 9:11 pm

The instructions I've found in the PDF bandsaw instruction manual shows eccentric mounting tubes* that provide 1/4 inch offset each way for aligning with the power shaft. My bandsaw, a cast iron table, bushing instead of ball bearings, older model, has simple straight mounting tubes. It also is out of line with the power shaft horizontally by about 5/8 inch - quite a lot.

How do I align the bandsaw? It seems more than I'd want the coupler to make up for.

*Not the significantly offset tubes that Shopsmith sells that allow some later models to raise to drill press mode without removing the bandsaw. The instructions show tubes that are just a little offset.

Fitzhugh

billmayo · Post by **billmayo** » Fri May 16, 2014 10:29 pm

fitzhugh wrote:The instructions I've found in the PDF bandsaw instruction manual shows eccentric mounting tubes* that provide 1/4 inch offset each way for aligning with the power shaft. My bandsaw, a cast iron table, bushing instead of ball bearings, older model, has simple straight mounting tubes. It also is out of line with the power shaft horizontally by about 5/8 inch - quite a lot.

How do I align the bandsaw? It seems more than I'd want the coupler to make up for.

*Not the significantly offset tubes that Shopsmith sells that allow some later models to raise to drill press mode without removing the bandsaw. The instructions show tubes that are just a little offset.

Fitzhugh

I find that I sometimes have to loosen the tube lock bar bolts and twist the leg to get the shafts to align horizontally. This can take several tries to get close to the horizontal alignment for SPTs with straight mounting tubes. I have a jig saw body with straight tubes that I use to do this alignment each time I am assembling a Mark V. I use a framing square for the bench tubes first to get me in the ball park and many times this is all I need. Early Mark V manuals had a nice write up with pictures for this alignment but do not find it in later manuals.

fitzhugh · Post by **fitzhugh** » Fri May 16, 2014 11:25 pm

Bill, thanks.

To double check: Do you mean loosen the bolts that hold the left end of the lower tubes to the base and move the whole base in relation to the lower tubes (and everything else)? That would make sense since the bandsaw mounts to the base and isn't lining up with the headtock, which is on the tubes, but I want to make sure first since I just went through a bunch to line up the tubes and all. Guess I didn't do as good a job as I thought!

Fitzhugh

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat May 17, 2014 1:48 am

fitzhugh wrote:Bill, thanks.

To double check: Do you mean loosen the bolts that hold the left end of the lower tubes to the base and move the whole base in relation to the lower tubes (and everything else)? That would make sense since the bandsaw mounts to the base and isn't lining up with the headtock, which is on the tubes, but I want to make sure first since I just went through a bunch to line up the tubes and all. Guess I didn't do as good a job as I thought!

Fitzhugh

Yep! Now to really upset the cart, the jointer uses the lower shaft. It moves laterally with belt tension adjustment. The jointer can be adjusted slightly.

Those 'offset' tubes cure a lot of alignment variations but are not absolutely necessary. What is fun is getting all aligned with multiple SPTs and multiple SS.

fitzhugh · Post by **fitzhugh** » Sat May 17, 2014 3:50 am

Ah, so I guess I should be glad I don't have a jointer? :) I'm going to avoid getting frustrated by admiting to myself that this is all a practice run and that I will no doubt have to redo all the alignment over again once I know how.

I'll try going through the instructions again in the morning. Thanks!

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat May 17, 2014 9:00 am

fitzhugh wrote:Ah, so I guess I should be glad I don't have a jointer? I'm going to avoid getting frustrated by admiting to myself that this is all a practice run and that I will no doubt have to redo all the alignment over again once I know how.

I'll try going through the instructions again in the morning. Thanks!

No, but it is unique in that it can be adjusted for small horizontal alignment(big holes for bearing mount).

fitzhugh · Post by **fitzhugh** » Mon May 19, 2014 7:19 pm

JPG, you're referring to the jointer, not the bandsaw, right?

As far as I can tell the bandsaw has no room for adjustment on the bearing shafts.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Mon May 19, 2014 10:53 pm

fitzhugh wrote:JPG, you're referring to the jointer, not the bandsaw, right?

As far as I can tell the bandsaw has no room for adjustment on the bearing shafts.

Correct!!!!!!!