Delta Rockwell 28-100 blade adjustment

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MikeH

New User
Mike
I had a thread a long time ago that asked about the proper blade length for my bandsaw. I broke a really dull blade last week and needed a new blade so I measured the one that broke. It was right at 72" so I happened to be at Lowes and found a blade that was a good price and it was 72 7/16. I thought to myself.... "72 7/16 is pretty close to 72 isn't too far from 72". It "should" work right?"

Well it fits on the bandsaw, but I can't for the life of me get the blade to track correctly. No matter how I adjust the top wheel the blade wants to ride on the edge of the bottom wheel and not on the tire.

I probably already know the answer, but I'm going to ask anyway. I have the wrong size blade don't I? Go ahead... I can take it.

Thanks for reading.
 

FredP

Fred
Corporate Member
your first mistake was buying the blade at lowes :eusa_doh:........ if you can tension the blade the size is in range IMO. I just don't believe 7/16" would be a show stopper.
 

ehpoole

Administrator
Ethan
It all depends on how much headroom you have in tensioning. Some bandsaws have a tensioning limiter that intentionally limits how much tension a user can place on a proper length blade so as to prevent a novice from permanently damaging the bandsaw through excessive tension. However, when an over-length blade is installed this tensioning limiter can prevent you from adding the necessary tension because more vertical travel (in this case 7/32" or ~1/4") is required than typical. On some bandsaws this limiter is a simple bolt that serves as a stop and can be adjusted by the user, on others it may be an integral fixed element in which case there is no opportunity for adjustment.

Regardless, your bandsaw's tensioning gauge will read incorrectly with over-length blades, so you will have to tension your new blade by either the deflection or tone methods. That your blade is not tracking properly suggests that there is likely inadequate tension on the blade.

In the future, there are plenty of vendors online -- and perhaps some in your area -- that will manufacture you a new blade of any length you specify and will have a wider variety of blade types to choose from and their prices are often reasonable, especially if you order several at once so that shipping represents a smaller portion of the per-blade price.
 

MikeH

New User
Mike
It all depends on how much headroom you have in tensioning. Some bandsaws have a tensioning limiter that intentionally limits how much tension a user can place on a proper length blade so as to prevent a novice from permanently damaging the bandsaw through excessive tension. However, when an over-length blade is installed this tensioning limiter can prevent you from adding the necessary tension because more vertical travel (in this case 7/32" or ~1/4") is required than typical. On some bandsaws this limiter is a simple bolt that serves as a stop and can be adjusted by the user, on others it may be an integral fixed element in which case there is no opportunity for adjustment.

Regardless, your bandsaw's tensioning gauge will read incorrectly with over-length blades, so you will have to tension your new blade by either the deflection or tone methods. That your blade is not tracking properly suggests that there is likely inadequate tension on the blade.

In the future, there are plenty of vendors online -- and perhaps some in your area -- that will manufacture you a new blade of any length you specify and will have a wider variety of blade types to choose from and their prices are often reasonable, especially if you order several at once so that shipping represents a smaller portion of the per-blade price.

Thanks Ethan. When I get the blade tight the tensioner looks like it will hit the cover if I put the front cover back on. This is leading me to the conclusion that the blade should be shorter than 72 and that blade that broke could have stretched. It has been on there for 5 years or more. I'm going to lower the tensioner and to midpoint adjustment and actually measure this time. I'll keep everyone posted.
 

MikeH

New User
Mike
Well after spending an hour last night trying to get the blade to stay on the wheels I've determined that the wheels don't line up. :BangHead: I'm so ready for a nice bandsaw. Anyone have a spare bandsaw they aren't using? :gar-Bi The only thing I can think of is taking one of the wheels off and adding washer if I can to get the wheels coplanar.

Thoughts?
 

jhreed

New User
james
I have a Delta 14" older enclosed stand if you are interested. I suspect you have a blade that was not welded true. The old blade tracked ok (am I correct) if so, the saw is probably not the problem.
 

MikeH

New User
Mike
I have a Delta 14" older enclosed stand if you are interested. I suspect you have a blade that was not welded true. The old blade tracked ok (am I correct) if so, the saw is probably not the problem.

I've tried 2 different blades. One from Lowes and the other is a Timber wolf from woodcraft and no matter what I do they both come off.

How much are you asking for the band saw?


Sent from my Droid on Tapatalk 2
 

MikeH

New User
Mike
By the way... the blade always comes off the front of the lower wheel. even if they track in the center of the tire when turning by hand as soon as I turn it on the blade will come off the bottom wheel. If you standing in front of the bandsaw and you hold a straight edge against both wheels the lower wheel is towards the back of the bandsaw. I think if I take the lower wheel off and maybe add a couple washers I can bring the wheel towards the front of the bandsaw and bring the wheels coplanar.

Thoughts?
 

FredP

Fred
Corporate Member
Well after spending an hour last night trying to get the blade to stay on the wheels I've determined that the wheels don't line up. :BangHead: I'm so ready for a nice bandsaw. Anyone have a spare bandsaw they aren't using? :gar-Bi The only thing I can think of is taking one of the wheels off and adding washer if I can to get the wheels coplanar.

Thoughts?

Anyone have a spare bandsaw they aren't using?


yes but it aint a cheap one. PM for details.
does the blade stay on? does it cut? perfectly centered on the wheels is nice but not necessarily needed.
 

Roy G

Roy
Senior User
Have you looked at the tires and seen if they are crowned? Older tires often lose their crown and then the blades don't track in the center. I have a General 15" saw and the wheels have a built in crown. If you replace the tires on it, the crown is automatically put into the tires, so your blade tracks properly. Your saw may be the same.

Roy G
 

MikeH

New User
Mike
The tires are new within a couple years and they still have the crown and they are rubber.

Sent from my Droid on Tapatalk 2
 
Last edited:

Weekendworrior

New User
Bill
Maybe the old girl just needs some TLC. I'm operating with a 1983 10" Skil bandsaw my father recently gave to me. I took it apart and rebuilt it. Parts are obsolete but I'm also a machinist and a fabricator so I simply make my own parts when needed.

If you want to retire you saw let me know as I may be interested in buying it. If you're interested in having it rebuilt let me know and we'll go from there.
 

Joe Scharle

New User
Joe
I didn't mean the tires, I meant the actual wheels. In the late 70s or early 80s a friend bought a 10" bandsaw that had genuine plastic wheels and something went bad with those. I think one or both warped, causing the band to throw off frequently. I can't remember the make.
 

MikeH

New User
Mike
I didn't mean the tires, I meant the actual wheels. In the late 70s or early 80s a friend bought a 10" bandsaw that had genuine plastic wheels and something went bad with those. I think one or both warped, causing the band to throw off frequently. I can't remember the make.

No the wheels look like they are cast iron.

Sent from my Droid on Tapatalk 2
 

MikeH

New User
Mike
Maybe the old girl just needs some TLC. I'm operating with a 1983 10" Skil bandsaw my father recently gave to me. I took it apart and rebuilt it. Parts are obsolete but I'm also a machinist and a fabricator so I simply make my own parts when needed.

If you want to retire you saw let me know as I may be interested in buying it. If you're interested in having it rebuilt let me know and we'll go from there.

So I took the lower drive wheel apart on Saturday and once I had the drive shaft out I think I found the issue. 50 years of use with what looks like little to no grease in between the bushing and the drive shaft have worn a good bit of metal off the drive shaft. I could actually wiggle the wheel up and down with a good bit of play before I took the shaft out. The bad news is they don't make the drive shaft any longer so I'm going to have to have it fabricated. I'll take a pic of it tonight when I get home. They luckily make the bushings so I'll soon be replacing them. I hope this is in fact the cause of the blade not tracking properly. As far as the old blade goes it ran on the wheels but I think it was only because I had the tension cranked so tight it couldn't come off the wheels. Updates to come once I can get a drive shaft fabricated.
 

MikeH

New User
Mike
Here is what the drive shaft looks like. You can see the wear on the shaft and I can also feels grooves in the bushings. I will be greasing it on a regular basis once I get a new drive shaft fabricated.

IMG_31392.JPG


IMG_31402.JPG


I also measured the shaft as best I could and drew it up in sketchup:

Bandsaw_Drive_shaft_-_Sketchup_screenshot.jpg
 
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