I have a Timberwolf 1/2″ 4TPI blade on my Griz G555 bandsaw. As some will recall, I had encountered problems previously with blade drift. This had seemed to disappear with my TW blade. However, I have recently been doing a fair amount of resawing and while I was resawing some 5″ hard maple, the blade once again began to drift.
I had initially put this down to the wood, however when I was resawing some 5″ poplar I had the same result and also a burning smell. I have the 1/2″ blade set at tension for a 3/8″ blade.
Is the problem a result of undertensioning ? I had set up the blade as best I can according to the TW instructions and all had been working fine for a while. I should add that I’ve also resawn a bunch of walnut with this blade, but I really don’t think I’ve done enough to wear it out.
According to the TW website my problems may be due to inadequate set. Am I correct in thinking that this implies I should really be using a 3TPI blade ? Would this be enough to cause the problems I’m experiencing ?
My blade seems to have had a very short life span, which is a problem I’ve had repeatedly. Any insights to this would be gatefully received.
Thanks in advance
Simon
Replies
The Timber Wolf blades aren't supposed to require a lot of tension, so I think you're probably okay there. You may want to cross-check the tension gauge: With the upper guide retracted to expose about 6" of blade, pressing sideways on the blade with your index finger, using "moderate" force, should deflect it by 1/8-1/4".
A 3 tpi blade (or even 2 tpi) is definitely better for cuts where the wood is more than 2" thick. Nevertheless, you should still be able to get decent results with a 4 tpi blade. How does the blade look? Are the gullets and faces of the teeth clean and free from pitch? A dirty blade will drastically reduce the cutting ability, much more than you would think it could. You smell burning wood, but can you see what's burning? How about the quality of the cut? Are the surfaces reasonably smooth and even?
As for tracking, how do the tires look? Rubber tires do get old and flabby; I replaced my 3-year-old rubber tires with polyurethane ones and got an immediate improvement in blade stability.
-Steve
I think the blade may be a little dirty. I tried lubricating it was Pam, as TW suggested. I think that may be a cause of my problems. Could I clean it with Goo-Gone maybe ?
My lower tyre is definitely due to be replaced, now I've taken a look, it's definitely a little cracked.
Thanks for your input
Simon
You can try the Goo Gone, but there are other cleaners that would probably work better. Simple Green (widely available in North America; I don't know about Europe) is one that works well. There are also dedicated blade cleaners sold by the various woodworking supply places.
-Steve
The Goo-Gone is basically citrus oil and should do about as well as Simple Green. Probably Orange peels that are waste after peeled for commercial juice, etc. Citrus oil is an excellent grease, etc. cleaner and entirely safe if swallowed.
But... the Goo-Gone may have other additives that negate the above. BTW.. get the tire replaced if cracked.. It is a potential problem in that state and could be the main problem with the drift or burn. Maybe.. maybe not? You just have to follow the trouble-shooting ladder to isolate the cause.
Good luck...
Sarge..
fair amount of resawing hard maple....drift...blade could be dull, that happens quick when resawing, new blade or not...Jimmy
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled