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Blade Tension should we relax

Started by catskillpond, October 19, 2011, 06:37:38 PM

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catskillpond

 We got the Grizzly catolog the other day and they make a point of releasing the tension off the blade after shutdown so as not to knit memory into the band. I guess the only reason for not doing it on my end will have to mount a permanent sign on mill to tighten before start up or ill forget. Thanks for any input
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T Welsh

I relax the tension on the sawmill after I am done, but I do not take the tension off the bandsaw in wood shop. I have never had a problem. Tim

paul case

I let my band tension off each time i quit sawing. I have noticed that if I leave it tensioned up, the band will break quicker than normal.  PC
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pc

taw6243

I usually leave about 300 to 400 lbs pressure on band just so it doesn't throw the band off and wreck it if I forget to tighten it.
Tim
4500 hours on my 2004 LT40HDG28, CBN sharpener and auto setter, 25" woodmaster planer with 9'auto leveling bed and trac vac chip handling system, 1998 L3010 kubota, 2010 L3200 kubota Festool TS75 rail saw with 42", 75" and 106" rails.

ladylake

Quote from: T Welsh on October 19, 2011, 06:50:25 PM
I relax the tension on the sawmill after I am done, but I do not take the tension off the bandsaw in wood shop. I have never had a problem. Tim

Same here. Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

woodsy

Reading the Grizzly catalog I assume you are talking about a wood shop band saw and not band sawmill.  I have two floor model band saws in my shop that get used every day and I never relax the tension on either.   15 years I have never had a problem.

The sawmill is a different story, I always relax the tension when not in use, even if breaking for lunch.
LT40HDG38, Logrite T36 log arch, 42 hp Kubota, 6 foot cross cut saw, lots of axes and not enough time

bandmiller2

Its pretty much standard procedure to relieve tension on the band when not in use.Anouther advantage to no tension is it saves the belts on"V" sheeve wheels, tension will tend to egg shape them and cause vibration.You can get away with leaving tension on the mill but its best if relieved. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

Chuck White

On my sawmill, if I'm taking a 15-20 minute break, I will at times back the tension off, but when I'm done for the day, I never leave a band on.
 
Leave the band on overnight and it will usually be rusted wherever it is in contact with the belts.
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
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jason.weir

on a mill with trailer tires (like the Turner), if you don't relax the tension, the tires will go out of round and cause major vibration.

I borrowed a mill that had sat for more than a year under tension and it vibrated so bad it was unusable

I rigged up a flap wheel grinder to grind the tire back round.  Basically I clamped the grinder in place and by hand rotated the tire removing rubber from the high spots - I continued this till the tire was round again...

Probably had to remove 1/8" or more in places.  I did this to both tires and the mill never ran so smooth...

It's far easier to just release the tension - I think the new Turners have some kind of quick release for that purpose..

-J

Brad_bb

When at Woodmizer last week, the salesman made it clear that you need to release tension on the band when you are not using the mill.  Most stationary band saws I've seen do not have a quick release for band tension, and I do not think most people release the tension on those.  Perhaps they are under less tension than a sawmill band?
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Dave Shepard

I always release tension if I'm going to be away for more than a few minutes. Leaving a band tensioned in hot weather can cause a rise in pressure that can damage hydraulic tesioners.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

york

I think that you should even back off tension on shop bandsaws-have a friend who will not back off on his and you should hear it running,loud and vibrates...Not backing off tension will distort the band wheels,it`s called cold-flow...
Albert

Slingshot


    Release the tension and hang an orange flag on the tension handle to
  remember you to tighten it back up. It works.     smiley_smash   :)


__________________________
sling_shot




Bandmill Bandit

I relax the tension when I stop for lunch or to reload the the rollway and at the end of the days. WIth a hydraulic tension system it will make you seals and all last longer and i think it extends blade life too. I also take the band off if I wont be using the mill for a few days.
Skilled Master Sawyer. "Skilled labour don't come cheap. Cheap labour dont come skilled!
2018 F150 FX4, Husqvarna 340, 2 Logright 36 inch cant hooks and a bunch of stuff I built myself

catskillpond

My mistake got the catologs messed up Timberwolf catolog went into dpth on taking off tension sorry we have Mx 34 Norwood mill and their instructions do not cover this or how to tension the blade properly they tell us turn 5 turns it does not say 180 or 360 degrees so we wing it does anyone what is the best way to tension the band it seems that the owners I talk too on first start up usally throw the band and cut up the plastic cover
Pond&Lake Specialist Norwood MX34 and a whole bunch of other Iron

slabmaster

It's always better to release the tension on any kind of bandsaw mill or otherwise. ;)

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