constantly falling blade tension

[trhill]

I have been on the FF learning a ton from everybody for about 6 months, and now I have a couple questions.  I have a manual LT40.  When I am cutting, I set my Timberwolf blades around 1800 psi, but I constantly have to turn the tension up every few cuts.  I have straight, smooth, square cuts and the blade enters the fairly easily.  I don't have a Blade guide alignment tool but I will order on soon hopefully.  Sometimes a bunch of lube will get my tension back up but not the majority of the time.  Usually, I set the tension to start the log and it almost always falls from 1800 to 1500 psi and stays there.  Is there anything with the tensioner that could cause this or am I creating too much heat somewhere?  This last log I adjusted the tension up at least 4 times. 
Secondly, I got a suffolk setter and wright sharpener with my mill.  I thought I was getting good sharpenings out of them but I got two new Timberwolf blades and there is no comparison.  The two new blades were sharper after 250 bf than my old timber wolf blades right off the sharpener. Is it expected that there be such a gap between the two or is my sharpening the problem?  I will probably be selling the setter and sharpener and send blades in.  It was a much better experience milling with such great blades, I didn't realize all the pain I was putting myself through with my old blades.  Is there a market for this equipment on the forestry forum or elsewhere?  I only mill 2 days a week now and don't have the time to sharpen my own blades.
Thanks for the help
TR

[mesquite buckeye]

Welcome to the forum.

I have one of those.  8)The same thing happens when I start out a new blade. I think it is just adjusting itself. You will see variation in blade tension if the wheels pack up with gummy sawdust (goes up), the gummed up sawdust comes off the wheels (tension goes down) or if the blade starts to get hot (tension goes down).  :

Hope this is of some help.

This is a good place to learn stuff and to share what you know. Remember to do both.

[JustinW_NZ]

What size bands are you using?
I run 2300psi on the .45 1 1/2" bands I cant remember what the smaller runs are meant to run, should be a sticker there perhaps telling you?

And yes, hot bands will drop pressure REALLY fast and start to cause issues.
Just going through something very similar?!!

and welcome!

Cheers
Justin

[JustinW_NZ]

oh forgot to mention, if the mill is older eventually the seals will go in the tensioner and I found mine got worse and worse at holding tension then just stopped working halfway through a job.

And lubricant with some sort of oil (vege oil) in it seems better as well as it tends to coat the band and stick to it, so resin wont stick.

Cheers
Justin

[trhill]

Thanks, I am running 1 1/4 .045 bands. Suffolk says to run there bands at lower tension, that's why I was going for 1800 psi.

[Peter Drouin]

wellcome to the FF, I have a WM and find that If I stay with WM blades and have an issues I can call WM, then use WM resharp and spend your time cutting wood, not trying to use outher tools or blades that are not WM, there are some here on the FF that have luck with outher stuff and thats ok, but if your new to this with a WM mill It might be easyer for you to stay with WM, good luck

[thecfarm]

trhill,welcome to the forum. How long have you owned your mill?
Yes,you can sell the sharpener here. There is a For Sale section,percent goes to the forum. With you being a new member,Jeff,The Boss would have to Ok it first.

Here is the link to the For Sale section.
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,4193.0.html

[Magicman]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, trhill.   

No matter what you do, you can not saw with dull or marginally sharpened blades.  Various properly aligned and operating sharpeners and tooth setters will produce properly sawing blades. 

Personally, I use WM blades and WM ReSharp.

[Chuck White]

TR; I suggest that instead of selling your equipment, just become more familiar with it.

Learn how to get the best results from your equipment.

You should be able to get your blades just as sharp as new!

BUT: If you decide to eventually sell the sharpener and setter, sell them here on the Forestry Forum, in the "For Sale" section!

[pineywoods]

Dropping tension is mostly a matter of heat. IF the band heats up, it will expand, causing the tension to drop. My experience is the heat comes from 3 sources....1 not enough set so the blade body rubs on the log, friction makes heat. 2 Dull blade, so you push it harder into the cut. This forces the blade back against the flange on the guide rollers. Steel on steel friction makes heat. The duller the blade, the harder you push, making more heat, blade expands, tension drops..   3 blade is climbing or diving on entering the cut, blade rubs on the kerf, more heat. Watch the blade when it exits the cut. Should not jump up or down when exiting. Mis-aligned guide rollers can cause this.

[trhill]

Thanks for the responses. I will order the blade guide alignment tool today. Also I am going to look over the tensioner as
Justin suggested. I remember that when I bought the mill last fall I had to add quite a bit of fluid to it. I think I will sell the sharpening equipment and use the cash for ReSharp, that seems to fit my situation as a part time sawyer. I need to have everything working great this week, my third paying
job is slabbing ash that is seasoned and 36" in spots. I think it will take a ton of chainsaw work. Thanks again

[Tom L]

the pressure on my blades always drops when I put it on and after the first bunch of cuts. I think it is the band settling into the blade wheels and compressing the rubber . after that it usually stays stuck in place and doesn't move

[Fla._Deadheader]

WE started out with Suffolk blades. Saw would not cut worth crap. Tried a Munks blade and never looked back.

I would try a WM blade or a Simonds or a Munks before doing anything to the mill. Crank up the tension and get to sawing.

Suffolk blades are softer so will stretch some. Don't have to believe me, just try a different blade.

[pnyberg]

TR,

The same thing happens to me pretty much every time I start in with a cold blade.  You set the blade to the tension you want and start sawing.  The tension immediately starts to fall.  Presumably, this is because the blade is heating up and expanding.  This does not necessarily indicate a problem, there's no way that the blade is not going to be heating up.  You crank up the tension and make another pass, and the tension falls off again.  Rinse and repeat.  Eventually, things seem to stabilize, but eventually can take a while.  I'm sure I often to this more than 4 times.

This happens to me with blades freshly returned from ReSharp, and I just consider it to be standard blade behavior.  As long as the cuts are good, I don't worry about it. 

Two things I do to help manage this:

• Whenever I put on a new blade, I engage the clutch for a few seconds, and then retention. 
• I run the tension high.  The WM guys from the Hannibal, NY office have told me that it's OK to run the tension up to 2800 psi.  So I do.

If your cuts are straight, smooth, and square, then I don't think you have a problem

--Peter

[Chuck White]

TR,

The same thing happens to me pretty much every time I start in with a cold blade.  You set the blade to the tension you want and start sawing.  The tension immediately starts to fall.  Presumably, this is because the blade is heating up and expanding.  This does not necessarily indicate a problem, there's no way that the blade is not going to be heating up.  You crank up the tension and make another pass, and the tension falls off again.  Rinse and repeat.  Eventually, things seem to stabilize, but eventually can take a while.  I'm sure I often to this more than 4 times.

This happens to me with blades freshly returned from ReSharp, and I just consider it to be standard blade behavior.  As long as the cuts are good, I don't worry about it. 

Two things I do to help manage this:

Whenever I put on a new blade, I engage the clutch for a few seconds, and then retention.

• I run the tension high.  The WM guys from the Hannibal, NY office have told me that it's OK to run the tension up to 2800 psi.  So I do.

If your cuts are straight, smooth, and square, then I don't think you have a problem

--Peter

That's one thing I always do too!

I run my tension on the line between yellow and orange!

[roghair]

I can't measure the blade tension and I have not missed it so far, I just feel it every now and then (with the motor off). Since I am new in sawing, I am fine with a manual/ mechanical operation; it gives me a good feel how the mill behaves. My experience so far is that good alignment and sharp blades are the most important variables for a good cut.