Blade tracking issues

Bruno of NH · June 02, 2018, 04:46:36 PM

I have a Thomas bandmill
I have been fighting blade tracking issues.
You make a 6ft pass and it throws a band.
The tracking is set a Thomas so there are no instructions on setting it.
I'm to busy for this problem right now.
I checked all the band wheel bearings and they all seem nice and tight.
Any help would be appreciated.

Joed · June 02, 2018, 05:24:01 PM

Bruno
I don't know what Thomas mills have, but my mill will throw bands when the belts on the 19 inch wheels are worn down to much. I replace them and bands are fine.
Just my 2 cents.

Bruno of NH · June 02, 2018, 05:28:24 PM

I have replaced the belts

Southside · June 02, 2018, 05:50:50 PM

Bruno, were the belts off brand type or high end? I went the flebay cheap belt route once, had the same issue throwing bands. Replaced them with industrial belts and solved the problem.

Bruno of NH · June 02, 2018, 06:11:20 PM

Southside
The new belts are better quality than the ones I had ran before

POSTON WIDEHEAD · June 02, 2018, 07:16:06 PM

Is there no way at all to adjust the tilt of the idle wheel?

Bruno of NH · June 02, 2018, 07:29:46 PM

I have adjusted it
It tracks perfect when You spin it by hand.
Then you start cutting and make 3/4 of the length of the cut and it comes off

Den-Den · June 02, 2018, 09:35:02 PM

Tracking adjustments should be very small once it tracks OK when spun by hand. The blade should run barely touching the guides (or not touching them but very close) when spinning under power but not cutting. Try it under power without cutting and see if it drifts in either direction. If it starts moving, make a SMALL adjustment and try it again.

Southside · June 02, 2018, 10:32:28 PM

Just thinking outside of the box here, have you eliminated the fact it's a bad band and tried a brand new one?

ladylake · June 03, 2018, 05:38:52 AM

Look for broken or stripped head mounting bolts or a broken frame or something broke in the tensioner , seems like something is moving when your sawing. It doesn't take much slop in the big wheel bearings to start throwing bands, I had some where the outside race got loose in the wheel that threw the blade. I had a steel collar put in the wheel that took care of that problem. Steve

thecfarm · June 03, 2018, 05:48:48 AM

Your adjustment is diffeant than mine. I spin mine by hand,as you are doing and that works for me. As suggested run it without cutting wood and see what happens. I would call them. Jon should be able to give you a few ideas.

Bruno of NH · June 06, 2018, 08:40:17 PM

I think i found out what my problem was.
On the Thomas Mill you set your blade tension with a tork wrench set at 18-28 ftlbs
I have found my mill cuts better around 32 ftlbs
My helper is a good kid i enjoy having him around. I don't have a son but have a daughter that doesn't like me much.
My fault.
Anyway my helper gets board some times and plays with things he had the tork wrench set alot higher and i never noticed it.
On a video i whatched on band tracking on the Cooks site said to much tension the blade would walk of the front.
Thats what mine was doing.
I need to keep my helper busy so he stops thinking about Honey girl all the time.
He has a girl friend now.

scleigh · June 06, 2018, 09:33:27 PM

Bruno, Call john thomas with tracking issues. He knows his machines well and has taken the time to talk me through tracking issues.

Magicman · June 06, 2018, 09:38:25 PM

Quote from: Bruno of NH on June 06, 2018, 08:40:17 PMAnyway my helper gets board some times and plays with things he had the tork wrench set alot higher and i never noticed it.

Nice catch Jim.