Trouble with Cutting Straight?

[eyal8r]

Hey guys-
I have this Ryobi bandsaw.
http://www.ryobitools.com/catalog/power_tools/band_saws/BS903#

I know it's not any kind of professional model, but, it'll do for what
I use it for. However- I'm having problems with it. When I'm cutting,
the blade walks to an angle quite drastically. I end up holding the
piece at a 45 degree angle, and applying pressure towards the FRONT of
the saw just to get a somewhat straight cut. I just checked to make
sure the blade is tracking in the middle, took the blade off, re-set
it into position. The tracking bearings are all aligned the way the
manual says. I have the tension tightened down as much as it'll go- to
where I'm nervous that the thing is going to break.

I'm stumped. I don't know how to adjust this so that the blade stays
fairly straight when I am cutting. Any insights for this?
I appreciate the help.

[robyn2839]

most problems with cuts wandering are usually blade sharpness (even though it may feel sharp) and over tensioning wont help the problem also.i think i could confidently say that if you replaced the blade , removed the guides etc so that nothing is touching the blade, tension correct tension then carefully move the guide blocks and rear bearings back in to meet the blade without moving it from its position so it runs straight. that should work, keep in touch..bob

[eyal8r]

Thanks for the reply. This is a brand new blade, I don't believe it's dull. However, this was a floor model at Home Depot...

You think I should move the rear (thrust) bearing in so that it touches the blade as the blade runs? Is that how it's supposed to be? Actually, you can't move that blade in- just move it left/right so that it's centered on the blade. Same with the 2 side bearings- you can't move them close enough to touch the blade.

What's your thoughts?

[robyn2839]

any chance of a photo close up of the guide system, are the side bearings on a cam?

[Jim Carroll]

There should be a running clearance of about the thickness of a cigarette paper on all the bearings any more than that and you get blade wobble.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I set up my bearings so that they'll turn freely with the blade, but will stop with a light touch.

FWIW, a new blade doesn't automatically mean a good blade. If the set is off on one side or the teeth slightly blunter on one side, then the blade will want to wander in the direction of the blunt teeth. I've sent brand new blades off to be resharpened more than once or twice. :~

Similarly, it only takes a moments touch with a nail or similar, or for a guide bearing to be set too far forward and running over the teeth, thus flattening the set, to cause the same problem.

Do the wheels have tyres or are they just domed metal? If just domed metal and the blade wasn't running central during setup then, again, it could blunt/flatten the set on one side.

[Superbunny]

Have you alined the fence to the blade. You can also adjust the fence for blade drift.:D:D

SB

[eyal8r]

Hey guys-
I think the BIG problem is the bearings are at least 1/4" to 1/2" or more away from the blade- all of them, top, bottom, sides, thrust... I'm going to adjust those and see if it helps. It should. There are tyres on the wheels- and the blade guard is adjusted properly. I really think it's the bearings causing the problems...

[eyal8r]

ok- here's the update...

The way the bearings are mounted- they're all on one piece of metal. Each bearing has a shaft that you can adjust IN/OUT with. You can move the entire bearing meachnism in/out- which moves all 3 bearings in/out. So you move the mechanism all the way out to line up the thrust bearing. HOWEVER- if you line up the thrust bearing properly, so that the bearing spins parallel (in the same linear direction as the blade), the 2 left/right guide bearings cannot be adjusted closer together. You can twist the mechanism so that the bearings sit at more of a steep angle, thus, bringing them closer to the blade. HOWEVER- this makes the thrust bearing sit to where it would spin at an angle as well. Something tells me that's not a good idea.

So- there's no way to move the left/right side bearings closer together, without twisting/mounting the entire mechanism at an angle- causing the thrust bearing to sit/spin at an angle. Does that make sense?

So I adjusted the entire thing so that the thrust bearings sit 1/64" away from the back of the blade, and parallel in direction to the blade. I adjusted the guide bearings so that IF the blade touches them, they only touch the spine of the blade, not the teeth. However- One on each (top and bottom) mechanism sits far away from the blade, allowing it to 'walk' easier.

Does that make sense? Any ideas here???
Thanks!

[eyal8r]

BTW- page 52 shows a diagram of my bandsaw. You can see more clearly what I'm talking about...
http://www.ryobitools.com/product_manual/file_url/37/BS903_979_trillingual.pdf

[robyn2839]

go to page 22 on the side of the guide rollers you will see a screw ( D ) loosen it then turn screw in front of the 2 bearings that are each side of the blade ,they will be on cams, so when they touch the blade tighten D back up..bob

[Drillit]

Agree with Jim,
Keep clearance to a min for both the blade running and height adjustment. No good cutting 3 ply with a 6 " clearance. Keep it tight as. All the best, John M.

[Acco]

BTW- page 52 shows a diagram of my bandsaw. You can see more clearly what I'm talking about...
http://www.ryobitools.com/product_manual/file_url/37/BS903_979_trillingual.pdf

Go to Page 14 as that tells you how to adjust the bearings.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Go to Page 14 as that tells you how to adjust the bearings.

:whs::2tsup:

You'll find that most BS roller guides are adjusted like this.

[robyn2839]

hope you keep us in touch when you sort the problem out, always good to know that a problem was solved ........bob

[joe greiner]

Consider also, the width of the blade. Subject to limits of the machine, for deliberate straight cuts, the widest blade within capacity works better; for deliberate curved cuts, a narrow blade should be used. Blades as small as 1/8" (~3mm) are available for most bandsaws, and even smaller for some. It also helps to alternate the side of rotation for curved cuts, to equalize degradation of tooth set.

Cheers,
Joe

[The Old Bloke]

g`day all,
i`ve got a similar problem to you all
when passing thin work thru the blade and against the fence the work is pulled away from the fence.
i`ve checked everything i know to do with no improvement what now

HELP!

[mechippy]

OK, start with the blade, always. Even if new with the machine, doesnt mean good quality or sharp. In my case with my new Leda, it didnt even mean the correct length!. Find a good saw doctor or supplier and start by talking to them and getting a couple of good blades, I recon 95% of the problems are here.

For tuning and setup tips, theres a few good sites on the net, just do a search and youl find fairly detailed guides going through setup and problems step by step. It may take a while, but worth doing, if nothing else by the end if it youl know your machine a lot better.

If the above fails, come back here and ask more questions, photos sometimes help, and well do what we can.