Blade breakage - what is/am I doing wrong?

[hawkinob]

Hi,
For various reasons, space the main one as I operate out of the garage (having moved the cars), I purchased a small bandsaw, 150mm GMC. With all the blades I've used the blades snap at the join - I can only use 3 and 6mm blades. If I ease up on the tension, and I don't turn the tightening knob excessively, then the cuts seem to waver. Being small, 1085, I deliberately buy at a woodstore and so they aren't built in China (should that be a cause).
Haven't been back to the store yet as I am hoping for some opinions before doing that.
I've never cut anything thicker than 19mm and the blade parts after about three cuts - frustrating1
Any assistance by way of advice to get me underway would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Bob H.

[ss_11000]

mate, i got the same bandsaw........took me a month to snap the blade that came with it. just bought 2 new 4mm gmc 1085 mm 15tpi blades. took us a while to get used to changing the blade, but its running good again now. i'm kinda the same as you, i too very rarely cut any thing ova 20mm ( mainly pen blanks ).

anyway, i haven't had many probs with it and all my probs have been fixed by a simple adjustment.


i dont no whats wrong with your blades but i'll watch this thread....good luck finding out whats wrong.

[finewoods]

Have you tried to adjust the blade guides that is if they can be adjusted .Try and keep them as close as you can to the wood this may help stop the blade wandering .I hope this helps as for the blades letting go at the weld ??????

[bsrlee]

A couple of suggestions:

1: round over the back of the blade - use one of the cheap 'touch-up' stones. And clean out the sawdust BEFORE you start - there will be quite a few sparks:eek:

2: Buy your blades from Henry Bros. Do an archive search for their contact details or look them up on the Internet Yellow Pages.au

3: get one (or more) of the bandsaw 'How-to' books from the local library & read them cover to cover - this should give you a few ideas on how to set up & turn any bandsaw.

[China]

If the blades are all letting go at the weld they could be faulty it does happen

[Gympietech]

G'day all - my first post!
I have this same bandsaw and the blade twist is something awful! I have the tension as high as it will safely go and the nylon blade guides where they should be.
My question - has anyone fitted bearing guides to one of these saws sucessfully? If so, could you suggest an Oz distributor for a kit. Doesn't have to be flash as this is a temporary saw, but it'd be nice if I could get it cutting reasonably straight, instead of 15 degrees out!
PS - I have been visiting here for a while as a guest and reading the threads with interest, thanks very much to the regulars, your inputs have saved my projects on more than one occasion.
Trevor.

[keith53]

Have you tried to adjust the blade guides that is if they can be adjusted .Try and keep them as close as you can to the wood this may help stop the blade wandering .I hope this helps as for the blades letting go at the weld ??????

I'd be looking at blade guides first as well. When I change a blade I loosen off all the guides (both side to side and rear, top and bottom). Adjust the tension on the blade and get it running true on the tyres. Then adjust the top and bottom side guides and finally the top and bottom rear bearings. I don't usually put any pressure on them, so they just clear the blade and only turn under load. Having said that I don't have a GMC bandsaw so yours mightn't be the same.

Could be a crap blade but it seems that others are breaking them as well so it might also be some inherent design fault. By following the method above, I've only broken one blade in 10 years and that was my own stupid fault - just asked too much of the thing.

Good luck.

Keith

[macca2]

I had the same bandsaw a couple a years back and could not tension the blade enough to get a decent cut without the blade braking.
I think it had something to do with the tight radius of the wheels.
I took it back and got a refund under the GMC money back 2 year warranty.
I now own a BAS 250 from Carbatec.
A small but great little saw that cuts 70 mm X 250mm Jarrah blanks for small bowls easy. I did buy a good quality 6mm X 6tpi blade for it.

Cheers Macca

[Toymaker Len]

Yep, I had a little one at first and the blades kept breaking. Then the guy at the blade place explained that the small blades cannot tolerate the stress of going around a small radius wheel and quickly crack and break. I think the effect is called work-hardening. The smallest BS I have found useful to run a 3mm blade is a fourteen inch one.

[hawkinob]

Thank you for the input and suggestions. I'm now off to the blade supplier and will report back.
Thanks again,
Bob H.