Belt adjusting on a Jet 14 in. bandsaw..

[Bill Huber]

I got my new TimberWolf blades in today and while I was putting one on I thought I would just check things over again to make sure everything was set correctly when I first set it up.
Well I found pulleys were not in line like they should be, I had worked on it for an hour when I set the saw up but I guess I had let is slip.

So I tried to get the things lined back up but what a PITA.

After screwing with it for about 20 min. that was it, there had to be a better way.
So here it is, it is not fancy looking but it works and makes the job 10,000 times easier and faster to do.
Just some scrap 3/4 plywood, some scrap red oak and a few wood nuts and about 30 min. work.
Now after the pulleys were lined up I could then adjust the belt tension with no problem.

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[Joseph Ragsdale]

Maybe it's staring me in the face, but how does your contraption work?

I have the "Deluxe" 14 in. Jet Bandsaw and I agree that tensioning the belt is a major PITA.

What I did with mine was to take the motor and motor plate assembly out of the saw, loosen the bolts for the motor, adjust the motor down about a inch, retighten the bolts, and reinstall the assembly back into the stand. Doing it this way, you don't have to deal with the weight of the motor or work inside the confines of the stand.

Aligning the pulleys wasn't so bad on mine. I took the belt off, used a straight edge, and had both aligned in 5 minutes or so. With the belt on it would be quite challenging to move the pulleys with the belt tension keeping them from sliding back and forth.

I scratched up my motor around the bolts trying to follow the stupid instructions in the manual. If you look at my motor you'll see white Rustoleum paint over where I scratched up the original paint with my wrenches

[Bill Huber]

Joseph, I will try to explain it.

The motor it bolted to the front of the board, you can see it better in the forth picture.
The board is attached to the motor mount from the back, the 2 pieces of wood on the side keep the whole thing from twisting.

So you mount the whole thing in the main bracket, get the pulleys aligned and on the same plane by loosing the bolts that hold the motor.

Now after this is done and the bolts are tightened up you can then raise and lower the whole thing and the motor will not twist out of alignment. Set the belt tension and then tighten the bolts on the back.

The problem it fixes is trying to hold the motor so the pulleys are on the same plane and at the same time getting the tension on the belt correct and tightening the bolts that hold it all to the bracket.

[josh bjork]

I UNDERSTAND EXACXTLY! I spent yesterday playing with a really uglier version of that. I discovered the drive pulley was BENT! My cheap little saw shakes so bad. That is a nice fix.

[Jim Becker]

I do remember that "exercise" with the Jet 14" I had in my shop and it was not easy to adjust tension. Nice accommodation!

[Dave Falkenstein]

I solved a vibration issue with my Jet 14" band saw by installing a link belt. That was a nice improvement.

[Lewis Cobb]

I seem to recall a thread regarding this motor twisting issue on the Powermatic 14" bandsaw. Would this gadget sort this problem out on that saw as well?

[Bill Huber]

I solved a vibration issue with my Jet 14" band saw by installing a link belt. That was a nice improvement.

My saw is running very smooth but I still think I will go to a link belt before long, I have one on the table saw and really like it. But at least now I can adjust the belt when I put it on.

[Bill Huber]

I seem to recall a thread regarding this motor twisting issue on the Powermatic 14" bandsaw. Would this gadget sort this problem out on that saw as well?

I think it would, there are a lot of saw that have the same type closed base and they all mount the motor the same way. In fact I think they just have a different color paint they would on them and then sell them under a different name.
I think Jet, Powermatic and one of the Grizzly are the same basic saw then each one adds there own fence or light or something like that to it.

The motor mount was a real poor design and with just a little they could have made it a lot better.

[Lewis Cobb]

I think it would, there are a lot of saw that have the same type closed base and they all mount the motor the same way. In fact I think they just have a different color paint they would on them and then sell them under a different name.
I think Jet, Powermatic and one of the Grizzly are the same basic saw then each one adds there own fence or light or something like that to it.

The motor mount was a real poor design and with just a little they could have made it a lot better.

Thanks Bill. I am close to ordering a PM 14" bandsaw and this is about the only issue that I see people having with them from studying the threads here. I've saved your pictures and will shamelessly copy your design when the time comes Thanks !
Lewis

[Peter Quinn]

I have the PM 14" which uses a 5-micro V belt...if the allignment isn't nearly perfect the belt flies right off the pulleys, every time you try to tension the belt it knocks out the alignment...major PIA. I feel your pain.

I bought an old PM jointer cabinet a while back real cheap, $30? It came with a 2HP baldor motor brand new (I don't think the discount tool place realized the motor was still in the cabinet!) That old cabinet had a beautiful motor mount plate with a tensioning device I intend to install in my bandsaw the next time it needs adjustment. It is basically two steel plates joined by a hinge with a screw/lock nut mechanism for tension, quick, simple, painless adjustment.

I called PM tech service on another issue recently and wound up discussing this issue with the tech as I recently tuned the BS and the rage of dealing with belt tension was fresh in my mind. I was told they get LOTS of complaints about that issue. He reccommended LAYING THE BANDSAW ON ITS SIDE ON THE GROUND TO GET A BETTER MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE WHILE ADJUSTING THE MOTOR.

I recommended he get his head examined. I asked him "Are you seriously suggesting I lay a nearly 300# top heavy cast iron machine on its side on the concrete floor to perform routine maintainence?" I offered to send their enginering department a picture of the old motor mount plate they used to use so they could improve their present design, they declined!

[Lewis Cobb]

I have the PM 14" which uses a 5-micro V belt...if the allignment isn't nearly perfect the belt flies right off the pulleys, every time you try to tension the belt it knocks out the alignment...major PIA. I feel your pain.

I bought an old PM jointer cabinet a while back real cheap, $30? It came with a 2HP baldor motor brand new (I don't think the discount tool place realized the motor was still in the cabinet!) That old cabinet had a beautiful motor mount plate with a tensioning device I intend to install in my bandsaw the next time it needs adjustment. It is basically two steel plates joined by a hinge with a screw/lock nut mechanism for tension, quick, simple, painless adjustment.

I called PM tech service on another issue recently and wound up discussing this issue with the tech as I recently tuned the BS and the rage of dealing with belt tension was fresh in my mind. I was told they get LOTS of complaints about that issue. He reccommended LAYING THE BANDSAW ON ITS SIDE ON THE GROUND TO GET A BETTER MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE WHILE ADJUSTING THE MOTOR.

I recommended he get his head examined. I asked him "Are you seriously suggesting I lay a nearly 300# top heavy cast iron machine on its side on the concrete floor to perform routine maintainence?" I offered to send their enginering department a picture of the old motor mount plate they used to use so they could improve their present design, they declined!

Peter - could you send me a picture of the old one? I'd like to see it - thanks

[Peter Quinn]

I took some pictures but can't seem to upload them or compress them.

[Lewis Cobb]

I took some pictures but can't seem to upload them or compress them.

I got Peter to fire me off the pics in their uncompressed form and I uploaded them to my photobucket account so I could attach them to this thread. I haven't even taken delivery of my 14" bandsaw yet and here I am planning the modifications for it already

[Lewis Cobb]

Bill -

This is an old thread but I just wanted to let you know that I bought a PM14 bandsaw, and took one look at the motor / belt adjustment foolishness and built one of your slider brackets. It works like a charm and I can't thank you enough for putting up your design earlier this year.

Here's a pic of my version - pretty much the same as yours except the cabinet and bracket are mustard and not ivory

Cheers,
Lewis