Italian Bandsaw Restoration and Blade Tracking

[Brian Rowland]

"I'd like to post a short video as this explains everything.... Because I have a 3 phase converter I can run the saw very slowly and clearly demonstrate what is happening: Maybe it's time to join Utube?"

By all means. Utube is a fun and easy tool to use if you can shoot and edit video. Answers a lot of questions. If a pic is worth 1000 words.......

"The blade has an obvious twisting action with a regular pattern ie it is not random but predictable lateral swing when viewed from the front and occurs in the same part of the blade........ but well away from the weld."

Are you saying the new blades are warped? If so, go back to square 1 and start over with good steel. Narrow blades are susceptible to warpage in the shipping and handling as well as tracking operations. Don't try to flatten them in the tri-folded roll; they'll warp at the inevitable cross-over when you try to stuff them in a box (or lay a vise on them ) They need coddling. A warped blade is un-fixable so far as I know. I set them aside for destructive testing.

Hi William thanks once again for your help and patience in helping me resolve this issue.

In my previous post I was trying to convey that the blade motion follows a "warped pattern". When I slow the saw right down to say 1/20 speed the motion of the blade can be easily followed: the blade markedly twists from left to right and back again for each cycle of blade rotation. A cycle of blade rotation corresponds to many bandsaw wheel revolutions.... so the evidence points to a blade issue!

To add further weight to this when I rotate the wheels slowly by hand the blade can be observed to TWIST from left to right ....... I have never experienced a warped blade before and assumed ( incorrectly) the problem was with the saw's tire unevenness.

Can I conclude that I have TWO defective warped blades?

[William Falberg]

That's what it sounds like. Time to bite the bullet and spring for a few more blades. It's amazing how easy it is to warp a blade, isn't it? One just can't be gentle enough. Once they're mounted they hold up pretty well but in a coil, tangled in the machine, or laying on a bench-top they bend easily and permanently. I lay mine out on the floor when I first open the coil to see if they lay flat and that there's a nice round circular shape to them. If I see a kink, I take it out before I mount it. That avoids a lot of flutter. A little kink you can bend back with your fingers but twists are near impossible to get rid of. I've even tried hammering them out on an anvil but I never get it back to perfect.

[Brian Rowland]

That's what it sounds like. Time to bite the bullet and spring for a few more blades. It's amazing how easy it is to warp a blade, isn't it? One just can't be gentle enough. Once they're mounted they hold up pretty well but in a coil, tangled in the machine, or laying on a bench-top they bend easily and permanently. I lay mine out on the floor when I first open the coil to see if they lay flat and that there's a nice round circular shape to them. If I see a kink, I take it out before I mount it. That avoids a lot of flutter. A little kink you can bend back with your fingers but twists are near impossible to get rid of. I've even tried hammering them out on an anvil but I never get it back to perfect.

Hi William and all others who have helped me with this minor headache - problem solved! I have confirmed with a different bandsaw supplier the 2 new blades that were the subject of this post are indeed twisted. THe owner of the business examined both blades for some time shook his head and indicated that the type of twist is was not a simple kink and cannot be corrected.

Interestingly blade issues such as these do not rate a mention in any of the band saw books I have from Mark Duginske, Lonnie Bird and others..... and this is why I assumed the 20 year old saw I had just purchased was the culprit.

I'm kicking myself for burning so many hours, but I think the knowledge I have gained and fine tuning the alignment of EVERYTHING has paid off.

The good news is that through this problem I have now discovered a local supplier who provides top quality blades that DO run true. Incidentally his blades are from the US!!!

The SIPA 600 bandsaw is now making fine sawdust and a joy to use. It's amazing what a quality 3/4 bi metal 3tpi blade can do!. This Italian saw has exceeded my expectations in terms of quietness, lack of vibration and re-saw accuracy. .

[Philip Johnson]

No pics of the finished restoration, I continue to be amazed at some of the rusted neglected machines that people bring back to like new condition.

Phil

[Dana Vogel]

Phillip, You are so correct in seeing the light in restoring older machines for a fraction of a new commercial grade machine and getting away from the Asian crap that seemed for awhile the way to go. I restored a Meber 600 24" band saw 6 years ago to like new condition and love this tool just a fantastic experience every time it's used, I also just finished restoring a 18 year old Wilton 2015 drill press. Here's a pic of both: