Bandsaw blade slipping

Daniel Macina

Daniel Macina

Well-Known Member
Hey guys. I have the harbor freight vertical/horizontal metal bandsaw and last night I noticed the blade was slipping with even the slightest pressure. Wheel was turning but the blade wasn’t. It was staying on the wheel though. I Tighten the blade way down past where it needed to be and cleaned off the wheels and it didn’t fix the problem. It has a brand new blade on it so sharpness isn’t an issue Have y’all had this sort of a problem? I sure can’t figure it out. Any help would be appreciated.
 
If it's belt driven...... maybe belt tension?
I just had an issue with the guide bearings being frozen up on a bandsaw..... What I first noticed was the gearbox getting hot, and then the very same symptoms you described. I discovered that 9 out of 10 guide bearings were frozen on my saw. Replaced them, and she runs like new.
 
Do the wheels have rubber tires? They maybe old and hardened or glazed. If they are shiny they may need to be replaced.
Also, on a regular wood band saw sometimes the tension mechanism spring loses its springiness and needs to be replaced. IDK if it's the same set up on yours.
 
EdCaffreyMS said:
If it's belt driven...... maybe belt tension?
I just had an issue with the guide bearings being frozen up on a bandsaw..... What I first noticed was the gearbox getting hot, and then the very same symptoms you described. I discovered that 9 out of 10 guide bearings were frozen on my saw. Replaced them, and she runs like new.
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It is belt driven but the tension seems fine. I will check guide bearings it is a new saw but it’s Harbor freight so you never know. Thanks.
Drew Riley said:
I’d check belts and pulleys/shafts first. Is the drive wheel still spinning when the blade stops?
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Will do. I checked last night and a quick check everything looked fine but I was tired so I’ll check better today. Yes the drive wheel is still spinning when the blade stops. Thanks.
TimGinMN said:
Do the wheels have rubber tires? They maybe old and hardened or glazed. If they are shiny they may need to be replaced.
Also, on a regular wood band saw sometimes the tension mechanism spring loses its springiness and needs to be replaced. IDK if it's the same set up on yours.
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No the tires don’t have rubber. It’s a brand new saw so I hope the tensioning mechanism isn’t worn out or broken but it is harbor freight so you never know. Thanks.
 
When you mentioned Harbor Freight, it reminded me of a situation a student of mine had a couple years ago..... he had purchase the smaller vertical/horizontal metal cutting saw. He had a situation where the set screws on the drive wheel (his had two, offset about 45 degrees) was just tight enough make things turn when the saw was turned on...... but even touching the blade with something and the drive wheel would turn on the axle. I always thought those saws had a "D" shaped shaft and corresponding hole in the drive wheel.....but his was built with set screws. Just grasping at straws, hoping to get you up and running.
 
EdCaffreyMS said:
When you mentioned Harbor Freight, it reminded me of a situation a student of mine had a couple years ago..... he had purchase the smaller vertical/horizontal metal cutting saw. He had a situation where the set screws on the drive wheel (his had two, offset about 45 degrees) was just tight enough make things turn when the saw was turned on...... but even touching the blade with something and the drive wheel would turn on the axle. I always thought those saws had a "D" shaped shaft and corresponding hole in the drive wheel.....but his was built with set screws. Just grasping at straws, hoping to get you up and running.
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That is very possible I’ll check that first thing when I get in the shop. Thank you sir! Busy month and this was the last thing I needed breaking down. Ha ha.
 
On my HF, there are "rubber bands" that go around each wheel to give the wheel traction against the blade. There's also a lever around the back of the unit that you flip to put tension on the blade (and to change the blade). Could either of those be causing it?
 
chrisstaniar said:
On my HF, there are "rubber bands" that go around each wheel to give the wheel traction against the blade. There's also a lever around the back of the unit that you flip to put tension on the blade (and to change the blade). Could either of those be causing it?
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I think you’re talking about a porta-band. He has the vertical/horizontal. It uses different wheels and a screw tensioner.
 
Drew Riley said:
BTW, how is your blade tension, Daniel?
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It’s good. As soon as it slipped I tightened it down even more than it needed and it was still slipping. At this point I’m thinking it may be the wheel not tighten down properly as Mr. caffrey said But I’ll have to give it a look over when I get to the shop
 
Well I’m an idiot. Found the problem. When I checked the drive belts last night it must’ve been on there just enough I didn’t notice. The shaft is D shaped but it doesn’t have much of a flat spot and the grub screw loosen just enoughF3188D77-002D-46CB-A4A7-AE42FCAD849D.jpeg it was spinning on the shaft. The grub screw was completely gone when I pulled it couldn’t even find it but it’s up and running now!
 
Daniel Macina said:
Well I’m an idiot. Found the problem. When I checked the drive belts last night it must’ve been on there just enough I didn’t notice. The shaft is D shaped but it doesn’t have much of a flat spot and the grub screw loosen just enoughView attachment 76133 it was spinning on the shaft. The grub screw was completely gone when I pulled it couldn’t even find it but it’s up and running now!
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Looks like Ed called that one. :D
 
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