Month: June 2017

Shows how the blade tracking adjustment tilts the upper wheel.

After dropping ET off to her Tai-Chi class this morning it was back to Bunnings to get some hardware stuff for the bandsaw build like mudguard washers (very handy), M8 Teflon nuts, M6 insert nuts plus some other things.

Took a while to work out how to mount the wheels in particular the top one which has to move/slide vertically for blade tension and pivot for blade tracking.

Oops…out of focus.

This is the tension rod that moves about 5 degrees either way for blade tracking. I need to grind a flat on two sides of that mudguard washer.

Here at the back you can see the sliding wheel mount block, the skateboard bearing on this side is secured with a mudguard washer, 5/16″ union nut and then a lock nut. There will be another threaded rod towards the top of the block for tracking adjustment.

This evening we are working on the upper wheel mount assembly.

As mentioned in the previous post there are four panels. On the left is 1 & 4 (front & back) and on the right inside panels 2 & 3.

The upper wheel needs to slide vertically (up & down) to facilitate blade tensioning and…tilt left or right to allow for blade tracking on the crown of the wheel.

Blade tension – the wheel block is able to slide up & down inside the cut out of panels 2 & 3.
Blade tracking – the lower hinge block is the same thickness as the two 17mm panels and can only slide up & down. The bearing block is 26mm and can tilt on the hinge for tracking adjustment – we only need a few degrees either way.

Work in progress…back soon.

As mentioned in the previous post the main frame consists of four 17mm Melamine panels sandwiched together – 68mm total.

On the left is 1 & 4 (front & back) and on the right inside panels 2 & 3.

The upper wheel needs to slide vertically (up & down) to facilitate blade tensioning and…tilt left or right to allow for blade tracking on the crown of the wheel.

Blade tension – the wheel block is able to slide up & down inside the cut out of panels 2 & 3.
Blade tracking – the lower hinge block is the same thickness as the two 17mm panels, it can only slide up & down, no lateral movement. The bearing block is 26mm and can tilt on the hinge for tracking adjustment – we only need a few degrees either way.

Work in progress…back soon.

Skateboards are a source for bearings, two per wheel gives you eight 608 bearings – 22mm OD/8mm ID

Bought two skateboards from Kmart for $10 each and when I pulled one apart discovered that they have a bloody flange on them! I’ll return the other one for a refund and try one of the other stores. Continue reading “8” Bandsaw – collecting the bits”

As mentioned worked out how to mount the skateboard bearings (with those bloody flanges) onto the Melamine bandsaw wheels. We can now get started actually building the thing.

Made some laminate flooring washers that have been recessed to house the outside of the bearings.

Continue reading “8” Bandsaw – Wheel bearings”