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15
4. Adjust upper and lower blade guides away
from blade (see sections 8.13 and 8.15).
Figure 18
5. Move quick tension lever to “Full Release
(Blade Change)” position.
6. Open upper and lower doors by rotating door
catches.
7. Carefully remove blade from top wheel, then
from between upper and lower blade guides
and lower wheel. Slide blade out through slot
in table.
8. Guide new blade through table slot. Place
blade loosely in upper and lower blade guides.
Make sure blade teeth point down toward
table, and toward front of saw. (If the teeth will
not point down, no matter how you orient
blade, then blade is twisted inside-out. Twist it
into correct position and re-install it.)
9. Position blade at center of upper and lower
wheels.
10. Reinstall table insert (F) and table pin (G).
11. Before operating band saw, the new blade
must be tensioned and tracked, in that order.
Find instructions for tensioning and tracking
the blade in sections 8.11 and 8.12. The blade
guides must also be set properly according to
instructions in sections 8.13 through 8.16.
8.11 Blade Tension
Refer to Figure 19.
1. Disconnect machine from power source.
2. Back off upper and lower guide bearings to
eliminate any contact with blade.
3. With blade centered on wheels, move quick
tension lever to “Full Tension” position, as
shown in Figure 19. NOTE: You should feel
tension lever settle into each of its three
positions.
Figure 19
4. Open upper door.
5. Rotate tension handwheel (A, Figure 20) until
scale pointer (B) indicates width of installed
blade.
TIP: Use the band saw’s gauge setting initially.
As you become familiar with the machine and
with different properties of band saw blades,
you may find it necessary to change blade
tension from initial setting. Keep in mind that
not only changes in blade width, but also type
of material being cut will have an effect on
blade tension. Too little or too much blade
tension can cause blade breakage and/or poor
cutting performance.
Figure 20
6. Make a note of the specific tension setting for
a particular blade. Tension can then be re-set
quickly when that blade is reinstalled.
IMPORTANT: When band saw is not being
used, move quick tension lever to “Partial
Tension-Idle/Tracking” position. This will
prolong the life of blade and tires, and reduce
load on wheels, bearings and other
components.