# Band saw blade fluttering.



## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

I have a Grizzly 14' BS with a Timberwolf 1/2" 4 tooth blade on it right now. The gullet of the blade is pretty close to the center of the wheel and when pushing on the side of the blade it will push in about 1/8". The blade is fluttering front to back and sideways. I have backed off the tension and increased the tension with no change. Any suggestions?

Thanks


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

time to coplaner your wheels...
take a hard look at the wheel bearings...
the tires are worn???


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## MikeMa (Jul 27, 2006)

This happened with my saw, and found it was an alignment issue. Check your guide and thrust bearings to make sure they are set correctly. Also make sure your blade guard is set as low as possible, but will allow you to safely move the work piece into the blade. The drawback to the quick release to relieve the tension on the blade is it can cause things to shift, so it is good to check alignment on everything every once in awhile.


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## coxhaus (Jul 18, 2011)

hawkeye10 said:


> I have a Grizzly 14' BS with a Timberwolf 1/2" 4 tooth blade on it right now. The gullet of the blade is pretty close to the center of the wheel and when pushing on the side of the blade it will push in about 1/8". The blade is fluttering front to back and sideways. I have backed off the tension and increased the tension with no change. Any suggestions?
> 
> Thanks


It probably is an adjustment but be before you pull your saw apart try another blade to make sure it happens with both blades. Try a blade which has been running fine. If it happens to both blades then start looking at your band saw. 

I had a Timberwolf blade which was giving me problems which I never did solve because I sold my old bandsaw. I now buy all my bandsaw blades from bandsawbladesdirect.com because Woodcraft does not carry my size blade. If you buy 5 blades you get free shipping.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Try Lee's suggestion first (although it doesn't hurt to make the wheels are coplanar). I've heard of that happening with blades that are stretched.


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## BrianS (Nov 7, 2004)

Have you set up your saw in accordance with Alex Snodgrass's recommendations? He does a wonderful demo on this.


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

I just got off the phone with Grizzly and they were no help at all with my problem. I am going to put another blade on this mourning but I don't think I have another 1/2" blade but I do have a 3/16" blade I will try. I did find that the top wheel was rocking back and forth from top to bottom but not from side to side. I tighten up two nuts on the back side and the wheel stopped rocking but it didn't stop the blade from fluttering. I will keep working on it using all your suggestions.


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## coxhaus (Jul 18, 2011)

Don't you have an old blade which worked correctly before you had the problem?

The wheels should not rock at all on a bandsaw.

I have an 18 inch bandsaw and I can change my blades in about 15 minutes. It takes about 3 minutes to get the old blade off. Then it takes 3 minutes to get the new blade on and about 10 minutes to setup the guides if changing blade sizes. 

When you change blades sizes make sure the bottom guides and top guides are setup for right below the gullet of the blade and they don't rub unless force is added. I find the guides need to be adjusted when I change blade sizes.


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

coxhaus said:


> Don't you have an old blade which worked correctly before you had the problem?
> 
> The wheels should not rock at all on a bandsaw.
> 
> ...


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## coxhaus (Jul 18, 2011)

I have not owned a Grizzly bandsaw so I can't help with the adjustment of the nuts. They look like something to do with the tension adjustment system. Maybe they tie to the upper wheel to make sure the wheel stays coplanar as it moves up and down.

With the forward and backwards movement can you see the blade moving forward and backwards on the wheels as it is spinning?

I would think there is no way to adjust the guides with the blade moving forward and backward.

PS
If the blade is moving on the wheel sounds like there is some slop on the upper wheel which means you need to call Grizzly on how to setup your tension system after it comes loose.


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

coxhaus said:


> I have not owned a Grizzly bandsaw so I can't help with the adjustment of the nuts. They look like something to do with the tension adjustment system. Maybe they tie to the upper wheel to make sure the wheel stays coplanar as it moves up and down.
> 
> With the forward and backwards movement can you see the blade moving forward and backwards on the wheels as it is spinning?
> 
> ...


Lee I have called Grizzly and got just about no help I am going to order a new blade and see what happens. I that doesn't fix I will have to call Grizzly back and put more pressure on them to help me more.


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## coxhaus (Jul 18, 2011)

With the blade moving back and forth you can not adjust the guides. If the blade moves back while running it will cause the teeth to be hit by guides which dull the blade. I would fix the problem before I run a new blade on it.


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

coxhaus said:


> With the blade moving back and forth you can not adjust the guides. If the blade moves back while running it will cause the teeth to be hit by guides which dull the blade. I would fix the problem before I run a new blade on it.


Lee I called Grizzly back today and got a different person and he wants me to put more tension on the blade. So in the mourning I am going to put the 1/2" blade and run the tension up even higher. I thought I had to much tension on the blade but I will do what he told me. I hope I don't break any thing.


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## coxhaus (Jul 18, 2011)

Did Grizzly happen to mention what the 2 nuts locked on the set screws? What do the 2 set screws adjust?


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

coxhaus said:


> Did Grizzly happen to mention what the 2 nuts locked on the set screws? What do the 2 set screws adjust?


I saw a video and the set screws are for adjusting the horizontal coplanar of the upper wheel.


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## Stowerscw (Mar 27, 2018)

Hawkeye10, 
Did buying the new blade ever fix your issue? I'm going through something very similar to what you described.


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

Yes did it help some but it still needs improvement. Here is a video showing how to make a jig to check tension. It's not going to cost me anything so I thought I would try it.






PS - I really think the best way to fix it is to buy a 14" Laguna Bandsaw. I had one and should have bought another one.


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