Bandsaw wheel alignment: Rikon 14″Deluxe
Hello,
I have another question about the Rikon 14″ Deluxe Bandsaw (10-325.)
During my efforts to tune the machine, and solve the bearing issue I picked up the book: The New Complete Guide to the Bandsaw, by Mark Duginske, as recommended by a fellow KNOTS member. One of the tuning procedures I’ve found to be a bit confounding is the alignment of top and bottom wheels (geting them to run parallel, AND coplanar.)
The Rikon, even with the table off, won’t allow for the use of a straight edge against both wheels simutaneously – the frame is in the way. I made a straight edge from MDF, and cut out a 1/2″ from the middle to span the frame (a slightly ‘c’ shaped straight edge, if you catch my drift…) the only thing I could come up with.!?
In any case, I think I’ve gotten the wheels to line up fairly well, but I had to add two hardened bronze washers behind the bottom wheel – I think It could use a third, but I’m afraid it would push the wheel too far out so that the front bearing will no longer be around the axle.
Getting the blade to track without the wheels aligned is easy, though time consuming, by adjusting four set screws around the axle where it protrudes from the back of the saw frame. but I’ve found that to be the cause (as far as I can tell) for a fair amount of blade “wobble” and, therefore, part of the reason for the premature bearing failure (Doing this causes the bottom wheel to run in a different plane than the top wheel, and I can watch the blade move back and forth – front to back – as I turn the wheel to track the blade. When running the machine the blade ‘bumps’ the thrust bearing, and the machine vibrates badly.)
I’m looking for advice specific to this machine, or type of machine. The manual says nothing about adjusting the bottom (drive) wheel – it does not even note the set screw assembly on the diagrams (though it is listed on the parts diagram/schematic.)
I’ve put in a request for info to Rikon (again) but would like to know if anyone out there has attempted this adjustment, and, if so, what the results were.
Regards, Josh Whipkey
Replies
I've done this adjustment on my 18" Rikon.
Firstly, my straightedge for checking coplanarity is a 2x4, passed over the jointer with notches cut in it. Problem solved.
Second, tension and track your widest blade with the guides moved out of the way. Then check coplanarity. Shim upper wheel if needed. If you need to move the upper wheel in instead of out shim the lower wheel. At the same time, check for wheel twist by doing the following: With the blade tensioned and tracked, turn the wheels clock wise a few turns and then draw a pencil line along the back edge of the blade. Then turn the wheels counterclockwise a few turns. If the blade moves to either side of the pencil line, you have wheel twist.
To correct the wheel twist, fully detension the blade and then loosen the screw at the bottom, or 6 o'clock position, a little bit. Then adjust the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock screws 1/2 turn at a time. Keep in mind that there is a pivot point in there so tightening the 9 o'clock will rotate the lower wheel clockwise, as viewed from above. Also there is cross talk between the axes. After the wheel twist is removed, you may find that the coplanarity is off. This is because the 4 screws are pushing on a round shaft instead of a square one.
Only after doing all of this can you check the blade back's squareness to the table, and shim if needed.
It is an iterative process, but eventually, you will be able to get wheels that
1. are coplanar at proper tension and tracking and
2. that don't show any blade shift when rotated CW or CCW (wheel twist)
I had alot of vibration in my saw. The main culprits were wheel twist, warped upper wheel and runout on lower wheel.
David
Thank you for the description. I believe I've done most of what you've listed, but I'll run through in the order you suggest, and see if it improves. It took me a while to figure out the 'wheel twist' part of it, and I was pretty frustrated by then.
It is much better now, but I have yet to check the wheels themselves - other than visually.
By the way, the wheels on mine have a bunch of drill marks (a cluster on one side) where it looks like material was removed to balance the wheel. Does your saw have that? Do you know if that's normal? I suppose it doesn't really matter... just wondering.
josh
Yeah, you definitely need some time and patience to adjust the 4 screws. And, when you are done, the shimming may be different as well.
The drill marks are the typical way of balancing something. My orginal upper wheel had a few, my replacement has a whole bunch of them on 1 side.
Good luck and let me know if you need any more help aligning it.
David
Hi Josh,
This us an old post, yet proves to be useful for generations to come. Thanks a lot for the advise on whee alignment.
I have a Rikon 10-326 Delux 14” bandsaw, probably not the same model as the old ones but am guessing the mechanics are still fairly similar. Same 4 screw lower wheel adjustment and top wheel adjustment and tensioning.
I was having the same problem and the line on the wheel back of the blade is a very good way to identify wheel twist, which I had. Not anymore thanks to your advise.
My blades are tracking well and I don’t have much blade wobble when I turn in the saw. However, i am having serious vibration in the saw after I turn off the power and wait for the blade to stop, to the degree that the whole saw is rocking in two stages, one half way after I turn off the power before blade stops and again three seconds before the blade stops completely.
I checked both wheels and they are well balanced. Tried your technique which helped me get both wheels coplanar and blade well aligned, however I was never able to rid of the rocking after I turn off the saw.
Hope this post finds you well.
Thanks
Duraid
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