New Bandsaw

I’ve never measured my oscillation but my intuition tells me that this is too much. Without using a meter, I observe virtually no oscillation of my blade.

-- Rich, Cedar Rapids, IA - I'm a woodworker. I don't create beauty, I reveal it.

Rich, thanks for the response.

I would like to ask you a question about co-planer wheels. I my mind I think of co-planer wheels that I should be able to set a straight edge across both wheels and the straight edge would touch at all four places. Is this correct?

-- Mel

Rich, thanks for the response.
I tried to edit my response above, but think I messed it up.
For some reason I thought you were the guy that did a blog on a Rikon tune up.

-- Mel

Jeepturner,

I too have the Rikon 14” and love my saw. I don’t have any oscillating at all… Is it front and back or side to side? If it is front to back be sure to back off on the back roller above and below the table, and then see if the oscilliating stops.

Good Luck!
Chuck

-- Chuck Emery, Michigan,

Thanks Chuck,
The oscillation is in the direction of the cut. The blade will move in the direction of the cut and then away from the cut. There are directions on the Rikon web site on how to fix it. The directions are not clear, so I may call them today.
The other thing that I found is that the wheels are not in the same plane. The wheels are parallel though.

-- Mel

I had the same problem on my PM BS when I got it. The wheels were not co-planer. I had the riser kit too so I’m not sure if I would have had the problem without but I’m sure the riser added to it. After talking to the manufacturer I enlarged the guide pin holes it the riser so there was more play in it. After adjusting it for about an hour I got them co-planer.

Mel, I would say that you have a bad blade.
Do you have another blade to try on?

A straight edge should touch the wheels at 4 points.

-- Bert

I think Bert is right. Get a new blade(a good one most saws come with losey blades) and try it again. Double check all your guides again to make sure nothing slipped.

-- Don't rollerskate in a buffalo herd

Get a timberwolf saw blade, they are excellent

http://www.suffolkmachinery.com/

-- Bert

The first thing I did to the saw was to remove the blade and install a three tpi timberwolf. I don’t think it is the blade, one because I fed the blade by hand with a position sensor, and marked the blade when it was at the most aft position, and two because the wheels are not coplanar. Where I marked the blade as oscillating aft, it never repeated at the same spot.
My next question would be, does anyone out there have any hands on experience shimming the upper wheel out?

-- Mel