Bent bandsaw wheel?!?

Don’t think the blade breaking hurt the wheel. I’ve had several 3/4” blades break without damaging anything.They all seem to emit a loud noise when they break.
Probably a new wheel is in order here. I don’t think that one will handle a bigger blade.
Don’t have a clue how it got bent. Did you purchase the saw new?

-- Don't rollerskate in a buffalo herd

Yea, I got it new a few years ago from Lowes, nothing but problems with it so far really, I seem to spend more time keeping it all in alignment than I do cutting anything.

You will likely need a new wheel if your current wheel is mishapen. When you buy a new wheel (depending on how the bearings are attached) you should seriously consider replacing the bearings. You should replace them with the appropriate size bearings and make sure they have double seals (as opposed to open, or shielded).This is usually called 2RS. So if the bearing numbers are 6202, then you should buy 6202-2RS.

Hope that helps.

That wheel looks like it’s been dropped. Is it possible it has been bent all along and you never noticed? That would explain your comment that you spend a lot of time keeping it in alignment. I rarely have to adjust mine.

-- Some problems are best solved with an optimistic approach. Optimism shines a light on alternatives that are otherwise not visible.

”That wheel looks like it’s been dropped. Is it possible it has been bent all along and you never noticed? ”

My thoughts exactly

-- When the moderator chooses sides, his site sucks.

You know, I didnt really think about it like that, but that WOULD explain some of the problems, wouldnt it? By the way, i flipped the wheel and mounted it backwards, so I could take that picture, the “dent” was on the inside of the wheel, so I guess it’s possible that I might never have seen it before..

Take it back to Lowes. I’ll bet it has been bent since you bought it. If you have never had the wheel off before I dont see how YOU could have bent it.

-- " I'll try to be nicer, if you'll try to be smarter" gfadvm

Any of the current Chinese manufactured bandsaws are not really a bandsaw so much as a bandsaw kit that might happen to work out of the box. Your wheels were certainly not balanced if you had to fight alignment problems that often, and this dent is a likely explanation – a 1/4 inch blade simply cannot withstand enough force to cause that kind of inward collapse, even if all the force was optimally directed which it simply isn’t.

I would not bother re-truing the wheel, it probably was never true to begin with and would be a hard place to start from. Just don’t expect a new wheel to be perfect either. Pick up one of the books or articles (Duginske, Bird and Fortune all have good ones) that walk through a tune-up, spend an afternoon or so, and never worry about it again.

Often bandsaw wheels when you relieve the tension will wobble quite a bit, mine when changing the blade will touch the housing. Put the new blade on then tension and see if it is hitting the houseing, I’m betting it will run fine.

-- Tom D

You might be able to salvage that wheel by 1st removing the band, applying an epoxy to the dent and fairing it to the circumference . Re-install the band (may be time for new bands). A replacement wheel for a Grizzly BS costs $55.

Just a note on “straightening wheels”..........we have a dedicated three axis,Hyd wheel straightening machine used for motorcycle and car wheels.Prices “start” at 50$ + shipping…...Use this ONLY as a gauge(not soliciting in any way!).......if you can get a replacement for anywhere near this price,thats what I’d do.Good luck,636