# Should the blade tension on a bandsaw be released when not in use.



## GT350 (Dec 22, 2012)

I recently bought a Lagune 14-12 bandsaw. It has the tension release handle and the manual say's to release it when you are not going to use it overnight which will make the saw and blade last longer. Do you release the tension on the blade when not in use? I forgot to retension it the other day and it sounded different but I was surprised it still cut reasonably well.
Thanks
Mike


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## bonesbr549 (Jan 1, 2010)

Yea, they say that. Some times I remember some times I don't. I've left my tensioned for long periods of time, and it don't make not diff that I can tell. Don't sweat it.


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

It's an age old argument with no real consensus. Some swear you absolutely need to release tension when not in use for any length of time, some will say only when inactive for longer periods, some never release tension except to change blades. If you have a quick release, then it certainly won't hurt anything doing so, but I don't think it is something you really need to be overly concerned about if you don't.

Cheers,
Brad


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## 716 (Nov 22, 2015)

> I forgot to retension it the other day and it sounded diferent
> - GT350


Should tell you something.
I would imagine a constant stress is not healthy to both the saw and the blade.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

What he said. I've seen a couple posts by people who do a bunch of resawing and the blades lasted longer before breaking when they took the tension off. But all in all they said it wasn't a vast difference and they were using high end blades with long life or something like that and they'd break before getting to dull to use.

Something like that. Not a huge deal in the end of you don't.


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

Probably not a bad idea but you have to remember to re-tension and check, alignment, guides etc. before you use it again. To help me remember, I also unplug the machine and hang the cord over the release arm as a reminder whenever I release the tension. Also, the Timber Wolf blades I just bought seem to take less tension (one of their own claims BTW) than the original blade that came with the saw which would seem to reduce the need to release tension.


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## GT350 (Dec 22, 2012)

Thanks for the quick responses, it will be interesting to see how many people do release the tension if there are more responses. These new saws aren't cast iron and I don't know if that makes any difference either.

716, What I did was forget to push the handle up and put the tension back on it. I was just surprised that the blade didn't just slide on the drive wheel since there was so little tension on it.
Mike


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

It can be a problem with thin blades primarily for the tires on the wheel. The thinner blades could have a greater chance of leaving a flat spot on a tire. That being said, it would probably take a long time to make a noticeable difference, but why chance it, tires are a PITA to install and sometimes expensive.


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## fuigb (Apr 21, 2010)

I remove the tension at the end of each work session. Jet's manual recommends it and I grew up being told to prolong the life of a spring by removing unnecessary tensio, e.g. never our pump guns loaded. My bandsaw works fine and I've never experienced failure when racking shells in our Remmington 870s. So take off the tension I saw.

Having said all of that I can tell you about a 14" Shopfox that gets occasional use/abuse at my work where the guys modify displays and make shipping crates for oddball stuff. The users are great guys but are sub-Neanderthal when it comes to tools. Anyway, the bandsaw blade became too dull to use after some moron used the saw to trim aluminum scaffolding struts and being know as the resident woodworker they called me for help. The short version is that in the course of replacing the blade I learned that it had not been de-tensioned for at least eight years. I about crapped. The saw works fine and I held an impromptu training session to show the guys how to care for the saw but I'm sure that they promptly forgot all and the saw will continue to function long after I'm gone.


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

> The users are great guys but are sub-Neanderthal when it comes to tools. Anyway, the bandsaw blade became too dull to use after some moron used the saw to trim aluminum scaffolding struts and being know as the resident woodworker they called me for help. The short version is that in the course of replacing the blade I learned that it had not been de-tensioned for at least eight years. I about crapped.


LOL - then put me in the sub-neanderthal group - I haven't de-tensioned my BS for over a year since I put the last blade on it 

Cheers,
Brad


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## Planeman40 (Nov 3, 2010)

I bought my bandsaw, a used Walker-Turner 14" bandsaw around 1960. In 55 years I have NEVER de-tensioned a bandsaw blade. And . . . . the blades just keep cutting just fine. So much for the de-tensioning in my way of thinking.

Planeman


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Oh well…...I'm in the detension camp. Just a habit, but I've not had any probs.
Bill


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

> LOL - then put me in the sub-neanderthal group - I haven t de-tensioned my BS for over a year since I put the last blade on it
> 
> Cheers,
> Brad
> ...


LOL! I was waiting to see if any one else was gonna admit they NEVER de-tension their blade ! ME TOO !


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## shampeon (Jun 3, 2012)

I would imagine that how frequently you use your bandsaw has a pretty big effect on whether it makes sense to detension it or not. If you only use it occasionally, or leave it for long periods of time, detensioning the blade prevents uneven stresses on the blade, which can lead to breakage and vibration. This would not be an issue if it is used frequently.

And the size of the saw is probably another factor. Larger bandsaws have larger wheels. A 14" with a riser block will put more stress on the blades than a 19" bandsaw due to the break angle and tension needed.


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

I have always wondered about this not for the blade but for the tension spring.

I've owned maybe 4 bandsaws and never detensioned one.
My big guy (18") currently has a 1 1/2" blade on it and I know that spring has to be under a lot of tension.

.......think I'm going to throw the lever just based on principle.


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

My PC saw without a tension release, I never untension the blade by turning that doggone knob thirty-forty times. 
My big Grizzly has tension release, and I use it religiously.

End result? The blades on the Grizzly seem to last much longer, no matter what size, than the Porter Cable.
Also remember the the Grizzly has a 131 1/2" blade, and the Porter Cable has a 93 1/2" blade, so rotations are much more often on the PC. That is an obvious factor and may skew my results.
Still, I go through blades much faster on the PC than on the Grizz.


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## johnstoneb (Jun 14, 2012)

It doesn't matter, and if you relieve the tension you do not have to go through realignment when you put the tension back on.


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## Pezking7p (Nov 17, 2013)

Leaving tension on he blades doesn't do anything to the blades. You could tension them for years with no effect. It's the same reason that bridges don't fall down after a few years of being loaded.

You will put flats on your tires, though.


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## GT350 (Dec 22, 2012)

Tennessee, what happens to the blades on the PC, do they get dull or break. Johnstoneb, that was one of the things I was curious about is wether you should realign them or not, I haven't been and they seem to stay in alignment even when I forget to retension them before use.
Mike


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

The bandsaw book I read when I got my first bandsaw said to detension after use. The instructions on all 3 of my bandsaws (different brands) sat to detension after use. And the manual for my Woodmizer Sawmill said to detension after use. Guess what??? I detension after use!!!


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## Momcanfixit (Sep 19, 2012)

I also release the tension after each use. Can't say if it helps or not
-instructions say to do it, so I do
-my shop drops to a few degrees above freezing, then up to a comfortable temp when I have the heat going. I figured the wide swing in temp isn't helping anything metal, so I don't want to add any other problems

-If I start my saw with the tension off, the noise is enough to scare the, uh, fluff out of me
I'm now in the habit of leaving a magnet on the worktable of the saw once I release the tension. Then before I turn the saw on, I move the magnet and check the alignment which usually is fine anyway.

Works for me


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

I have a cardboard flap hanging over my on/off switch that says "Blade Tensioned?" I have to raise the flap to turn the saw on.

Works for me


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## GT350 (Dec 22, 2012)

At least I can see I am not the only one that forgets to retention it, I think I will try the magnet idea if I detention it.
Mike


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## sawdustdad (Dec 23, 2015)

Never de-tension either my Delta 14 inch saw or my Hitachi resaw (which has a 3 inch wide blade on it.) So call me a Neanderthal, too.


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## Ger21 (Oct 29, 2009)

I don't use my bandsaw much (14" Delta), and haven't de-tensioned it in over 15 years.
Every time I turn it on, it cuts just fine.


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## johnstoneb (Jun 14, 2012)

Do I take the tension off, sometimes, Do I retension, sometimes. Resawing with a detensioned blade causes a lot of wander.

Sandra, stop and think. a 40 degree temp change is not much in the world of metals. I like your magnet idea although I would probably just wonder why I left it there and move it out of the way and continue too saw. I have taken to moving the guide all theway up and then detensioning. I have to move the tension arm to bring the guide back down most of the time that causes me to put tension back on before sawing.


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## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

I relieve the tension as a general rule.

My main concerns are for the bearings when I have a wide (1-1/4") resaw blade tensioned up on my Minimax 16".
I doubt there is any concern for smaller, lower tension blades and I never have to readjust anything when going through the tension cycle so either way, de-tensioning for me is simply routine, kinda like lowering the table saw blade at the end of the day.


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

> My PC saw without a tension release, I never untension the blade by turning that doggone knob thirty-forty times.
> My big Grizzly has tension release, and I use it religiously.
> 
> End result? The blades on the Grizzly seem to last much longer, no matter what size, than the Porter Cable.
> ...


I'd be willing to bet that your results have more to do with the blade having to go over smaller wheels. Smaller wheels = more stress on the blade. They have to bend further than they do on the bigger Grizzly.


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## Pezking7p (Nov 17, 2013)

> My PC saw without a tension release, I never untension the blade by turning that doggone knob thirty-forty times.
> My big Grizzly has tension release, and I use it religiously.
> 
> End result? The blades on the Grizzly seem to last much longer, no matter what size, than the Porter Cable.
> ...


Not to mention that there is no real record of how much is cut on each saw, blade length is not controlled for, what materials are being cut, thickness of materials being cut, are they curved or straight cuts, were the machines set up (or are they capable of being set up) such that the blade wear and heating are similar on both units.

Not easy to compare these things without being very careful.


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## Gentile (Jun 3, 2013)

I detension my Rikon just out of habit. I hang the power cord over the lever so I'm reminded to tension the blade before I turn it on. It's a pain to turn on the saw without tension and have to realign the blade. My old Delta clone I would leave the tension on, without any hassles…


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## david82282 (Dec 18, 2015)

I can think of no good engineering reason why detensioning is needed for any of the *metal* parts. The blade stress is 15-25ksi, which is nowhere near its yield point. Constant load on a spring or any other metal part does not harm them at all at normal temperatures-only cyclic load / fatigue does (and from that perspective, detensioning is slightly worse, but trivial since fatigue usually takes millions of cycles). Creep in steel or aluminum is insignificant at any human-tolerable temperatures. Room temp creep in zinc can occur, but no intelligent bandsaw designer would use zinc for a highly stressed part.

The *rubber* tires are another story. Rubber is viscoelastic and can take a 'set' (creep) under constant load, especially at high temperatures. The glue might also creep. If you want to detension, it would be most warranted at very high room temperatures, maybe like in a garage in a hot summer. But the specific rubber compound has a huge effect on whether creep would be noticeable. I would guess that modern saws use tire compounds that are insensitive to it.

All that said, I have never detensioned, and never had a problem.


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## John_ (Sep 23, 2013)

This is from "Timberwolf Band Saw Blades" - makes sense to me and sure seems to be a good 'engineering reason' to detension the blade:

*ALWAYS DETENSION YOUR BANDS*
When you are done cutting for the day, take the tension off your blade. Band saw blades, when warmed up from cutting, always stretch; and upon cooling shrink by tens of thousandths of an inch each cooling period. Therefore, blades, when left on the saw over tension themselves and leave the memory of the two wheels in the steel of the band, which will cause cracking in the gullet. When you leave the band on your saw under tension, not only do you distort the crown and flatten out the tires (which makes them very hard), but you also place undue stress on your bearings and shafts. Believe it or not; you can, and will damage your wheel geometry sooner or later and considerably shorten bearing life. You are also crushing your tires or V-belts.

http://www.suffolkmachinery.com/six-rules-of-sawing.html


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## david82282 (Dec 18, 2015)

Thanks, John. It is definitely true that metals expand with temperature. Timberwolf's analysis and advice would be true only if: 
1) the blade gets very hot, *and*
2) the user cranked up (manually reset) the tension *while* the blade is very hot. 
If *both* of those occur, then yes, when the blade cools, it will be at a very high stress, and detensioning would be wise. But for that to protect the bearings, shaft, and blade, we would need to detension well before "you are done cutting for the day"-we'd need to do it before the blade cools, which would be less than 1 minute. Otherwise, the blade, bearings, etc will still see those high loads. Metals don't know the difference between an overload of 1 second or 1 week.

But nearly every woodworker sets the tension while the blade is ~cold and does not reset it while hot. In this case:
- When the blade gets hot, it will expand in length, and go down in tension. 
- Then when it cools, it will contract its length, and increase in tension-but to the *same tension* it started with. Expansion/contraction of metals is a reversible process.

Maybe some production factories increase the tension after the blade is hot, for best cutting-Timberwolf's advice would apply to them.


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## JBrow (Nov 18, 2015)

I can't say whether de-tensioning makes a difference, but since bandsaw manufacturers (US manufacturers anyway) spend extra money in design and manufacturing to include these mechanisms on their machines and recommend de-tensioning the blade, I de-tension my blade.

Remembering to re-tension and de-tensioned the bandsaw blade is a problem. Powermatic is the only company that I know who took this problem into consideration when they designed their 15" bandsaw. They install a micro switch that prevents the saw from starting when the blade is de-tensioned.

My bandsaw is a Grizzly 17" bandsaw. I worried about forgetting to re-tension the blade until I installed a low tech automatic de-tensioning alarm.

The automatic de-tensioning alarm consists of a board attached to the top of the bandsaw, angled so that the end of the board is over the edge of the bandsaw table on the out feed side and angled to be in line with the blade. A shoe string loops through an eye screw attached on the end of the board. The eye screw acts like a pulley. I attached one end of the shoe string to the de-tensioning handle with electrical tape. The other end of the shoe string is attached to a small scrap block of wood that is wrapped in Red electrical tape. The shoe string is long enough so that, when the blade is de-tensioned, the Red scrap block rests on the table in direct line with the blade. When the blade is under tension and the handle is up, the Red scrap block lifts up and out of the way.


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## ElChe (Sep 28, 2014)

Yes. No. Maybe. Not sure.


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## 280305 (Sep 28, 2008)

I received detention one time in the eighth grade. I still say that I was framed!


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

I always do. I unplug the saw and hang the cord around the tension release lever t help me remember.


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## david82282 (Dec 18, 2015)

Grizzly calls their lever a "quick change release/tensioner", implying its main purpose is for blade changes. It's definitely handy for that. Their user manuals vary in advice: some say to detension after use, others don't mention it.

Here's another way to approach the question: for those that don't detension, have you had problems with blades breaking, tires denting, wheels deforming, shafts breaking, or bearings wearing out?

ElChe, that should cover it.

Chuck, no doubt a cast-iron frame job.


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## GT350 (Dec 22, 2012)

I think I am just going to leave mine tensioned. I just went out to use my bandsaw and the wood wasn't cutting straight and the blade was sparking a little. I found the blade had slid forward and wasn't tracking properly, I stopped the saw, set the tracking and reset the guides. It is now cutting properly, I find that too much trouble for something that may or may not extend the life of the saw or blades.
Mike


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

FWIW … I have a Carter tension release on my Jet 14" bandsaw. I set the carter to the semi-tension midway position, open the top door, and give the wheel a spin. That usually takes care of any of any tracking/guide problems. Then I set the tension relief arm to the upper position, power up the saw and do my business. Takes less than 30 seconds … easy-peasy.


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

Delta 14". Over 20 Years
me a Neanderthal, too!


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## GT350 (Dec 22, 2012)

Jbay, I'm with you, I had a Rockwell for about that long and never released the tension with zero problems. I have had the new saw for about a month and by releasing the tension I have already had a problem. I guess that is making me a Neanderthal also.
Mike


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## Squatcher (Dec 31, 2015)

I would say yes. I noticed that even after I releave the tension on my Powermatic 14" that if I don't release all the tension or take the blade off, it will create an oval shape. We're talking months here… Also, that was the same blade that snapped on me. I don't know that the blade breaking during use and it being shaped into an oval are related but I now just remove the blade when I'm done with it.

Note: I'm not an everyday bandsaw user and lately, have had even less time than I want to play with my tools.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

The Anchorage School District has band saws that I know haven't been De-tensioned for over 18 years other than when the blade breaks or is changed. No damage that I can tell.


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## mpounders (Jun 22, 2010)

I have a Jet 14" bandsaw with a lift kit that I purchased approximately 25 years ago. When I first purchased it, I never detensioned it except to replace a blade. Family and work stopped me from doing woodworking and it sat for quite a few years. When i started back up and began looking at my tools, I had to replace dry rotted tires on the wheels and also discovered that the cast metal tensioning/tilt mechanism for the top wheel had cracked! Luckily, I was able to get replacement parts from Jet. I made a wooden wheel with a knob that sits on top of the original tensioning knob and it makes it very quick to release and retension the blade. I use my bandsaw quite a bit now, and I don't mind taking a little extra time to make sure it will operate properly the next time I turn it on.


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## david82282 (Dec 18, 2015)

Interesting replies, thank you all. I did a little analysis on the thermal expansion/contraction question, so see what it might do. A case to consider is a garage in winter, if it's heated when working and then quickly gets cold.

Suppose the tension is set when the blade is warm, say, 120F. Then after working, the garage *quickly* cools to 20F. The exposed portions of the blade (not on the wheel) will cool and shrink must faster than the frame.

To start, I'll assume the bandsaw does *not* have acompression spring, or it is bottomed out.

Say the Center-Center distance is 24", so that much blade is exposed and will cool quickly. The frame will cool and shrink at a slower rate. The change in blade length (between the wheels) is 
deltaLength = InitialLength x CoefOfThermalExpansion x TempChange 
dL = 24" x 6.5×10^-6/F x 100F = 0.016"

Next I'll assume the frame and wheels are infinitely rigid (not true, but this will give an upper limit on the increase in blade stress):
deltaStress = ModulusOfElasticity x CoefOfThermalExpansion x TempChange 
dS = 30×10^6 psi x 6.5×10^-6/F x 100F = 20 kpsi 
In reality, the frame, wheels, and shafts will bend, so the increase in blade stress will be much less. (That analysis is much more complex… statically indeterminate) Perhaps dS is 10 kpsi, but still that's a lot. If the blade starts with 20 kpsi tension, it might rise to 30 kpsi.

Note this higher stress would only occur in *very specific conditions*:
- If the tension is set when warm, and the blade cools quickly while the frame does not. 
- For a brief period, while the blade is much colder than the frame. So, tires are at less risk of creep, but metal parts might be overloaded. 
- If there is no compression spring, or the spring is bottomed out. A working compression spring will easily absorb any blade shrinkage with little change in blade stress. (So, instead of bottoming out a compression spring, install a heavier rate spring.)
- If the frame is very rigid. The more flexible the frame, the less change in blade stress. 
- If the garage goes through many heat-cool cycles, there's more risk of one of those cooling cycles being extra quick.

Mike P, do you recall if the compression spring was bottomed out on your saw? If not, I'd guess that cast metal part had a QC problem, maybe a poor alloy choice, or a casting inclusion (flaw)... a part like that should be able to handle continuous loading.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

> Interesting replies, thank you all. I did a little analysis on the thermal expansion/contraction question, so see what it might do. A case to consider is a garage in winter, if it s heated when working and then quickly gets cold.
> 
> Suppose the tension is set when the blade is warm, say, 120F. Then after working, the garage *quickly* cools to 20F. The exposed portions of the blade (not on the wheel) will cool and shrink must faster than the frame.
> 
> ...


Oh my, now were going to complicate things. I don't detention my saw but I think you should. Then you don't have to worry about it.


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## david82282 (Dec 18, 2015)

> Oh my, now were going to complicate things. I don t detention my saw but I think you should. Then you don t have to worry about it.
> - AlaskaGuy


Hmm, but then you have to tension it properly every time, maybe worrying about that. On this and other forums, I think I've heard more problems from people who have detensioned, than from those who don't!


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## RogerM (Oct 31, 2011)

No, it doesn't hurt a d-- thing!!!


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

I think if I had to use the stock tension knob on top of the saw, I wouldn't de-tension/re-tension my saw.

I installed the Carter Quick Release system when I got my saw, so it is no big deal for me.

Do whatever floats your boat.


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## hotncold (Mar 4, 2014)

I de-tension 100% of the time…when I remember to do it…which is about 50% of the time.


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## WoodBill (Jun 1, 2011)

I would also think that more over the bearings would last longer if you took the tension off after using the saw.


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## david82282 (Dec 18, 2015)

As mentioned before, steel doesn't care how long a load is applied. And bearings have much higher static load capacity than dynamic.


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## ohtimberwolf (Dec 17, 2011)

I too never de-tension my band saw blade.


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## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

With smaller band saw blades, I do not release the tension. With a large blade and very high tension,I do release the tension mainly to relieve the pressure on bearings and tires. I think it would be important when one uses the maximum sized blade on a bandsaw. The stress on the frame could be high. Some better bandsaw would make no difference. Also with a very small blade the stress levels on the blade could be very high.

A note….yes steel cares how long a load is on it. With higher stress levels, creep can happen. It depends on stress levels and type of steel.

As a practical matter, for most cases, it makes no difference.


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## david82282 (Dec 18, 2015)

In laboratory conditions, yes, it is possible to measure creep in steel at lower temps. But it is infinitely tiny. If we are concerned about that, then many other things would be of greater concern, such as regularly retorquing our car's cylinder head bolts.


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## cocobolo1 (Jan 5, 2016)

My bandsaw is a Norwood lumbermate, somewhat different from the typical 14" home shop type machine. It's used for cutting lumber.

I always take the tension out of the blade without fail. Blades in these machines will typically produce about 2,200 board feet of lumber before they break. They can be re-welded, but you may be sure that they will break again very quickly due to metal fatigue.

It takes only seconds to re-tension a blade, so why not do what the company says?


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## david82282 (Dec 18, 2015)

That's a good example: a life of 2,200 bd ft means the cause of failure is fatigue. Every time the band bends over the wheel, it experiences a fatigue cycle. Metal fatigue is very important and does cause failure. Static loading does not cause fatigue.

Others have experienced problems either forgetting to retension (damaging the blade or saw) or the band slipping off or not tracking after retension. Probably the latter is with lower quality saws.

In a shop with many users, it's difficult to ensure everyone detensions and retensions. If 1 forgets to retension, potential damage.

Everyone can do as they prefer. I would do it if there are logical engineering reasons. I can only think of 2:
- Old or questionable tire rubber compound in a garage during a hot summer.
- A saw without a working compression spring AND an environment that cools quickly and a lot. 
Those are good reasons. Anything to do with steel, bearings, shafts: well, consider that virtually no machine shops or machinists detension their H or V bandsaws.


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## Waldo88 (Nov 7, 2014)

> Leaving tension on he blades doesn t do anything to the blades. You could tension them for years with no effect. It s the same reason that bridges don t fall down after a few years of being loaded.
> 
> You will put flats on your tires, though.
> 
> - Pezking7p


This.

The creep is steel is tiny when safely in the flat part of the stress-strain curve. The lower floors of skyscrapers don't get shorter (by any standard measurable means) over the years despite the massive loads being carried from above.

And its true that fatigue is a bigger issue than creep or ultimate strength. Unfortunately detensioning and retensioning is yet another fatigue cycle, though thats really minor compared to the fatigue cycles from the blade rotations.

I would guess that a bandaw blade could be rated by its its operating lifetime in revolutions (ignoring sharpness), if one were to expend the effort measuring such things; fatigue life can be approximated.


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## PatL (Jul 4, 2019)

I release the tension mostly because I use the saw about 1 time per week and I have experienced blade failures on my metal cutting band saw due to constant tension/creep (yes I was using a high quality blade).

On the wood cutting band saw, I had a tough time remembering to pull the tension lever before starting the saw which in turn would cause me to open the saw doors and retrack the blade. So I added a small micro switch on the tension release arm that activates a relay in series with the main power supply that prevents the saw from starting unless the release lever is in the proper position. An LED is also activated to remind me it is in the off position. Sounds like overkill to some but I had the parts laying around and I enjoy implementing solutions like this to prevent me from doing stupid things. All of this is inside the saw so it looks original and clean with the exception of the additional LED


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

If you are in the habit of relaxing the bade, just make a sign that is on/near the start button that says check tension.

Beyond that it's your saw, your tires, your frame, your spring, your blade. All of which will get stressed a little leaving the tension cranked. ESPECIALLY you Delta 14" and clone guys. Most of the time to get half decent results you need to over tension the blade.

Yes I know guys who never de-tension. Some of them always have problems, some say they never do? Someone said, no consensus. This argument is the picture for that term in the dictionary.


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## LeeRoyMan (Feb 23, 2019)

PatL, that sounds like a cool idea. You should post a pic of it.
I have 400w halogens in my shop, sometimes I come into my office and hit the switch out of habit, then have to wait for them to come back on. Maybe you could hit me up with a fix for that..lol



> If you are in the habit of relaxing the bade, just make a sign that is on/near the start button that says check tension.
> 
> Beyond that it s your saw, your tires, your frame, your spring, your blade. All of which will get stressed a little leaving the tension cranked. ESPECIALLY you Delta 14" and clone guys. Most of the time to get half decent results you need to over tension the blade.
> 
> ...


Yes I know guys who always de-tension. Some of them always have problems, some say they never do? Someone said, no consensus. This argument is the picture for that term in the dictionary.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

I have a resaw with a 3" blade and another saw with a 1/4" blade and ive never de-tensioned either one and have never had a problem.im afraid if I did id forget to re-tension and start the saw causing a real problem.i just don't worry about it.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

On my 24'' band saw I keep a one inch blade fully tension and ready to go all time. These day something goes week between use. Same thing on my 16'' band saw.


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## TomM (Jan 20, 2009)

At the end of a day I always detension my 14-Twelve. I had an old craftsman before this without a quick-detension lever that I would always leave tight. After it sat for a few days it took about 10-15 minutes of running for the tires to flex away the flat spots.
As a reminder of the DT's I always leave the top door open and saw unplugged. The next day I lift the tension lever and hand spin the wheel to re-center the blade, then it's all ready to work.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> PatL, that sounds like a cool idea. You should post a pic of it.
> I have 400w halogens in my shop, sometimes I come into my office and hit the switch out of habit, then have to wait for them to come back on. Maybe you could hit me up with a fix for that..lol
> 
> - LeeRoyMan


Ummmmmm, Ya know, once some guy suggested I put a sign on my BS to put the tension back on. Maybe if you put a sign near the light switches you could have it say

REALLY, ya sure ya wanna do that…..

I don't know, just sounds like it could work.


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## PaulDoug (Sep 26, 2013)

Four years later,, this is still being argued!!!


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## LeeRoyMan (Feb 23, 2019)

> PatL, that sounds like a cool idea. You should post a pic of it.
> I have 400w halogens in my shop, sometimes I come into my office and hit the switch out of habit, then have to wait for them to come back on. Maybe you could hit me up with a fix for that..lol
> 
> - LeeRoyMan
> ...


I dunno, I was hoping more for an air lock with blinking lights that I would have to go into before reaching the switches, 
but, a sign might work.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> Four years later,, this is still being argued!!!
> 
> - PaulDoug


I know hard to believe huh,but no,this is LUMNBER JOCKS-LOL.!


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## PatL (Jul 4, 2019)

Yes, I did the sign thing for a while and of course it works. But like I said, I had the parts laying around and am known for going a little overboard on solutions at times in technology (due to my background) so I went for the lock out switch set up.

LeeRoyMan, I can get started on the design for that air lock that you mentioned


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## 280305 (Sep 28, 2008)

> Four years later,, this is still being argued!!!
> 
> - PaulDoug


The deepest questions of philosophy and the human condition are timeless!


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

> Four years later,, this is still being argued!!!
> - PaulDoug


4 years later and I still haven't released the tension on my BS 

Cheers,
Brad


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> Four years later,, this is still being argued!!!
> - PaulDoug
> 
> 4 years later and I still haven t released the tension on my BS
> ...


same here i think even longer.


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## Delete (May 19, 2017)

I don't release the tension on my shop saws, my 20" General or my 12" shop built saw, nor do I release the tension on my 2 metal cutting saws. Never had a problem that way, the blades wear out before they break. The exception is my small import metal saw, before I got the larger Startrite I would regularly abuse it with oversized material and the cheap carbon blades never lasted long, bi-metal blades lasted longer but my abuse still broke the occasional blade..

The new sawmill is an exception. When I stored it for the winter I released the tension. The metal shop is not heated (yet) and it was not a good idea to leave it tensioned in the face of expansion and contraction due to severe temperature changes over the winter and into spring.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> I dunno, I was hoping more for an air lock with blinking lights that I would have to go into before reaching the switches,
> but, a sign might work.
> 
> - LeeRoyMan


I think maybe you are an engineer?


> ?


? LOL.

PaulDoug this is more than Hatfields and McCoys here. At least I think more people have been figuratively shot on woodworking threads because of it. It goes wayyyyy back, likely will keep going too.


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## PatL (Jul 4, 2019)

Yep. And working in the aerospace, nuclear, and medical device industries can do this to a person (error proofing)


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## Ocelot (Mar 6, 2011)

Yep. Old thread.

For what it's worth, I used to always detention. But then I mounted a 1/8" blade on my 17in saw. Every time I detention, it falls off the wheels, so I just leave it tight until I'm done with that super-narrow blade and put back on a normal blade.

BTW. I was thinking there was no way the 1/8" blade was going to work on that saw, but I had it and a 3/8" blade and needed to cut a tighter curve than the 3/8 would do, so was going to order a quarter inch blade - and have to wait for it, so I just mounted the 1/8" figuring it wouldn't last long, but I was surprised that it worked OK.

-Paul


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## DrDirt (Feb 26, 2008)

I too rarely detension the blade… I believe it is "Better" to release tension… helps not to get flat spots in tires etc. But realistically - I think Laguna is recommending something a bit too cautious, with the idea that it cannot be left overnight under tension.


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## HandLogger (Jul 12, 2019)

My experience with [much larger] bandsaws is that you should relieve the tension on the blade whenever possible. In our case, we have a hydraulic tensioner that is loosened at the end of every saw day. I, too, have found that the blades last longer when this policy is followed.


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