Help a brotha out! Rebuilding a band saw.

[compuslave]

Hi guys, I need ya again. I have a Cosen model 250 band saw that needs a little rework. When the saw was first purchased it ran great. It would push through a 10" piece of steel like it was cutting butter. Now, not so much. The trouble started when we tried to fix some of the more glaring problems. The drive wheel had a massive amount of runout (~.75). So, we replaced the bearings and trued the bore. While this made the drive wheel run perfectly straight, the saw would not perform the way it once did. Now if the cut taken is anything other than tickle force it pops the blade off the wheel. We have experimented with the angle on the drive wheel face and had some success, but still nothing like what we had before. So, my first question is what is that angle supposed to be? I'm talking about the angle that is supposed to keep the blade seated. Even knowing what this angle is called would help, as I could then possibly google it. Secondly, the electronics are fried. They work somewhat, but not as intended. You ca nsee from the pics that we have the cover opened with a piece of plexi-glass to keep coolant out and we just reach in and toggle the head up and feed relays by hand. The switch in the stop does nothing. All the hardware is there but the relay board is not working. The Cosen guys want $3500 to fix it. I know we can do it cheaper ever if we have to build our own board. I was thinking of using and arduino and a few relays and just building a new control from scratch, anybody here capable of helping? Anyway, any help of ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys!

[compuslave]

Well, I don't feel so stupid now. Nobody knows what that angle is called. I am, however, surprised that not one of you showed any interest in my plans to play with an arduino. It takes a certain type to exist in this trade and that type would be interested in things like that.

Stereotypes are fun.

[M250cnc]

What you are looking for is SAW BLADE TRACKING

I don't know electronics.

Phil

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

[JimBoyce]

The drive wheel angle is probably 90 degrees to the shoulder, maybe 89 degrees would work better. The other wheel usually has a tension adjustment and a tilting adjustment to adjust the blade against the shoulders. Then the guides on the saw blades are adjusted to the blade.

[compuslave]

Yeah, the angle is less than 90. Still not sure what it is, but it is less than 90. The goal is to keep the blade seated but not let it rub the shoulder on the drive wheel.

I bought an Arduino and as soon as time permits I'm going to start going through the saw and making sure all the switches work. I'll post everything I do here in the hopes that it will be helpful to someone else at some point.