Bandsaw blade tension

[porthos]

probably been addresses before; bit, i don't go on this section very often. i know that you are supposed to relieve the tension of the bandsaw blade when you are done using the saw; but, why? i've done a lot of "close "work on a bandsaw without ever releasing the tension. what am i hurting by not doing so??

 

[aliva]

I'm sure the purists would disagree , and there will probably some long winded reason that you should, but after over 30 years using many different tools including band saws, I've never relived the tension on one. Take a portable band saw, theirs no way to relieve the tension with out the blade coming off the wheels. So basically don't be concerned about it.

 

[darkzero]

My guess is to relieve tension on the blade so it doesn't stretch, if that's even possible & a real concern, or to relieve stress on the wheel bearings? I don't have a woodworking bandsaw but never heard of this before nor have I thought of them to be an issue. I have never done this on either of my bandsaws.

My only real guess is if the wheels have "tires" on them, relieving tension might prolong the life of the rubber? I have no idea, I've only had metalworking horizontal bandsaws & neither of the 2 I had have "tires" on the wheels.

 

[Martin W]

Never heard this before. I guess I’ve been doing it wrong for the last 35years. Lol.
Cheers
Martin

 

[francist]

I don't take the tension down and none of my bandsaws, wood or metal, have ever complained.

-frank

 

[eugene13]

Starrett used to make a band saw tension gauge, I've never used one and have never heard about reliving the blade tension.

 

[f350ca]

I leave the tension on my shop saws, both wood and metal. But relieve it on the saw mill, it has a hydraulic tensioner. The blade runs with 1,200 pounds tension. If the temperature goes up the hydraulic fluid expands and the tension sky rockets.
Interestingly, when I first put a blade on the tension will drop for the first 4 or 5 cuts, keep bumping it up, then it holds steady. The blade must be stretching.

Greg

 

[JimDawson]

I may have been doing it wrong for years also. I've never released the tension. I just tune mine to ''E'' over ''High C'' and leave them there.

 

[darkzero]

For people that actually do this, I wonder how many times have they turned on the bandsaw before remembering to retension the blade?

 

[cathead]

I have heard about the tensioning recommendation but half the time I forget to release it. It doesn't seem to make much difference
on my band saw but I use automotive tires for band saw wheels with automotive bearings as well. It won't be long and the
snow will be gone and I can make some lumber and a bunch of saw dust.