# Bandsaw blade tension



## porthos (Mar 11, 2020)

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??


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## aliva (Mar 11, 2020)

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.


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## darkzero (Mar 11, 2020)

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.


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## Martin W (Mar 11, 2020)

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


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## francist (Mar 11, 2020)

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

-frank


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## eugene13 (Mar 11, 2020)

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


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## f350ca (Mar 11, 2020)

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


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## JimDawson (Mar 11, 2020)

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.


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## darkzero (Mar 11, 2020)

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


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## cathead (Mar 11, 2020)

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.


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## darkzero (Mar 11, 2020)

cathead said:


> I use automotive tires for band saw wheels



I'm sure I'm picturing something different but I have to ask just in case you built some sort of super bandsaw like the crazy go kart belt sander.


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## cathead (Mar 11, 2020)

Here's an old photo of my band saw.  
	

		
			
		

		
	



It has been moved to my wood lot as of last summer and has a bigger motor on it now plus electric start.


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## benmychree (Mar 11, 2020)

f350ca said:


> 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


Or, perhaps it is heating up and lengthening


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## benmychree (Mar 11, 2020)

I too, have never released tension on the blades of any of the bandsaws that I have and do own, never a problem with tires.


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## francist (Mar 11, 2020)

“...how many times have people turned on the bandsaw before remembering to retention the blade?...”

I’m thinking probably quite a few, although maybe not more than once.

I have four of these flags hanging from a hot air duct in my shop. They’re just nylon tube webbing with a rare earth magnet stitched into one end. The tag of yellow makes them extra bright. On the odd occasion that I do have the tension down for some reason, on goes a flag. The next day, next hour, next month, whenever I want to use that machine again there is the flag telling “hey, check this first, dopey!”

Yes yes, I still have to remember to put the flag on but most of the time I do because I’m still in the moment of servicing the machine or whatever. It’s the next day, when I may be thinking of something else, that I’m liable to forget I was halfway through something.

Super easy to use, I find I use them on setups as well to say hey, don’t monkey with this setting, or hey, this clamp is slack for now. Might not work for everybody, but I like them.

-frank


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## DavidR8 (Mar 11, 2020)

That’s a great idea [mention]francist [/mention] similar to a lock out tag on a circuit breaker. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Titanium Knurler (Mar 11, 2020)

darkzero said:


> My guess is to relieve tension on the blade so it doesn't stretch...
> 
> Will, it looks like Grizzly agrees with you.  This is a screenshot from my bandsaw Owner’s Manual:


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## francist (Mar 11, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> That’s a great idea [mention]francist [/mention] similar to a lock out tag on a circuit breaker.


I actually patterned it after the flags they use on aircraft propellers and rotor blades, as in Take me off before spooling up!

-f


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## Mini Cooper S (Mar 12, 2020)

benmychree said:


> I too, have never released tension on the blades of any of the bandsaws that I have and do own, never a problem with tires.


Ditto!  In fifty years of formal training and shop experience, I have never even heard of relieving tension on blades.


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## porthos (Mar 12, 2020)

thanks guys; i was just curious. regardless of the results to my question; i would have left the blade under tension


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## projectnut (Mar 12, 2020)

I would try francist's recommendation, but I think I already know what the results would be..  By the time I came back to use the saw I wouldn't remember why I'd put the dumb flag in such a stupid location.  I would have started the saw and guess what, not only would my memory refreshed, but I would also need to change a freshly broken blade.

In reality my oldest bandsaw is 46 years old while my "new" one is only 32 years old.  I have never relieved the blade tension  on either of them.  They both still work fine.


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## darkzero (Mar 12, 2020)

I can't say that I've ever had a blade stretch that affected it's functionality nor have I ever had one snap because of it. I wonder if this applies mainly to wood bandsaws with thinner & narrower blades?

I do however release the tension on my hacksaws most of the time but not always.


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## Reddinr (Mar 12, 2020)

I've been forgetting to un-tension my band saws for decades.  Doesn't seem to harm anything.


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## wlburton (Mar 12, 2020)

I've always faithfully reduced blade tension on my band saws (which I don't use very often) but I'm sure going to quit doing it after reading this thread!


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## Garryloy (Oct 15, 2020)

I think some bandsaw manufacturers have a tension release lever on their saws strictly for the benefit of the rubber tires.  Since half of the tire is compressed by the blade, and the other half is not when the saw is not used,  it is theoretically possible for the tires to take a set.  Then when the saw is started there could be a bump or vibration in the blade due to the tires.  Everyone wants a smooth running blade.  So these saw manufacturers tell their potential customers about this wonderful advantage their saw has.  Is this a real or a perceived advantage?  Probably depends on what kind of rubber tires the saw uses.  On my first homemade bandsaw I used bicycle inner tubes for the rubber.  Now I use the best urethane tires sold and when I forget to release the tension I cannot tell if there is any difference in smoothness or vibration.


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## sycle1 (Oct 16, 2020)

Thats the First I have heard about releiving the tension on band saw blades.
And just like that there is another thing I do wrong.
The oops list is getting longer.


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## NC Rick (Oct 16, 2020)

I purchased that same model Grizzly GO640x saw a few years back which I am quite happy with.  My smaller Delta horizontal saw has never had the tension released.  The grizzly asks for quite the procedure to tighten the blade and I have  gotten into a habit of always letting off the tension when I shut down the inverter.  I figured with the urethane tires, it had to be an okay idea.  The lever and tension adjuster are seperate and when released it is posible to start the saw and the blade won't really run, it sorta skates (yep, I test this "feature" occasionally). This is the first saw I had with elastomer tires and there is a lot of tension it haven't really been an inconvenience so I'll keep it up. When I forget, I'll not worry over it after reading here.


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## CFreeborn (Jan 15, 2021)

I've been doing it wrong too... for 30 plus years I guess...  That said the purists say yes- release tension. Iturra Design make / makes a clever quick release gizmo, but it's only for the Delta 14" models. I've got one of his blade tension gauges, but by the time I reach the recommended tension on my Italian (MiniMax) 18" I've bottomed out the spring and the frame of the saw is flexing. That's with 3/4" resawing blades which is what I primarily use that saw for. 
All of that said I have broken blades, but not after getting a whole lot of use out of them, some even having been sharpened once or twice. So, no, I don't bother...

BTW, if you can get one of the Iturra catalogs there's a wealth of information in it about bandsaws.


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## rogerl (Jan 15, 2021)

Below is a link to a band saw blade tension device that is quick and easy to use. 









						Quick Release®
					

Instantly relieve tension to prevent damage to the tire and prolong the life of the blade and saw.




					carterproducts.com
				





 Roger L


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## DeanB (Jan 15, 2021)

Timberwolf that specializes in wood cutting and resawing blades recommends releasing the tension when not in use.


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## CFreeborn (Jan 15, 2021)

rogerl said:


> Below is a link to a band saw blade tension device that is quick and easy to use.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Like I said, for 14" saws....


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