Bandsaw Blade Stress (Tension) Calculator

[extropic]

I was motivated to post the attached spreadsheet while following the excellent thread by mark_f titled ‘Band saw tension gauge’. Link:http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/28800-Band-saw-tension-guage

In that thread, Mark referred to a calculator posted elsewhere on the net. Out of curiosity, I searched it out. I tune up that calculator, to my liking, and have attached it here for your consideration. You can input the ‘Blade Specific Variables’ and ‘Gauge Configuration Variables’ that suit your needs and have it at your fingertips. Note that, for any ‘Desired Blade Stress’, if you double the ‘Blade Width’, the ‘Gauge Indicator Reading’ (elongation) will remain unchanged while the ‘Tensile Force’ will double.

I hope you find the calculator useful.

 

[Cadillac STS]

I was in a woodworking store recently and saw a band saw blade tension meter you can put on the machine and see what the tension is all the time. I never knew they had an aftermarket devise to put on or that any band saw had a tension meter on it. $199

 

[extropic]

I was in a woodworking store recently and saw a band saw blade tension meter you can put on the machine and see what the tension is all the time. I never knew they had an aftermarket devise to put on or that any band saw had a tension meter on it. $199

That sounds very interesting. I haven't been able to find any info on the type you describe. I presume it's a load cell w/readout. Can you post the brand name and model number of the unit you saw, or at least the store name and city?

 

[Mark_f]

That sounds very interesting. I haven't been able to find any info on the type you describe. I presume it's a load cell w/readout. Can you post the brand name and model number of the unit you saw, or at least the store name and city?

I found one on the internet, after I built my tension gauge. You can buy a load cell from many hydraulic suppliers that you just screw a gauge into and it goes under the tension knob on the saw. I saw someone had done this on the internet. I am going to try to hunt it down again to look at it closer, but it is kind of expensive to buy those load cells. My gauge was free, so for all I use it I probably won't buy a load cell, but I am interested in the cost.

Mark Frazier

 

[Mark_f]

I was motivated to post the attached spreadsheet while following the excellent thread by mark_f titled ‘Band saw tension gauge’. Link:http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/28800-Band-saw-tension-guage

In that thread, Mark referred to a calculator posted elsewhere on the net. Out of curiosity, I searched it out. I tune up that calculator, to my liking, and have attached it here for your consideration. You can input the ‘Blade Specific Variables’ and ‘Gauge Configuration Variables’ that suit your needs and have it at your fingertips. Note that, for any ‘Desired Blade Stress’, if you double the ‘Blade Width’, the ‘Gauge Indicator Reading’ (elongation) will remain unchanged while the ‘Tensile Force’ will double.

I hope you find the calculator useful.

I like it , but what did you change? I can't really see the difference. None the less , I have saved it for use when I need it. Thank you for doing that and posting it. I just had to change the distance and lever multiplier to match my gauge. your file seems more user friendly and is laid out nicer than the other one.

Mark Frazier

 

[extropic]

I like it , but what did you change? I can't really see the difference. None the less , I have saved it for use when I need it. Thank you for doing that and posting it. I just had to change the distance and lever multiplier to match my gauge. your file seems more user friendly and is laid out nicer than the other one.

Mark Frazier

What did I change? Many things, to make it more user friendly and clear, to me. That's not to denigrate the previous version (except for a text formula error).

That's the beauty of providing the file. Everyone who cares to, can customize it to there own liking and/or purpose.

 

[Mark_f]

What did I change? Many things, to make it more user friendly and clear, to me. That's not to denigrate the previous version (except for a text formula error).

That's the beauty of providing the file. Everyone who cares to, can customize it to there own liking and/or purpose.

I compared the two and yours does look much nicer, cleaner too. thanks for doing that. I saved it in case I need it again.

Mark Frazier