Author Topic: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?  (Read 4188 times)

Offline awemawson

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My Startrite 18V10 has a little circular window that should show figures on a quadrant plate that moves as you tension the blade. It's calibrated in blade widths 1/4"  1/2" etc.



Mine has vanished ! I have to set tension by plucking the blade and hearing the resultant note. It was there and sometimes got stuck but I suspect now it's fallen off !



Now it's a very simple mechanism and if I could get at it I'm sure that I can fix it BUT I can find no way to access the darn thing. all the panels are factory welded together and I can only just see bits of the top slide assembly with a mirror and torch looking upwards where the tensioning knob (#70 on the diagram) pokes though.



So the question - has anyone any idea how the heck you get at this beast ?
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline timby

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2021, 05:24:35 PM »
I may be wrong about this , I seem to remember  from a long time ago, band breaks and the indicator jumps upwards and jams, banging on the side panel with ones fist usually makes it drop down again.   

Offline awemawson

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2021, 05:41:56 PM »
That sounds entirely possible as the diagram seems to show it just resting on the springy thing !
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2021, 09:22:04 AM »
Thimby you are a star !

Well I never did find any way into the relevant bit of the band saw, well all manner of tapping with a big rubber hammer did nothing. So I poked an endoscope camera up next to the tensioning knob and sure enough the indicating thing was standing upright at 90 degrees to where it should be. Poking about with a bit of 1.6 mm gas welding rod bent into a hook eventually got it back in place.

It is amazingly hard coordinating an endoscope camera and a bit of wire when even knowing which way is 'up' is difficult.

I have no idea how they put these saws together originally - I was close to opening up an access hatch with a grinder !
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline kayzed1

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2021, 11:20:01 AM »
***springy thing****   i take it this is an engineering term us lesser mortals need to learn about  :smart: :thumbup:
Lyn the lesser.. but learning fast :coffee:

Offline vtsteam

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2021, 03:12:34 PM »
Around my 14 year old I've learned that the word "thing" is a universal specific for needless description. Thus the explanation to any query I make, "It's a thing."

Repeated more loudly if I seem confused.

"Springy thing"?- I mean that's a LOT of detail, where I come from.
I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg

Offline timby

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2021, 03:46:49 PM »
Thimby you are a star !

Well I never did find any way into the relevant bit of the band saw, well all manner of tapping with a big rubber hammer did nothing. So I poked an endoscope camera up next to the tensioning knob and sure enough the indicating thing was standing upright at 90 degrees to where it should be. Poking about with a bit of 1.6 mm gas welding rod bent into a hook eventually got it back in place.

That is typical of British machinery design,  a drilled hole and a roll pin would have limited the travel of the indicator.

Hundreds  of  people have probably encountered the same problem.

Offline awemawson

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2021, 04:08:55 PM »
In fairness I’ve had it for 25 years and it’s only happened this once !
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline millwright

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #8 on: March 16, 2021, 06:28:14 PM »
Andrew, just a query, is your 18v10 on the Startrite steel block blade guides or is it on the ballraces?

John

Offline awemawson

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2021, 03:12:48 AM »
Steel blocks
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline millwright

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2021, 04:44:22 PM »
Ill have a look and see if i still have any.

John

Offline awemawson

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #11 on: March 18, 2021, 05:11:14 PM »
 :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

 :beer:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline Bee

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #12 on: March 18, 2021, 07:36:55 PM »
BTW if you are a metal machinist and know a woodworker ask if they have a bandsaw with the iron guides and do them a favour by cleaning them up. Often woodworkers fight shy of even trying to use a file on them.

Offline awemawson

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #13 on: March 19, 2021, 03:01:39 AM »
Admittedly I’ve never tried it, but I’ve always assumed that they are hard as a witches T** and not fileable.

Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #14 on: March 19, 2021, 07:46:53 AM »
OK just tried filing one of mine - as I thought it is 'glass hard'

Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline Bee

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #15 on: March 19, 2021, 09:07:10 PM »
Ah, different models. In mine the rear pads are carbide and side ones cast iron.

Offline awemawson

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #16 on: March 20, 2021, 03:27:59 AM »
On mine there is an upper block above the table, and a lower one under the table. The blocks are just rectangular with a blade  thickness slot 25 thou in my case, cut to a depth so that the teeth project but the rest of the blade is supported. You fit blocks to suit your blade, 1/4 3/8 1/2 etc . Their mounting is adjustable front to back and side to side, but not in anyway for pinch.
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline millwright

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #17 on: March 21, 2021, 03:04:58 PM »
Sorry Andrew thats a no for the blade blocks, i've searched everywhere in my garage and that's no mean feat, i was sure i  had had a couple of 3/4" and 1/2" all i've found is a broken table insert for a 14s1 and some worn out brass bushed wheel guides for the same machine, did a google search and they are still available but at £38 for a pair.

John

Offline awemawson

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #18 on: March 21, 2021, 03:50:05 PM »
Thanks for looking. It's not just £38 for a pair - with carriage and VAT you're looking at £54 so at some time I must get myself into gear and make a jig to hold blanks on my wire EDM machine as I can cut them in the hard state. Any idea what the material is? I suspect it might be chilled cast iron - certainly glass hard.

I'm sorted for table inserts - I drew one up in Fusion 360 and 3D printed several of them.
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline howsitwork?

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Re: Startrite 18V10 Blade Tension Indicator Access - How the heck do you?
« Reply #19 on: April 01, 2021, 04:00:37 PM »
Andrew

I would suspect stelite or at least hardened steel pins. Mine it 20 years old and the blade guides needed diamond grinding to face em off smooth. !