Bandsaw Blade Ticking

[TracerRound]

I have a Rikon 10-324 for a few years now but have only used it a few times. I finally took the stock bade off and installed a new blade I bought around the same time I purchased the saw. I am still trying to get familiar with the adjustments and tensioning and have ended up with a ticking noise. I have a short .mp4 video of it but it doesn't seem to be allowed for upload on here.

I am not sure if I have the tension and adjustments wrong or if I bent the blade just taking it out of the box. Does anyone have any tips or walk-through I can try and figure it out?

Thank you in advance!

Larry

 

[pop-pop]

First thing would be to open the covers and slowly rotate a wheel. Listen carefully and it might be obvious.

 

[bowman]

could it be one of the welds hitting the guides? Let the guides out a fraction to see if it goes away

 

[iclark]

As already suggested, unplug the saw, open the upper wheel cover, and slowly rotate the wheel in the normal direction until the blade has been all of the way around. Odds are, the tick occurs when the weld goes through the guides or the table. That can happen when the 2 ends got misaligned during the weld or if there is a weld bead that was not cleaned up.

If you find either of those cases, contact the blade manufacturer to see if they want to make it good (even after this long). In some cases, you might be able to clean it up with some (metal) file work. Posting a pic of the weld help would help with guidance.

If you don't get a tick when you are turning it by hand (and your weld is clean), then I might suspect one of the bearings. A mechanics stethoscope (even an improvised one) can help you localize which bearing.

The other thing to try would be to put the original blade back on to test whether it is the blade or the saw. Be sure that your tension is set approximately right for each blade size (if they are different band sizes).

On the metal BS's at work, we had more or less ticking depending on who welded the blade and how good of a job they did with the weld, grinder, and annealing.

 

[mquan01]

this happened to me. check the very top of the bottom door and see if you are cutting through it. Adjust the blade backwards if so

 

[tvrgeek]

Many (most) band welds are not very strait and it will tick on a cut. Easy verify, back off the guides and see if it ticks when not cutting. Frustrating as it shows up in the cut. Actually out of 4 brands and about 8 bands, not a single one is welded to perfection.

When I first put on a blade and spin it, being way off center, it will tick a couple times while is centers. I don't think it is hitting anything, just slipping on the tire.

 

[Rwe2156]

It’s the weld hitting the guides. Sometimes bandsaw blades have a bit of a twist in the area if the weld, too.

Bittom line nothing thing to worry about.

 

[bob vaughan]

An offset weld or a lumpy weld can sometimes be ground out with a Dremel. I weld (silver solder) most of my own blades and occasionally have to do that. I've also had to do that recently with a couple of "factory-welded" band saw blades. The biggest risk of a bad weld is if one is using non-steel side guides. That offset will eat up a set of cool blocks in no time.

 

[Rwe2156]

An offset weld or a lumpy weld can sometimes be ground out with a Dremel. I weld (silver solder) most of my own blades and occasionally have to do that. I've also had to do that recently with a couple of "factory-welded" band saw blades. The biggest risk of a bad weld is if one is using non-steel side guides. That offset will eat up a set of cool blocks in no time.

Good point I didn’t think about non metal guides. But all the clicking I’ve ever encountered looked like a slight twist. I’ve never has a blade break on me, maybe I’m lucky.

 

[bob vaughan]

Absolutely a slight twist will result in clicking although the frequency is slightly different from a weld defect. Weld defects are noticeable when a new blade is installed or the blade is about to break. Twist defects are, as pointed out, nothing much to worry about as far as threatening a blade break.
After a grab or sliver going through the throat plate, a twist can result. I've never been able to un-twist a blade satisfactorily. I usually make them worse and have to replace the blade.

 

[Tom from Clayton]

Happened to me on my Jet 14 inch. I first thought it was the weld but after checking like mentioned above, I eventually decided to tighten the nuts holding the wheels on. the lower blade wasn't what I would call loose but I could tighten it slightly and the tick went away.

 

[bob vaughan]

Loose set screws in aluminum pulleys can be another source of ticking.

 

[sandfarm]

I have a Rikon 10-324 for a few years now but have only used it a few times. I finally took the stock bade off and installed a new blade I bought around the same time I purchased the saw. I am still trying to get familiar with the adjustments and tensioning and have ended up with a ticking noise. I have a short .mp4 video of it but it doesn't seem to be allowed for upload on here.

I am not sure if I have the tension and adjustments wrong or if I bent the blade just taking it out of the box. Does anyone have any tips or walk-through I can try and figure it out?

Thank you in advance!

Larry

I had a ticking blade a couple of months ago. The ticking was from the weld. Less than 30 minutes later "Ka pow". the blade broke at the weld and showed that it had a partial crack for sometime before breaking.

 

[TracerRound]

I appreciate all the help! It does not appear to be a weld issue but I do see a slight twist in the blade. The blade is a Starrett Duratec 1/2in. I applied more tension and the noise was reduced. This had me think I didn't have the tension correct so I took a step back and started over. I believe I have everything setup but the noise persists just not as much as before. I do believe it is due to the slight twist in the blade.