How to tension a bandsaw blade for wood?
18
Full article
Bandsaw setup for wood: blade speed, tension and guides
A bandsaw for wood cuts straight when the blade runs in the centre of the wheels, is correctly tensioned and the guides sit close to it without pressure. We cover the 7-step setup, bandsaw blade speed for woodworking saws and bandsaw mills, how to work it out from wheel rpm, how to fix crooked cuts, and the kerf of our blades.
Technical setup of a wood band saw
Overview
What to set on the saw
A properly adjusted saw cuts straight, the blade lasts longer and the work is safer. The procedure applies to benchtop and woodworking bandsaws; we point out the differences for bandsaw mills separately.
370–1,500 m/min
blade speed on benchtop and woodworking bandsaws
max. 3 mm
sideways deflection of the tensioned blade under finger pressure
gullet
on woodworking bandsaws, runs in the centre of the upper wheel
+0.2 mm
add this to the tooth set and you have the actual kerf
Jump to:
Procedure
Bandsaw setup in 7 steps
1Unplug the saw and clean itPull out the plug. Remove sawdust and resin from the wheels, the guides and the brush, and check that all the bearings turn freely.
2Back off the guidesMove the side guides and the rear bearing away from the blade so that they do not stop it from seating properly.
3Fit and tension the bladeThe teeth must point downwards towards the table. Tension the blade until it deflects no more than 3 mm sideways under finger pressure. How to tell when the tension is right
4Track the blade on the wheelsTurn the upper wheel by hand and adjust its tilt so that the gullet runs in the centre of the wheel. Blade centred on the wheels
5Set the guidesAbove and below the table: side guides close to the blade without pressure and clear of the teeth, rear bearing set so that the blade does not touch it when running idle. Guides and rear bearing
6Set the speedIf your saw lets you change it, choose it according to the wood and the type of work. What speed to set
7Make a test cutUse a square to check that the table is at right angles to the blade. Close the covers, let the blade run idle for a while and try a cut. If the cut drifts
Cutting speed
What bandsaw blade speed to set
Cutting speed is the speed at which the blade travels round the wheels. It is given in metres per minute (m/min) or per second (m/s), 1 m/s = 60 m/min. Woodworking bandsaws often have two speeds or variable speed control, bandsaw mills usually just one.
| Saw and wood | m/min | m/s |
|---|---|---|
| Benchtop and woodworking bandsaws | 370–1,500 | 6–25 |
| Bandsaw mills, soft woods (spruce, pine, poplar) | 1,500–2,100 | 25–35 |
| Bandsaw mills, hard woods (oak, beech, black locust) | 1,200–1,800 | 20–30 |
| Bandsaw mills, all-round setting | 1,500–1,800 | 25–30 |
For bandsaw mills, the values apply to a blade about 35 mm wide.
Lower speed
✓fine work and contour cutting
✓hard wood
✓narrow blades, 3–10 mm
✓the blade lasts longer, up to three times as long at a reduced speed
Higher speed
✓straight cuts and rip cuts
✓soft and green wood
✓large cross-sections
✓the blade clears the chips in time and does not choke in the cut
How to tell the speed is wrong
How to find your saw's speed
If the speed is not on the rating plate, work it out from the wheel diameter and the wheel rpm: speed (m/s) = 3.14 × wheel diameter (m) × wheel revolutions per minute ÷ 60. Use the rpm of the wheel, not the motor – there is usually a belt between them.
Bandsaw setup: gullet in the centre of the upper wheel, side guides close to the blade and clear of the teeth, rear bearing with a small gap behind the blade
Setup
Wheels, tension and guides
Blade centred on the wheels
The gullet (the lowest point between the teeth) should run in the centre of the upper wheel. You set its position by tilting the upper wheel, usually with a tracking knob at the back of the saw.
✓The blade must be at least partly tensioned and the guides backed off.
✓Turn the wheel by hand and watch where the blade moves. Mind your fingers.
✓If a wide blade will not let you get the gullet to the centre, make sure that neither the back edge nor the tooth tips overhang the edge of the wheel.
✓The blade must not be wider than the wheel.
✓Bandsaw mills: the teeth should overhang the wheel, not sit on it.
Bandsaw tension
The most accurate way to tension the blade is with a tension gauge (tension meter). Without one, you can judge the right tension roughly by four signs:
✓The blade deflects no more than 3 mm sideways under finger pressure. With the saw switched off and the cover open, measure on the left side, away from the guides.
✓When tapped, the blade gives a metallic ring.
✓The disc springs in the tensioner are not fully compressed.
✓Both wheels spin easily with a finger. If they do not, the blade is over-tensioned or there is a lot of resistance in the saw.
Under-tensioned blade
✓wanders and dives in the cut
✓does not cut straight
✓can come off the wheel
Over-tensioned blade
✓breaks at the weld and elsewhere
✓slows the wheels, and the saw loses speed
✓strains the frame, the wheels and the bearings
You will find values in N/mm² and how to use a tension gauge in the article How to tension a bandsaw blade for wood.
Guides and rear bearing
✓Set the side guides (blocks or bearings) as close to the blade as possible, but without pressure.
✓The guides must not touch the teeth.
✓Adjust the rear thrust bearing so that the blade does not touch it when running idle. Otherwise the back edge gets peened and work-hardened, and the blade cracks.
✓Lower the upper guides to just above the workpiece.
Why blades break and how to tell the cause from where they broke: Why do bandsaw blades for wood break.
While cutting
Feed pressure
Feed the workpiece into the cut gently and smoothly. Never force it through the cut – you risk serious injury and damage to the blade. If you have to push, do one of the following:
●Increase the blade speed. The blade may be choking in the cut.
●Slow down the feed. You may be cutting too fast.
●Choose a coarser tooth pitch. How to do it: Choosing tooth pitch for a band saw blade for wood.
●Check the sharpness. Replace a dull blade.
Blade cuts crooked or drifts
From the discussion: when the saw stops cutting or veers off after 5–8 cm, the problem is often in the guides, not in the blade. What helped was a coarser pitch (3 TPI) and the widest blade the saw can take.
Chart
Kerf of our blades for wood
The kerf is the width of the slot the blade cuts in the wood. It equals the tooth set, plus about 0.2 mm extra because the saw vibrates. Exactly how much depends on the type and condition of the machine. We explain what tooth set is in our bandsaw blade glossary.
Carbon Flexback
| Width × thickness (mm) | TPI | Set (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 × 0.65 | 14 Reg | 1.09 |
| 6 × 0.36 | 4 Skip, 6 Skip, 10 Reg, 24 Reg | 1.0 |
| 6 × 0.65 | 4 Skip | 1.27 |
| 6 × 0.65 | 8 Reg | 1.21 |
| 8 × 0.65 | 10 Reg | 1.21 |
| 10 × 0.65 | 3 Skip | 1.5 |
| 10 × 0.65 | 6 Reg | 1.25 |
| 13 × 0.65 | 3 Skip | 1.5 |
| 13 × 0.65 | 6 Reg | 1.27 |
| 16 × 0.65 | 3 Skip | 1.55 |
| 16 × 0.65 | 6 Reg | 1.5 |
| 16 × 0.65 | 10 Reg | 1.27 |
| 20 × 0.8 | 2 Hook | 1.6 |
| 20 × 0.8 | 6 Reg | 1.55 |
| 20 × 0.8 | 10 Reg | 1.27 |
| 25 × 0.9 | 3 Skip | 1.55 |
| 25 × 0.9 | 10 Reg | 1.5 |
| 32 × 1.1 | 3 Hook | 1.75 |
Carbide Wood
| Width × thickness (mm) | TPI | Set (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 × 0.65 · 20 × 0.6 · 25 × 0.6 | 1.5–2 | 1.2 |
RipperS PREMIUM
| Width × thickness (mm) | TPI | Set (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| 27 × 0.9 | 2 Hook | 1.9 |
| 32 × 0.9 · 34 × 0.9 · 35 × 0.9 | 1.1 HARD / SOFT | 2.0 / 2.3 |
| 32 × 1.1 · 34 × 1.1 · 35 × 1.1 · 38 × 1.1 | 1.1 HARD / SOFT | 2.2 / 2.5 |
| 38 × 1.3 | 1.1 HARD / SOFT | 2.4 / 2.7 |
Sawmill blades. HARD = hard wood (narrower set), SOFT = soft wood (wider set).
After work
Release the blade tension after work
✓Release the blade tension. Constant tension strains the tension spring, the frame, the wheels and the blade.
✓Check the blade for signs of cracking or chipped teeth.
✓Clean the blade and the wheels with a cotton cloth, a soft brush or a resin cleaner, never with a metal tool.
✓Sawmill blades get clogged with resin, so lubricate and clean them while cutting. We write about fluids for cooling and lubricating blades in the article Cooling a band saw blade for metal.
Reader questions
Frequently asked questions
?My saw loses speed when cutting. Is it the blade?
Probably not. Check whether the belt between the motor and the wheel is slipping. With the blade tensioned, both wheels must spin easily with a finger. If they do not, there is a lot of resistance somewhere: in the tensioner, in the belt drive or in the wheel bearings.
?What speed should I set on a bandsaw mill?
For a blade about 35 mm wide: soft wood 25–35 m/s, hard wood 20–30 m/s. Most bandsaw mills run at 25–30 m/s. Start lower and watch the cut and the chips.
?My saw cuts to the left, and I have a 6 mm blade. What can I do?
A narrow blade easily drifts in straight cuts. Try a wider blade – on a woodworking bandsaw, for example 13 × 0.65 or 16 × 0.65 mm – and a coarser tooth pitch, and check the tension and the guides. More in the section Blade cuts crooked.
?The teeth point up, not down towards the table.
The blade is on the wrong way round. Unplug the saw, take the blade off and turn it inside out, so the inner side faces out. Wear gloves and safety glasses: the blade is springy and can jump.
Didn't find the answer? Ask in the discussion below the article or email info@dudrsaw.eu. We will be glad to help.
Choose your blade
Your questions
Hello, thank you for your inquiry. For cutting, we have narrow bandsaw blades in stock that we can weld to a length suitable for your machine, i.e., 2305 mm.
With a blade thickness of 0.65 mm, you can choose from, for example:
Flexback 2305 × 3 × 0.65 mm, TPI 14 Regular
Flexback 2305 × 4 × 0.65 mm, TPI 10 Regular
Flexback 2305 × 6 × 0.65 mm – at this width, several different toothings are available.
We also offer thinner bandsaw blades with a thickness of 0.36 mm and 0.50 mm:
Flexback 2305 × 6 × 0.36 mm – there are about four different toothing designs available.
Flexback 2305 × 6 × 0.50 mm – there are two different toothing designs available.
We recommend trying several different bandsaw blades to determine which width and toothing suit your way of working best.
You can also buy a set of bandsaw blades at a more favorable price, prepared especially for your machine, here: Band saw DICTUM BS 320-12.
We also recommend reading our article VIDEO: Choosing the width of a bandsaw blade for wood, where it is graphically shown how small a radius can be cut with different widths of bandsaw blades.
We wish you success in your work with the new saw. Best regards, Dudr Saw team
Hello, thank you for your inquiry.
Based on the description, it doesn't seem to be a problem with the saw blade, but rather with the bandsaw itself – specifically with the motor, the tensioning mechanism, or resistance in the gears. If the saw loses revolutions even with thinner material, it means the motor cannot maintain stable power.
Here are some possible causes:
1. The belt between the motor and the saw wheel – if it's loose or slipping, the saw will lose revolutions under load.
2. With the saw blade tensioned, both wheels should be easy to spin with a finger. If not, there's excessive resistance somewhere (e.g., in the tensioning mechanism, belt drive, or wheel bearings).
3. You are not changing the saw's speed – if it has been cutting correctly until now, the problem is mechanical, not in the speed settings.
4. The saw blade should not be tensioned so tightly that parts of the machine deform or bend, thus creating a braking effect on the wheels. After tensioning the blade, the wheels should still be easily spun by finger without noticeable resistance.
If your saw is still under warranty, we definitely recommend considering a complaint or exchange of the machine – sellers usually resolve such cases without problems by exchanging for a new unit.
Regarding the second question:
Yes, after finishing work, we recommend releasing the tension on the saw blade. This prevents permanent strain on the tensioning mechanism's spring and the blade, thus extending their lifespan.
If you need further assistance, please feel free to contact us.
We wish you success with your sawing. Best regards, The Simonds Team
Good day, thank you for your inquiry – it's difficult to answer remotely, but what comes to mind:
- Poorly fitted or deformed frame
- Insufficient damping (e.g., rubber pads)
- Loose screws or connections
- Improperly tensioned or damaged saw blade
- Unbalanced motor or wheels
Try placing the saw off the trailer and compare the behavior. If needed, feel free to contact us again so we can take a closer look.
Best regards, Pavel Dudr
Dear Sir, some small tabletop band saws have 2 speeds, e.g. 400 m/s and 800 m/s. The lower one is for hardwood, and the higher one is for softwood. Log band saws with a narrow band have a speed of approx. 19 m/s, which usually cannot be changed. If your speed is too low, sawdust, for example, will remain on the wood.
Thank you, good luck, Pavel Dudr
Good day, did you let it "rest"? What about the tension?
I can't advise much like this.
Good day, for log bandsaws, it mainly depends on the width of the blade. If you are using a width of approx. 35 mm, we recommend the following values: Softwood (spruce, pine, poplar): approx. 25–35 m/s, Hardwood (oak, beech, acacia): approx. 20–30 m/s
In practice, most log bandsaws run at 25–30 m/s as an all-rounder. We recommend starting at a lower speed, observe the cut quality and the shape of the chips. If the cut is rough or the blade vibrates – reduce the speed, if the blade
Good afternoon, the reasons why a bandsaw blade cuts crooked can be the following: small tooth pitch, small width or thickness of the bandsaw blade, a loosely tensioned bandsaw blade. I recommend trying a wider blade, for example 13x0.65 or 16x0.65
Regards, Dudr team.