I have an older Skill benchtop woodworking bandsaw model Skill 3104 that I decided to drag out and see if it works--something my dad had around, and it runs fine, except it throws the blade off within seconds of turning it on regardless of the speed setting. I have the drive and idler pulleys aligned with a straight edge in each direction, and the tensioner is pretty much foolproof. I have the table off of it right now and there is a decal explaining the blade change procedure and it says to adjust the blade guides and roller guides. The plastic guides are there, but no roller guides anywhere. I am assuming they go in the holes in this picture?





The drive and idler pulleys each have a flexible rubber insert set into the pulley surface that the blade rides on. On other bandsaws, I have seen this rubber with grooves in it to help track the blade or ridges on each edge to hold the blade in the pulley--mine are smooth. Are they supposed to be that way?

Our bandsaw at work had roller bearings on either side of the blade, instead of the rub blocks yours seems to have. Maybe you need to reposition them to guide the blade better. We also found that one piece blades worked better than the welded ones. The welded ones would "jump" if they weren't welded perfectly straight. It also helps if you keep the guides as close to the work as possible.

[This message has been edited by avengador1 (edited 02-22-2010).]

The rub blocks are aligned as they should be, but the blade is currently sitting too far outboard for them to do anything--thats just how the blade was positioned when I snapped the picture. The rub blocks only affect the blades tendency to flex left to right relative to the cut, but do nothing as far as keeping the blade centered in the other plane. The blade btw, doesn't stay on long enough to even begin thinking about a cut, so positioning the guide blocks lower would be moot.

The holes bhind the blade should have a bearing attached there. seems the bearings and bolts are missing. these bearings support the blade when you push material through.

At least one of the wheels is supposed to be adjustable for the purpose of tracking the blade. It allows you to toe the wheel in or out.
Your blade guides are not installed correctly, but that is not why the blade won't track.

[This message has been edited by partfiero (edited 02-22-2010).]

Don, There should be a short shaft with a bearing on it top and bottom, in the holes you indicated. The shaft the bearing is mounted on, should adjust in and out until it barely clears the back edge of the blade. You need them. It tightens down with an allen set screw on the side of the shaft.This keep the blade from moving backward on the wheels while your cutting.
The rubber should be there ,otherwise the wheel side will eventually lose set angle and not cut straight. I've never seen one with a groove in the rubber.

To get the blade adjusted:
with the motor unplugged, adjust all guides until they are clear of the blade.
The top wheel should have an adjustment, on the back side, that controls vertical allignment.
With the blade on , and turning by hand, adjust the top wheel angle until the blade runs in the center of the wheel tracks.
the back stop bearings are adjusted next. closer to the blade the better ,but you don't want them spinning unless it's under load.
Same rule for the side guides.

I didn't see the above two post . I'm slow while eating a samich.

I just looked at a photo of the 3104 saw and it's three wheel. I believe tracking may be on the rear wheel for that one? maybe rear and top. I'm not sure , always used two wheel saws.

[This message has been edited by Wolfhound (edited 02-22-2010).]

Well, I went back up and looked thru the barn where I found the saw--the roller guides are no where to be found.

The saw isn't worth too much expense and effort, considering you can buy a new one of better quality for $200 easily, but then again, I have $0 in it right now, so it might be worth trying to locate some thru skil.

Since the plastic guides are already adjusted out toward the blade as far as they can be, I believe the blade is supposed to ride near the inside edge of the pulley rather than on the center, as the guides wouldn't 'wrap around' the blade with it center of wheel-but I'll look at it again.

Yep, the yaw adjustment is on the rear pulley wheel. I adjusted on that critter for hrs yesterday till my palms had teeth marks in them, and no matter what, within a few rotations, the blade came off--it just would not stay centered. No slack in the wheel bushings either. I'm beginning to believe, that the 'U' frame may be bent. I believe I remember this saw sitting beside a Skil radial arm saw in my mother's garage for years--both were there when they bought the house around 1988, but afaik, no one in our family ever used it. My father was an axe and chainsaw kind of carpenter.

I might end up pulling the drive off the thing if I can't find rollers, and just making a bbq rotisserrie out of it, since it is induction control and adjustable in speed from zero rpm to max speed. Every southerner needs a rotisserie bbq pit once in his life.

quote I just looked at a photo of the 3104 saw and it's three wheel

ya got a link to that picture? Every one I found had the covers installed.

[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 02-22-2010).]

quote Originally posted by maryjane: Well, I went back up and looked thru the barn where I found the saw--the roller guides are no where to be found. The saw isn't worth too much expense and effort, considering you can buy a new one of better quality for $200 easily, but then again, I have $0 in it right now, so it might be worth trying to locate some thru skil. Since the plastic guides are already adjusted out toward the blade as far as they can be, I believe the blade is supposed to ride near the inside edge of the pulley rather than on the center, as the guides wouldn't 'wrap around' the blade with it center of wheel-but I'll look at it again. Yep, the yaw adjustment is on the rear pulley wheel. I adjusted on that critter for hrs yesterday till my palms had teeth marks in them, and no matter what, within a few rotations, the blade came off--it just would not stay centered. No slack in the wheel bushings either. I'm beginning to believe, that the 'U' frame may be bent. I believe I remember this saw sitting beside a Skil radial arm saw in my mother's garage for years--both were there when they bought the house around 1988, but afaik, no one in our family ever used it. My father was an axe and chainsaw kind of carpenter. I might end up pulling the drive off the thing if I can't find rollers, and just making a bbq rotisserrie out of it, since it is induction control and adjustable in speed from zero rpm to max speed. Every southerner needs a rotisserie bbq pit once in his life. ya got a link to that picture? Every one I found had the covers installed.

The one i found had the covers installed as well. Don. I just know the type and shape.

I bought the first one I had at a yard sale. It was an older Chraftsman two wheel with a sheet metal cover and floor stand.
I stopped and asked about it and the guy said ". How about 10 bucks, It won't cut crap. I bought it new and it's been taking up space in my garage for three years."
I loaded it on the truck and took it home, figured it was something minor.
I plugged it up and it ran good and quite. Then I noticed he had the blade on backwards.

quote Originally posted by Wolfhound: I plugged it up and it ran good and quite. Then I noticed he had the blade on backwards.

That was a nice find!

I picked up a 1970s 14" Rockwell BS and a Brand new never been used 1960s rockwell 6" planer (previous owner assembed it wrong and put it away and never touched it until he was moving recently for $200. (and he threw in a 1940s drill press)

Gotta love people who dont read the manuals on how to install blades,etc LOL

quote Originally posted by isthiswhereiputausername?: That was a nice find! I picked up a 1970s 14" Rockwell BS and a Brand new never been used 1960s rockwell 6" planer (previous owner assembed it wrong and put it away and never touched it until he was moving recently for $200. (and he threw in a 1940s drill press) Gotta love people who dont read the manuals on how to install blades,etc LOL

The 14" Rockwell BS and 1960s rockwell 6" planer with a little care will last forever. They're built heavy and tough.

[This message has been edited by Wolfhound (edited 02-22-2010).]

I've used lots of bandsaws, hi and low speed, vertical and horizontal, but this one I run at such low rpm the blade can't go anywhere when it comes off anyway.

Found the problem. It is in the tensioner/tracking adjustment assy. There's a knob on the back to adjust the horizontal runout of the rear wheel, and 2 thru pins with springs to tension the blade. One threaded bolt/nut in the extreme rear to release the tension from the springs. You adjust the knob, to pull the front of that wheel toward the operator or away, but the way it is made on those 2 thru pins, it just kinda floats on 2 little springs, which allows that entire assy to move in an arc in the vertical plane as indicated by the arc/arrows. I believe originally, that tension adjusting bolt went all the way thru that U frame, giving the assy 3 points instead of just 2. It no longer does, tho there is a hole in the front of the Uframe for a bolt to go thu. I put a wedge under the stamped steel adjuster and it tracked just fine, so tomorrow, I'll tear it apart and see what I have to do to make it stable in the verticle plane.

Check the wheels for taper, Ive seen a couple of times the wheels actually wore down on the front edge from too much use and began throwing the blades, no amount of adjustment would fix it they simply needed new wheels.

Also, I think I read somewhere the 3104 was manufactured from 1983-1987. Im sure it doesnt help, but useless knowledge is knowledge nonetheless.

-Joe

Edit, well too late if you already found the problem.

[This message has been edited by joesfiero (edited 02-22-2010).]

quote Originally posted by Wolfhound: The one i found had the covers installed as well. Don. I just know the type and shape. I bought the first one I had at a yard sale. It was an older Chraftsman two wheel with a sheet metal cover and floor stand. I stopped and asked about it and the guy said ". How about 10 bucks, It won't cut crap. I bought it new and it's been taking up space in my garage for three years." I loaded it on the truck and took it home, figured it was something minor. I plugged it up and it ran good and quite. Then I noticed he had the blade on backwards.

That one is priceless!

Ron