BoleynWorkshop

Coronet Imp bandsaw blade setting advice

(Just so you know, you don't have to take it.)

When I first started using my Imp I had some problems when trying to change the blade for the first time.  I just could not get the blade to stay on the wheels. It was clearly very different from the modern Record RPBS12 I had been using but fortunately I made contact with a Geoff from Geoffs Woodworking via the internet and below is a version of his sound advice.   As it has three wheels it can be slightly trickier than the two wheeled models but with a good understanding of the machine and some practice the correct setting can be achieved every time. Thanks to an enquiry from an Imp owner called Joe, I realised it would be a good idea to mention the blade length which is 67 1/2" (sixty seven and one half inches).  You can choose from a variety of blade widths and tpi (teeth per inches).

Do not forget to turn off/isolate the motor before attempting to either change a blade or adjust the tracking.

First make sure you are trying to fit a blade to a Coronet Imp and not a Hillman Imp.  

If you're in any doubt as to what kind of Imp you have then please visit http://www.imps.me.uk to see exactly what you shouldn't be trying to fit a blade to.

The technique of blade tracking.

This is getting the blade to run vertically and centrally on top of the crown wheels.

Some machines track right on top of the ‘crown’.  And some are better with the teeth just over to the near side of the wheel so that the teeth do not become compressed with the tension which would flatten the ‘kerf’ on the inside of the blade causing the cut to lead towards the other (unbent) side.  The Imp seems okay with the blade centrally on the top pulley.

The tracking adjustment is the screw with a knurled head and lock screw on the pulley side of the machine.  Under the large cast knob.  Oi stop it! 

Isolate the motor while doing this operation and have the guides slackened off.  Tension the blade but not quite as tight as normal.
All you do is to slacken off the lock nut a couple of turns and turn one way or the other to tilt the top wheel and if you turn the blade by hand at the same time you will see the blade centralise itself.  If it goes to the wrong side, just turn the screw in the opposite direction.

Continue rotating the blade by hand until you are satisfied it is running correctly.

Sometimes you have to over compensate to get the desired result and then turn a touch back.

When you are satisfied, run the bandsaw under the motor power and check to see if it runs okay.

It might slowly run off so stop the motor and give it just another tweak and try again.

Sometimes it is a bit touchy but eventually you get used to how to do it.

Tighten the locknut to finish the job.

Set the tension in the normal way and set up your guides.

You might have to tweak the tracking screw again after tensioning and setting the guides but there is no need to strip down again.