What size blade does a 12 inch bandsaw take?

80 Inch Bandsaw Blades for Sears Craftsman 12" bandsaw - 2 Pack.

How do you change a blade on a vertical band saw?

Remove the Band Saw Blade Grab the blade near the top wheel, as shown in the image above. Pull the blade off of the two tracking tires, and rotate it 90-degrees so that the blade's teeth are pointing to your right. Guide the blade through the slot in the saw table, until it is clear of the band saw completely.

What is the first step to changing the blade on a saw?

Start by disconnecting the saw from its power source. Then, locate the blade lock button or pin on the saw's housing, and press or insert it to lock the blade in place. Use the wrench to loosen the arbor nut in a counterclockwise direction until you can remove it. Carefully take off the old blade and set it aside.

What type of cut should you never back out of on a bandsaw while the blade is running?

Never back out of curved cuts while machine is still running as this will result in the blade coming off. (You must wait until blade comes to a complete stop).

How to Change a Bandsaw Blade - 12 Simple Steps (2024)

by abir | Last Updated: August 5, 2022

Do you want to know how to change your blade in your bandsaw? You are at the right place. In this article, I’m going to discuss 12 simple steps to easily change the blade of your bandsaw. Band sawsare indispensable in the modern-day wood cutting and designing industry.

They can be used to have curved cuts as well asresawing woods into more miniature pieces. A typical resaw blade is about 1 inch wide and the curve cutting blades are about 1/8-inch in width. In order to have a perfect cut, you need to have a proper machine that includes a perfect blade.

The market has not been able to produce a blade that lasts forever, so you need to change the blade from time to time. Asking a friend or going to a professional might be hectic and cumbersome.

Therefore, it is important to do it by yourself. But you might think it is difficult. But let me assure you that changing the bandsaw blade can be easier than you might think.

Let us follow our 12 simple steps to see for yourself!

12 Simple Steps to Change and Install a Bandsaw Blade!

Disconnecting the power.
Open the Cabinet
Release the Blade Tension
Raise the Band Saw Blade Guard
Remove the Rear Blade Guard
Loosen the Under-Table Blade Guard
Remove the Band Saw Blade
Slide in a New Band Saw Blade
Adjust the Band Saw Guide Blocks
Tension the Band Saw Blade
Position the Guide Blocks
Test the Band Saw Blade Tracking

Step 1: Disconnecting the power.

First and foremost, you should disconnect the power of your bandsaw. Oftentimes, we forget to disconnect the power and if you try to open the cabinet with the power on, it can be a potential threat. It would be a horrible thing if your bandsaw starts working while you are dealing with the blade change, so be mindful of it. (Check this out: Bandsaws Different Uses.)

Step 2: Open the Cabinet

Since the power is disconnected, you can now go on to opening the bottom and top cabinets. Once you do it, you would see the two tires that are used to tighten the blades. Then you can clean all the dust in that section, which would make the blade changing task easier. This can be a great time to clean everything else as well.

Step 3: Release the Blade Tension

Since the cabinet is open and you have done the cleaning now you should release the blade tension. In order to do that you need to find the tension knob which is located at the top of your bandsaw. Then slowly release the tension by moving the knob counterclockwise. Some of the modern bandsaws have a quick release. If you are lucky enough to have one, use it.

Step 4: Raise the Band Saw Blade Guard

Now that the blade is loose, you should raise the blade guard of the bandsaw. The blade guard is designed to slide up and down in order to adjust while you are using wood of different width. It is recommended that the blade guards are at the lowest level in order to ensure the deflecting of the blade.

At the same time, it should not be a disturbance to the stock. Then look for the tightening knob which can be found at the apex of the guard. After that, slide that guard to the top position and to make it secure tight it.

Step 5: Remove the Rear Blade Guard

As the blade is loose enough and the guard is lifted, you should lift the rear or back blade guard (it covers the blade). The blade guard can move upward and protect the user in times of blade breakage. In order to lift the guard, you need to remove the screws. Usually, you are likely to see a Philip screw on both sides. It works as a security measure.

Step 6: Loosen the Under-Table Blade Guard

Once you are done removing the back blade guard, you should make sure that the under table guard is loose enough. In general, you should find some blocks and wheels that are used for adjustment under the table. Then check out the plastic centre with a screwdriver, to get into the blade guard.

Your next task is to find the screw which has the wrap-around guard. Then the screw should be loosened and rotate it 180 degrees.

Step 7: Remove the Band Saw Blade

Now that you have removed the blade guards, your next task would be to get the blade out of the bandsaw. You should be meticulous at this stage. You should make sure that the teeth of the blades are pointing at your right side and the tracking tires are rotated at 90 degrees.

Now get the blade in the table of the saw completely. After that, you should fold the blade in thirds. Next, you should put the blade in a safe place for the purpose of storage. Be very careful as you fold the blade because it may result in a serious injury.

Step 8: Slide in a New Band Saw Blade

As the old bandsaw is out of the way and stored your next step would be to install the new blade. It is important that you get yourself a standard blade because the blades actually do the most important task- cutting. You would not want a faulty blade which is in regular need of changing. Coming back to the installation, you should put back the blade in the same way you have removed it.

Once that is done, make sure that the blades are rotated and it sits easily over the bottom and top of the tire. You should put the blade on the top of both tires and then tighten the tensioning knob. You should be very careful in terms of the tightness, you do not want it over to it, nor do you keep it loose. In general, most of the people get the sense intuitively.

Step 9: Adjust the Band Saw Guide Blocks

After that, you need to make sure that the rollers and the guide blocks are loosened enough. In general, you should find out two sets of rollers and guide blocks. You can find one set at the sliding blade guard that is under and above the table. Then your next task would be to lose the screws which hold the blocks. Those blocks should be positioned in a way that it can move freely from left to right and vice-versa.

After that, you should make the set screw loose and then the back roller should be rotated backward. Then do the same thing for the block sets.

Step 10: Tension the Band Saw Blade

Now that the rollers and the guide block are out of the calculation, you should set the new band saw with the right measure of tension. You need to make sure that the blade has tracked properly at the center and then start to tight the tensioning knob.

As you are in the process, flip the top wheel, you are likely to see that the blades are at the wheel center. By any chance, if you find that the blade is off the tracking in the frontal side or to the backside, find the adjustment knob at the rear side of the saws upper cabinet. Then you should flip the tracking knob lightly.

At this moment, you are supposed to notice the variation in the positioning of the blade. You should then just play with it until it is in a perfect position. An important thing to remember here is that a slight adjustment in the tracking knob can result in a big difference in the performance.

Once the setup is done properly, then you should look for a tensioning gauge that can be found at the upper cabinet of the saw. You should be in the process of adjusting to the indicator’s perfect blade thickness. IF you have a wider blade it would need more tension and if you have a narrow blade it would require a thin blade.

The indicator in most of the cases has proper marks for most of the common blade size. As you complete the blade centering, tensioning, and tracking it is time to make sure that the table is square to the blade. Your job now is to make sure the placement of the combination square on the bandsaw table.

At the same time, adjust the other side of the square to the side of the blade. If the blades are not properly square to the table, then you should use the adjustment knobs again, until it is adjusted properly.

Once it is done properly, then tighten it up. The tighten up should be done moderately and should be done in a slow manner. You should know that there are many tools available like the tensioning gauge which can help you to determine the perfect tension of the blade if you want to have a super perfect precision, you should consider buying one.

Nevertheless, in general, if you use the gauge and be careful it should serve the purpose.

Step 11: Position the Guide Blocks

Now that the blades are tensioned properly and tracking is also at the center of the tires, you should focus on the repositioning of the rollers and the guide blocks. Let’s start by flipping the blade guard, and by tightening the screws that secure the guard. Then you should also adjust the lower blocks to make sure that those are not touching any side of the blade. In order to hold the blocks in the place, consider tightening the screws.

Step 12: Test the Band Saw Blade Tracking

Now that you are done with all the steps properly, here comes the last step, which is to plug the saw and start it. Be very careful about the position of the blades and the way it is moving on the wheel. Band Saw vs Scroll Saw: Learn differences between these two amazing tools.

If you see any kinds of unnecessary movement, unplag the bandsaw and inspect it again and do the process properly. If you are now satisfied with the way the blade is moving, close the cabinets and then lower the guard.

Congratulations! you have a new blade in your band saw.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Exact Time To Change a Bandsaw Blade?

There is no 100% exact time to tell for changing your blade. But you can follow some specific symptoms to understand the changing issue. As like: teeth may start falling, blades might fail to perform well with the motor speed, it may start screaming and noisy, it may start screaming and noisy while running, frequently stops at continuous work, and it may lose its sustainability by color loss.

When Do You Need To Change Your Blade?

Generally, we recommend our users to keep high-quality blades in their saws to get a satisfactory life span and smooth performance all the time. On average, a standard saw blade usually lasts about six to twelve months.

Notably, the lifespan of your saw mostly depends on how and where you will use it. For example, if you apply a miter saw to aggressive materials such as metal; naturally, it will lose its sharpness and die quickly. That's why it's best to take proper care of your saw to always get the best service.

How to Extend The Life of The Bandsaw Blade?

Properly check the tension, match tooth pitch by following your requirements, try to clean the swarf once you finish your daily work, always align your blade correctly in your saw, and check the blade guides and carbide tips, wash them in need.

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Top 10 Benchtop Band Saws Review

As someone deeply immersed in the field of woodworking and bandsaw usage, I bring a wealth of firsthand expertise and a profound understanding of the intricacies involved in changing bandsaw blades. Woodworkers and enthusiasts often grapple with the challenge of maintaining and optimizing their bandsaws, especially when it comes to the crucial task of blade replacement.

Now, delving into the provided article, the author discusses a comprehensive 12-step guide on changing and installing a bandsaw blade. Let's break down each step and provide additional insights:

12 Simple Steps to Change and Install a Bandsaw Blade:

Step 1: Disconnecting the power

Safety is paramount. Disconnecting the power before working on the bandsaw is not just a procedural step; it's a critical precaution to avoid accidents. Powering off ensures that the bandsaw remains dormant during the blade-changing process.