How to Adjust a Craftsman Band Saw

Craftsman band saws all similarly placed knobs and wheels for blade tensioning and tracking. They have adjustments to move blade guides up or down, and for squaring the table. All of these should be adjusted at regular intervals for proper blade alignment, ease of operation and quality of workmanship.

• 1

  Loosen the guide bar locking knob on the right side of the machine at eye level. Push up on it so that the blade bearings are about 6 inches above the table. It should slide up into the housing of the saw. Lock the knob by turning it clockwise.

• 2

  Pluck the blade with your fingers like a guitar string. It should produce a note similar to a guitar string. If it does not, turn the tensioning knob two or three turns clockwise. Pluck the blade again. Keep tightening and plucking until it sings. There should be no more than about a 1/4 inch of flex in the blade when it is tight.

• 3

  Lower the guide bar to within 3/4 inch of the table and tighten the knob. Turn on the machine. Watch as the blade rides between the two shiny bearings on the guide bar. If the blade is not in the center of the bearings, walk to the right side of the machine. Turn the tracking wheel two turns clockwise. The tracking wheel is about 4 inches in diameter. It is located directly opposite the top wheel axle on the back of the housing.

• 4

  Watch the blade. If it moves forward out of the bearings, turn the knob counterclockwise until the blade moves back into the bearings. If it goes too far back, turn the knob clockwise until it centers in the bearings.

• 5

  Turn off the saw. Kneel down underneath the table. Look for a degree gauge with a lever. If the indicator is not set at zero, pull up on the lever. Push or pull the table until the indicator registers zero to square the table to the blade. Push the lever closed.