Many beginners think you can just mount a blade on the wheels, tighten it, and start cutting.
That's not the case.
In fact, two things matter most during installation: proper tension and precise wheel/guide alignment.
Start with tension.
After installing a new blade for the first time, do not run it at full load right away. First, tension it to the recommended value-typically 300 to 500 N/mm².
Then let it run idle or under light load for five to ten minutes. During this break-in period, the blade will settle in. Recheck the tension afterward and adjust if necessary.
This is what experienced operators call break-in tensioning. If the tension is too low, the blade may slip, strip teeth, or cut crooked.
If it's too high, you risk overloading the wheel bearings and possibly causing the blade to crack at the back edge.
Now alignment.
The two band wheels must lie in the same plane.
If the deviation exceeds half a millimeter, the blade will wander off the cut. A simple straightedge placed across the wheel faces will tell you what you need.
Also, the guide arms should be set 20 to 30 mm wider than the workpiece.
Make sure the left and right guide blocks grip the back and sides of the blade symmetrically.
Skimp on alignment, and you'll chase tracking problems all day.
