Cal-Hawk metal cutting bandsaw woes

Picked up a 14" vertical/horizontal Cal-hawk bandsaw in excellent shape. Tonight was the 2nd time using it. While I was cutting a piece of 16 gauge steel, the blade popped off. Nothing alarming. I reattached and turned the machine back on. It popped off again as soon as I turned the saw on. So I reattached it and tightened it a little more than the last time. Popped right off as soon as I turned it on again.

I'm more of a hobbyist than a professional and this machine is new for me, I don't know a whole lot outside of just using them. I noticed the top wheel has some play in it and the bottom wheel is nice and tight. The screws on the bracket that hold the top wheel in place are tight. I can slide the top wheel left to right on its shaft about 1/2" total with its bolts tight. If I tighten the bolts any further, it makes the wheel scrape against the adjusting mechanism that dials the wheel up to tighten up the blade. Is this normal?

I feel like it needs a shim or something to keep it away from the adjusting mechanism so it doesn't scrape. And why all of the sudden is my blade jumping off no matter if I make it just comfortably snug or tight? Thanks in advance for any advice!

Are you turning on the saw with the blade resting on the material? If so lift it off before starting.
Also if you do adjust the alignment of the wheels do not let the back of the blade rub on the step on the wheels. It will rub the step off if your not careful.

Sounds like your saw needs a bit of work on the upper wheel assembly. Can you provide pics ? Pic is worth a thousand words.

JH

Have you read the manual? It outlines very clearly how to adjust and tension the band and guards.

Every bandsaw that I have seen in the last 65 years,has an adjustment that moves the non driven wheel to tension the blade and an adjustment that tilts the non driven wheel to track the blade. You say nothing about this.If all of the parts are there and you cant figure this out ,I don't think that you should be running a band saw,they will slice a finger off very fastly. Edwin Dirnbeck

cal-hawk = Horror Freight

tnmgcarbide said:

cal-hawk = Horror Freight

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AKA junk

A skilled mechanic/welder/machinist might find a niche for its use, and effect the needed modifications.

But a skilled mechanic/welder/machinist wouldn’t pay for it.

tnmgcarbide said:

cal-hawk = Horror Freight

Click to expand...

Reincarnated "Carolina" saws from "Travelers Rest" ?

no- not the White Van Carolina . the ones i've seen were all horizontal anyway.

his saw is vertical and a dead-ringer for a H.F. - Enco -noname generic import saw.

Carolinas were purported to be "made in usa" (though very poorly)