I have a 7-1/2" Harbor Freight metal bandsaw that has worked very well for me until today. The thing keeps tossing the blade of the wheels. I tuned the drive wheel so the blade is aligned correctly and my question involves tuning the alignment wheels where the blade enters and leaves the cutting area of the saw. This bandsaw has two three wheel assemblies that align the blade to the left, right and one to keep the blade forward. They are located in the front and end of the cutting area ... I am running the saw horizontally - not vertically in case you are wondering.
How tight against the blade should those wheels be? Also, I am assuming that the blade should be essentially in one plane through the cutting area both in terms of the vertical and the horizontal.
What happens is that I am cutting, the blade binds and if I don't lift the saw up quickly, the blade pops off the wheels. The blade is both tight on the drive wheels and the feed rate is as low as I can go. Also, it's a brand new kennametal blade & the model has worked just fine for me in the past. An older blade had the same problem?
Any hints, tips .... ??? The manual wasn't too bad by Harbor Freight standards, but didn't really get into tuning the saw.
--George