Tension or not?

[NC Scroller]

Not only do I release the tension but if I know I won't be in the shop for a couple days I usually discard the blade. 

[Rolf]

1 hour ago, NC Scroller said:

Not only do I release the tension but if I know I won't be in the shop for a couple days I usually discard the blade. 

Why the blade?

[jerry1939]

A bearing is a bearing, is a bearing. Doesn't matter if is in a scroll saw or a large one in a locomotive.  For all you nice people that feel that the load should be taken off of a bearing when it won't be used for a while, when you are done driving your vehicle for the day, please jack up all 4 corners & take the load off of the wheel bearings.

For all you great people that think prolonged tension hurts, FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY, don't drive over a bridge that is supported by concrete beams.  Concrete is low in tension strength.  It is the pre-stressed cables placed in the lower part of the supporting beams that support the bridge & the load it carries.  CONCRETE BRIDGES ARE UNSAFE.  STAY  OFF OF THEM!!

jerry

 

[MrsN]

I usually leave the blade with no tension, but mostly because I do fretwork and to put the project away I have to un-do the blade. I also like to start new projects with new blades and often toss the blade at the end of my cutting session. 

I do remove tension on my school saws (band saw and scroll saws) when I leave for the summer. 3 months of no use seems a bit long.

[amazingkevin]

On 7/27/2020 at 11:51 AM, jerry1939 said:

For all you nice people that believe that tension should be releases to protect saw bearings and/or not shorten blade life;

1. When driving over a bridge, keep in mind that before the beams are poured, a lot of cables are tensioned in the form first & the concrete poured next.  It is the cables that provide the tensile strength to support the load of the bridge & the traffic.  Those cables have been under tension since the beams were poured.

2. Bearings.  The bearings in your vehicle wheels & axles  have had the weight of the vehicle on them since it left the factory.

IF it makes YOU feel good to release the tension, by all means continue to do so, but there is absolutely no advantage to it.

jerry

I like how you put things in perspective I can see and readily understand!!! Good on you,!!!

[Ron Johnson]

Release tension on both my scroll saw and bandsaw. 

[NC Scroller]

6 hours ago, Rolf said:

Why the blade?

With my ADHD I have a hard enough time remembering what I had for dinner last night let alone what size blade is in the saw or if it is sharp.  My scroll saw work is varied and I use a number of types and sizes of blades.  Now I do not remove them if I am going for lunch or such.  Only when I know I will not be in the shop a couple days.

[scrollingforsanity]

I take the tension off when I am done for the day. Personal preference.

[stoney]

I started releasing blade tension when I had a Delta P20 scroll saw because the parallel arms were made of a composite material.  My thinking was if the saw wasn't used for a long time a memory might be developed in the arm material.   It has just become a part of shutting my saw down now.