Did I Dent My Bandsaw Blade? If so, what to do?

[onocoffee]

I tend to get into trouble mainly because I go ahead with not a lot of knowledge and plow through it until something happens.

Yesterday, I thought that I would make a couple of mallets. One of white oak and the other of Black Locust from a branch that I cut off the tree that fell in my yard earlier this summer. I got the idea from a Japanese woodworkers' video I saw on YouTube. He was more masterful with a chainsaw and a hatchet, I had my old 1934 Delta 14" bandsaw. I scored a line around the center and started cutting away the handle with a Carter Green Wood 3TPI blade. Overall, it went well. I would cut a slice off along the length of the handle and then, if the center line wasn't deep enough, cut the slice from the piece. During one of those crosscuts, I jammed up the piece and stopped the saw.

After shutting off the saw and dislodging the workpiece, I went back at it. The saw was making a decidedly different sound and I could see a wobble in the blade and I'm thinking that I kinked the blade. I've got a video below showing the situation. Can this be rectified? Is it a matter of tightening and increasing tension? Later, as I was cleaning thing up, I checked the motor belt (one of those adjustable multi-link belts) and it seems a little loose compared to when I restored the saw. Could the jam have loosened the belt and is causing this issue?

I don't know enough about bandsaws to accurately diagnose the issue which is why I'm asking here. Or is it just a simple matter that I have kinked the blade and the only course of action is replacement?

Thanks!





These are the mallets so you can see the size of the Black Locust.

 

[Cheese]

I'd pull the blade and take a close look at it, if you kinked it you can probably straighten it out. While the blade's off, I'd also look at the tires for any debris caught between the tires and the blade. The upper blade guides appear to be set pretty wide and they should be set tighter once you unkink the blade. It's a good practice to lower the upper guide as much as possible to keep it as close to the wood as possible.

If you're happy with the Delta, I'd suggest you think about changing over to ball bearing blade guides, the cut is much more precise especially for any resawing you do.

Delta 14"

The Carter Delta 14" conversion kit updates your saws performance through the use of model 2300 all sealed ball bearing roller guides.

carterproducts.com

 

[smorgasbord]

Blade looks very tweaked to me.
I've found you can almost never really untweak a tweaked blade - at least if you want to run your guides close and not have a wider and rougher than usual kerf.
I second @Cheese 's recommendation for guide upgrade, but they make different versions you might want to check out. I wish I had tool-less adjustments on my Carter upgrade (for a different saw):

Bandsaw Guide Kits

Peachtree Woodworking Supply is your one stop shop to Band Saw Upgrades Guide conversion Kits.

www.ptreeusa.com

 

[P_K]

If you need to order some new blades: https://echolssaw.com/product-category/bimetal-bandsaw-blades

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I'm right with all of them. You might be able to straighten the blade somewhat, but it's not likely to be right again, ever. It will need to be off of the saw to do it, though, tension enough won't do it. If it is still decently sharp, you might want to save it, for when you do dumb stuff The problem is, most people hate changing them, so the just don't. They hold onto that blade and never use it.
Save yourself the frustration and replace it. That's where you will end up anyway.
Also, they're right about the blade guides too. I've had the Carter rollers on mine for decades.

 

[onocoffee]

I'd pull the blade and take a close look at it, if you kinked it you can probably straighten it out. While the blade's off, I'd also look at the tires for any debris caught between the tires and the blade. The upper blade guides appear to be set pretty wide and they should be set tighter once you unkink the blade. It's a good practice to lower the upper guide as much as possible to keep it as close to the wood as possible.

If you're happy with the Delta, I'd suggest you think about changing over to ball bearing blade guides, the cut is much more precise especially for any resawing you do.

Delta 14"

The Carter Delta 14" conversion kit updates your saws performance through the use of model 2300 all sealed ball bearing roller guides.

carterproducts.com

I will check those and readjust the guides. Presuming that the blade is kinked, what's the way to correct it? Hammer on an anvil?

 

[onocoffee]

I'm right with all of them. You might be able to straighten the blade somewhat, but it's not likely to be right again, ever. It will need to be off of the saw to do it, though, tension enough won't do it. If it is still decently sharp, you might want to save it, for when you do dumb stuff The problem is, most people hate changing them, so the just don't. They hold onto that blade and never use it.
Save yourself the frustration and replace it. That's where you will end up anyway.
Also, they're right about the blade guides too. I've had the Carter rollers on mine for decades.

The blade is essentially new. Oh, well... At least Woodcraft has a sale on Starrett blade this month. I'll keep the blade because I most certainly will probably be doing the "stupid stuff"!

@smorgasbord I had been thinking about the Carters. However, I thought the cut performed well enough with the stock guides. I'll look more into them and see what options are available.

@P_K I will check out those bimetal blades. Thanks.