Bader tracking wheel question

[Karl B. Andersen]

I need some help here before early Sunday morning!
My Bader BIII tracking wheel has become misshapen from use and I am losing tracking control. It has highs AND lows!
Please take a look at your BIII and tell me if it has a slight crown in the center.
I have a machinist friend who can crown it for me today if that is the case.
I just need some verification from a friendly knifemaker!

 

[JCaswell]

The Bader BIII tracking wheel is crowned. It has a pretty good-sized rise in the center, actually.
If you're loosing tracking control, my first suspicion would be a loose bolt where the tracking arm pivots against the frame of the grinder. It's a smallish shoulder bolt and these back out sometimes. When they get loose, your tracking can get funky.
Good Luck!

 

[Karl B. Andersen]

No, it's the tracking wheel. My machine's bolts are tight, mine are loose!
I've been runnin' this thing for 7 years - it's time for some wheel dressing! I just didn't remember what it looked like.
Thanks.

 

[Mitch Edwards]

When you have your pulley trued, you might suggest this to your friend. Turn the o.d. between centers on a expandable arbor. This will keep the o.d. true to the i.d. Then when you mount it back on the machine it will run true. When I did mine, I left a 1/2" wide area in the center flat, as it was turned. I then turned a 1/2 degree taper on each end up to the 1/2" area in the center of the pulley. If you put too much of a crown on the pulley, the belt will pucker in the center. If a 1/2 degree isn't enough to suit you, you might try 3/4 degree. If your friend is a machinist he will understand what I have said. Good luck. Hope this helps.

 

[mlovett]

Yep, it does have a very pronounced crown in the center. With a gradual slope to the edges.

 

[wiggins]

Couple layers of masking tape around the center of the tracking wheel seems to help my Bader.

 

[Karl B. Andersen]

When you have your pulley trued, you might suggest this to your friend. Turn the o.d. between centers on a expandable arbor. This will keep the o.d. true to the i.d. Then when you mount it back on the machine it will run true. When I did mine, I left a 1/2" wide area in the center flat, as it was turned. I then turned a 1/2 degree taper on each end up to the 1/2" area in the center of the pulley. If you put too much of a crown on the pulley, the belt will pucker in the center. If a 1/2 degree isn't enough to suit you, you might try 3/4 degree. If your friend is a machinist he will understand what I have said. Good luck. Hope this helps.

I understand it myself. We just went to 2 1/2 degrees from the edges to the center and it runs great. I have no complaints at the moment after finishing out two blades.
Thanks.