The tricky bit is sensing the amount of tension on the bandsaw blade. For that task, [Stephen] mounted a load cell in place of the original tensioning spring. A few adapters helped that job ...

There are several ways to measure and control tension in these zones; some are more sophisticated than others. As we'll see, load cells are the only accurate way to measure web tension.

The more you know about selecting and sizing load cells, the better your chance for success in your web tension application. When spools or webs of continuous paper, wire, cloth, or plastic are ...