So, a while back I bought a 14” bandsaw for $40 off of Craigslist. A minimal investment I thought. It needs some cleaning up and the base is a little beat up. I bought and installed new polyurethane tires. I also got a couple of Timberwolf blades and a link belt.
Now not really knowing much (or anything really) about bandsaws, I think the bearing in the top wheel may be bad. Is the wheel supposed to wobble at all when untensioned? Or is a little play normal? I’m trying to get my blades to track and I got the wheels coplanar but am not having much success tracking the blade. I can get it to track for a little bit but if I change the tension (Which is part of the process for tensioning a Timberwolf blade) then it moves to the front to come off. Any tips or advice is welcome. Thanks!
When there is no tension on the blade the top wheel will wobble this is how to make the blade track. Put a small amount of tension on the blade and turn the wheel by hand, behind the top wheel directly behind the center of it there should be a tracking adjustment knob or bolt, turning it tracks the blade when you get it centered then increase the tension. If a top wheel bearing goes bad you will know it, usually it will give off a loud grinding or loud squealing noise. Have you used the tracking knob to center the blade on the wheel ?
Tom, I did use the tracking knob on the back to tilt the wheel to get the wheels coplanar. Then, when I put the blade on it would move forward so I used the tracking knob again to tilt the wheel back and then it seemed to track ok for a bit, but the when I would change the tension, it would move to the front again to come off.
And if it is the bearing, does anyone know where I can get a replacement and how much they cost. I have a 14” Summit Bandsaw. Looks like a Delta Clone. Made in 1987.
bearings are easy to find in most cases. IF you can’t identify the bearing number then the shop should be able to measure the OD and the ID and the width for you. They also come in open, shielded and sealed. You can get by with the shielded but the sealed won’t be a bad thing to have. Bearings are cheap. Get the best.
hey…i was just digging through here looking for a solution to my bandsaw issues, and found this. I have had no luck…if you notice this, let me know if you have ever had any problems with it stalling…and smelling like something burning… I was all excited to get this bandsaw from gramps, only,i have never had one and know nothing about how to use them properly. It cut fine the first time i used it, but now i am having trouble getting it to do anything without jamming up…stopping…whatever. I don’t want to mess it up. It seems like it rools fine…I want to use it!
Find the nearest Timkin bearing supplier. They will be able to match up your old bearings and supply you with a set of good sealed bearings. Should be less than $50.
-- If the old masters had power tools, they would have used them. So get off your damn High Horse.
Yeah, bearings are a cheap investment and normally not too difficult to install. The number you are looking for is stamped on the edge of the race. take that to the stor if you can. I am thinking way less than $50 but maybe not.
Your are lacking so much basic info. You say wobbling…are you sayiing the wheel is wobbling on the shaft or is the pivoting tracking mounting bracket wobbilng. Without a blades there could be some wobble on this assembley. Normally it would wobble in the direction of the pivot. The biigest cause of tacking issues is the tire isn’t crowned. A flat tire does not track well at all there is no mention of that fact.
-- Few folks really know how to maximize the potential of their tools!
aw, man…and we were so excited about our new, old bandsaws! i tried replacing my blade…still the same, maybe a tad bit better -it didn’t throw the circuit breaker.
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