Replies

1. 
   MBL | May 21, 2004 06:45am | #1

   Dear Clff,

   Have here been lately doing some overdue efforts on bandsaws. Have an old 14" Delta-clone bandsaw and can say that on this bandsaw, one of the objectionables is the aluminum wheels.

   Of course, if the wheels of this one were made beefier, even of aluminum they would be better. In general, cast iron is much better, but again, badly made or minimun design does not guarantee that just because it is cast iron it is superior.

   1. Have done a lot of work on this old 14", including putting a new 1-HP motor, new bearings on the lower wheel. The original bearings were not sealed and had some play. Each bearing was only about $6.00. It is a little tricky job to do, but not too difficult.

   2. The next thing is to replace the existing steel base with a beefier all wood base. That's to be done because this one has sheet metal covers that happen to resonate well with the bandsaw use. Will also make base shorter and the total working hight lower by 2 or 3 inches, for the plan is to start doing some re-sawing. The new clones, have noticed, have a welded metal base. Much better.

   3. Another thing found, not seen mentioned, is the fact that on this 14" clone, the tracking control pivoted arm has no option but to hit a protective sheet metal cover that is behind the top wheel. Today, at a tool supplier, looked at a new one, and they still have the same problem. What happens is that on the 14" clones, when one is putting tension, the force felt is not necessarily from tension going to the blade, but may have a lot to do with that arm bending the sheet metal. The solution for now is NOT to install that cover. Later, will make one, probably of light mdf or so. It is not a very critical place, but it still ought to be covered. But the cover just can not be as the one supplied. It' impossible for the lever not to hit it. The fact that the steel sheet is being forced into the tracking lever, obviously can relate to vibrations that tend to move the top wheel, even though minutely, they still can result in unwanted blade motions and vibrations heard and felt. The bandsaw in the store was a Jet, and is practically the same still, except for the welded base and a better looking motor that this one had originally. It also has the same problem of the tracking lever hitting that cover.

   4. The cast arm for the top wheel was mounted somewhat out of true and pin-registered there. So in order to align the wheels to be co-planar, the pin had to be grinded-off. That fix was a few years ago, though. Then drilled a hole through both top and bottom casting simulatneously, and drove a self-tapping 1/4" bolt with a hex head that now is the lock and register. The bandsaw blades can track practically at the center of the tires now, and tracking responds much better and is softer to adjust without that cover.

   5. Got rid of an idler wheel that was there only because the same bandsaw skeleton was used at those times to make the metal-cutting bandsaw, which had speed change capability. Went direct from the motor to the bottom wheel. With the new wood base, to be made soon, will shorten the lenght of the belt now in place. The motor will mount closer to the wheel which will be better. The motor will no longer mount on sheet metal but probaly on 2x4's or similar, vibration dampening base, with some shock absorbing rubber in between.

   Now with most all detectable factors pretty much fixed, one important item is the wheels. With the new bearings, new, more powerful motor, and all 'as best' adjustments made, still the aluminum wheels do distort under tension and it can be seen by running the blade at low to moderate tension and tensions as close as to those recommended.

   Of course this is a low-cost bandsaw. However, the fundamentals are basically OK. The cast iron frame is capable of much better performance. It's just all the necessary add-ons that make this machines lack in performance. The original Delta machines, did not have but a solid open metal frame base, and cast iron wheels, and slightly larger caliber metal covers. So, change those things for cost and looks, like make the bottom base out of thin sheet metal ('cabinet-like')held by screws, and mount a lesser quality motor on sheet metal, and put aluminum wheels of the same dimensions as the old cast iron design, and yes, performance issues result.

   1. You have many options, including putting a raiser block. If all you need is more height, be aware that larger wheels will have longer distances from rim to center, meaning more movement distance at the rim edge, where the blade runs, for any given excentricity. But then, again, larger wheels are built beefier than smaller ones. They may also run on larger diameter spindles, which is favorable. The ones for the 14" are 5/8" diameter.

   2. Change the motor to one with some more power.

   If you'll replace at all the motor, say to resell it, you might want to try your saw with the new motor, a tune up, and a new blade.

   -mbl-

   
   

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   Edited 5/21/2004 12:10 am ET by mbl

2. 
   JohnWW | May 21, 2004 04:49pm | #2

   The most likely problem with the motor is that the starter switch inside the end cover is stuck or has burnt contacts.  It can be repaired or replaced easily.  Trashing the motor would be like scrapping a car's engine because it needed spark plugs.

   John W.

3. 
   forestgirl | May 21, 2004 06:24pm | #3

   Cliff, how old is the Jet motor?  I have vague recollection of there being some specific, known problems with certain years of those motors.  Might be worth a call to Jet techies to investigate before dumping the saw. 

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
   Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

4. 
   MBL | May 21, 2004 07:17pm | #4

   Dear cliff,

   In case your motor needs replacement, or if you want to put a larger motor:

   A NEMA frame 56 will fit in the space. Mounting for those motors consists of 4 holes 3/8" or slightly larger. The original bolts can be used, but they are standard hardware.

   The motor bases are slot-cuts, so figure the motor in the best position, with the band on, check the pulley wheels to be coplanar with a straight short stick, and drill the hole pretty much to be at the center of the slot.

   Drill FIRST just one hole, tighten the bolt, and run the bandsaw with no blade to check that the belt will have good tension also. Verify the alignemts and drill the diagonally-oposite base hole, also at the center of the slot. You mark the slots carefully each time with a very short pencil, or scribe as come in most metal squares. Put the motor aside and use a hand drill since the motor body is in the way for drilling. Use wrenches to tighten the bolts as dadoes are difficult to fit in. The FIRST hole to drill should be the one easiest to drill near the motor pulley. Make sure that location will lead to good tension.

   The pulley key, if it is metric, might need a slight filling at the motor fit side only, to fit a US motor. But the shafts do fit the pulley holes at 5/8".

   However, the existing mounting holes might fit.

   -mbl-

   
   

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   Edited 5/21/2004 12:31 pm ET by mbl