When to replace Bandsaw Tires?

[Scott Apple]

I am in the process of restoring a 70's model Rockwell 14" Bandsaw. The previous owner had obviously replaced the tires at some point but my question is, do I need to replace them again? I have essentially no experience with bandsaws so I don't know what to look for in tire wear. I've already taken the bandsaw apart, the wheels are removed and today I'll be removing the bearings. So its not a big deal for me use this time to replace the tires, but I also don't want to waste money on new tires if these are fine.

The blade that was on there looks like a 3/8" blade to my inexperienced eye (I didn't bother to measure) but I have ordered a 1/2 blade as a replacement.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

http://s1.postimage.org/biuDA.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=gxbiuDA)

http://s1.postimage.org/bix7J.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=gxbix7J)

[Frank Drew]

Scott,

If the tires don't seem particularly worn to you, and the blade tracks and adjusts well, you don't need to replace the tires. Many old bandsaw tires have ruts worn into them; you can prevent a lot of that by taking the tension off the band when the saw is not in use (even in a busy shop where you use the bandsaw all the time you can make it a nightly ritual, like turning off the lights, and doing the reverse each morning.)

[Lance Norris]

Scott... Frank gives good advice. Your pics show me the tires look in good condition. Plus they are orange so that means they are Urethane and not rubber. Urethane tires are far superior to the original rubber tires. They last much longer than rubber. Clean them up, look for any major damage and once the saw is back together, if the blade tracks ok... you good to go. Save your money for something else.

[Gerald Senburn]

The tires look OK to me, if there are no tracking issues and no denting from the blade I'd say leave well enough alone. I don't know about your saw, but changing tires can be a real pain.

[Howard Acheson]

Why a 1/2" blade? 1/2" blades are primarily used for resawing. If you plan to use your saw for other types of operations, I would recommend you get a couple of other blades. There is no such thing as a "general purpose" bandsaw blade. Different operations will work much better if you use the correct blade.

If you are new to bandsawing let me strongly recommend you buy Lonnie Bird's Bandsaw Book. Amazon will have it. It will tell you how to set up and align your saw as well as discuss which blades work best for various cutting operations. The book will also tell you how to get the best out of your saw.

[Adam Strong]

Those tires look to be in fine shape. It would not be a bad idea to add a wheel brush to your restoration plan though.

[Thomas Canfield]

I agree that the tires need a good cleaning. It looks like there may be some wood dust/chips worked down into the tires that might not clean out and then you ought to look at replacement. It is a good habit to clean the wheels anytime a blade is changed using a soft wire brush. You can get a brush to add for continual cleaning of the tires also and should be considered on your rebuild. Changing the tires is not as bad as some say if you have ever changed a bicycle tube, then it is very similar. Warming the tire, clamping the starting point, and then working the tire around in BOTH directions allows a fairly easy and uniform fit.

For general cutting, a 1/4" or 5/16" is good for the smaller radius cuts. You can find the charts that show the different minimum radius that the blades will cut. I think that you will end up with several to cover your needs.

[William Falberg]

If you're going to go off and buy a book, I'd get the Duginski. Although both of their radius charts are bogus, Duginski's is closer to the truth in most other areas. You didn't mention what species or cut depth you'll be working on; that makes a big difference what blade width will apply. A 1/4" - 4TPI blade will out-turn a 1/8" -14TPI if the latter has no set; and cut deeper/harder. I turn 3/4" radii with a 1/2"-2TPI (for the sake of reference). I'll have my own book out in a few more months.

[Scott Apple]

Thanks for the responses. I'll try to clean the tires and go from there. A built in brush sounds pretty nifty, I'll have to look and see how much those cost.

As to why a 1/2" blade. I foresee using my bandsaw mostly for resaw and very gently curves. If I need to really turn on a dime (or cut out a dime I suppose) I'll use my Walker Turner 24" scroll saw that I just finished rebuilding.

[Myk Rian]

Thanks for the responses. I'll try to clean the tires and go from there. A built in brush sounds pretty nifty, I'll have to look and see how much those cost.
Use an old tooth brush. Find a place to mount it with a screw.

[John McClanahan]

The tooth brush is a good idea. Keep in mind when mounting it where the chips will go. If the brush is mounted in the wrong place, the chips will pile up behind it and work their way thru the bristles. They need to fall clear of the wheel. Mounting at an angle across the wheel helps.

John

[Thomas Canfield]

Scott,

Most people recommend not using a resaw blade for curved work. Doing curves tends to wear teeth on one side and cause drift problems with resawing. Hopefully some more experienced member will respond also.

[james gerus]

Scott, Iturra Design is a Bandsaw accessory catalog which has a lot of information they have a toll free phone 888-722-7078 they are located in Jacksonville FL. I have ordered from Iturra and am a satisfied customer.

Jim Gerus

[Danny Burns]

I used tooth brushes, heat glued on to a piece of maple, with rare earth magnets embedded, to keep both my tires clean.