14" bandsaw woes... Major woes!!!

[Michael Dunn]

I need some MAJOR help guys!!! I bought a used CalHawk 14" bandsaw ($100 on craigslist) a couple of months ago. Long story short the blade (any blade, all brand new Olson's) does not track right. It moves in and out (towards me and away form me).

Here is what I replaced (some of which was to reduce wobble and vibration as well...)

1. New Urethane tires from Rockler
2. New upper & lower guide assemblies (from Grizzly, perfect fit)
3. Olson cool blocks
4. I built a new base using 2"x4"'s and the existing sheet metal base
5. Shock absorbing mounts for the motor from McMaster

With the drive belt removed from the motor spinning the wheel by hand the blade still moves in the same manor.

The wheels seem to be balanced pretty well. When I free spin the top wheel it does not always stop in the same spot. I have 1/4 oz. adhesive lead strips to help in balancing, but the vibration problem affect how my dial indicator would measure.

Is there anyone in the Chicago (Orland Park, Tinley Park) area that can come by me and take a look? I'd be happy to reimburse for gas if it is a long haul.

Thanx,

shotgunn

[Philip Duffy]

It sounds like the bearings on the wheels are shot. Have you checked to see if the wheels wobble in the plane of turning?

[Curt Harms]

It sounds like the bearings on the wheels are shot. Have you checked to see if the wheels wobble in the plane of turning?

That would be my guess as well, bearings or bent wheels. If it were mine, I'd clamp a piece of bent wire or light strap of metal to the wheel cover so the end of the wire is close to each wheel's rim. Tension the blade as normal. Turn the wheel BY HAND and see if the distance between the fixed wire and the wheel changes. It shouldn't. If the wheel seems to be running true, have you tried more than 1 band? I've read of blades incorrectly welded that do what you're seeing, moving on the wheel.

[Jason White]

Major sure both wheels are "coplanar." Check this with a straightedge and adjust using the upper adjustment knob (or lower, depending on the bandsaw).

Jason


I need some MAJOR help guys!!! I bought a used CalHawk 14" bandsaw ($100 on craigslist) a couple of months ago. Long story short the blade (any blade, all brand new Olson's) does not track right. It moves in and out (towards me and away form me).

Here is what I replaced (some of which was to reduce wobble and vibration as well...)

1. New Urethane tires from Rockler
2. New upper & lower guide assemblies (from Grizzly, perfect fit)
3. Olson cool blocks
4. I built a new base using 2"x4"'s and the existing sheet metal base
5. Shock absorbing mounts for the motor from McMaster

With the drive belt removed from the motor spinning the wheel by hand the blade still moves in the same manor.

The wheels seem to be balanced pretty well. When I free spin the top wheel it does not always stop in the same spot. I have 1/4 oz. adhesive lead strips to help in balancing, but the vibration problem affect how my dial indicator would measure.

Is there anyone in the Chicago (Orland Park, Tinley Park) area that can come by me and take a look? I'd be happy to reimburse for gas if it is a long haul.

Thanx,

shotgunn

[Darnell Hagen]

You need to crown the tires.

A million different ways to do it can be found at owwm.org.

[Pete Bradley]

How much movement are we talking about, more or less than 1/16"? Coplanar and bearings are way down the list of possibilities on this one. The two most likely causes are a bad band or a crown problem, with bent or poor quality wheels in third place.

Where did the band come from? Have you tried with more than one? You may just have a bad weld or a kink.

Most of the Delta clones have crowned wheels so a quality tire replacement will give you a decent crown. If the wheel isn't crowned or is bent a bit, you'll likely get better results by crowning. As Darnell pointed out there are a bunch of ways to do it (none particularly easy in my opinion). Check the band first though.

Pete

[Michael Dunn]

I'd say a 1/4" of movement. I have tried 3 different brand new blades. The thing is, when I look at wheel movement, it looks perfect. However, the band does not move perfectly.

I already bought new tires, that didn't help. The older ones appeared to be crowned and not terribly worn. The new tires did not improve or worsen the problem.

Could it be a belt? Or the axle that the lower wheel is on? I have yet to find a way to remove the belt that connects the lower wheel to the pulley. So I cannot see if the lower wheel is actually running straight or wobbly.

Thanx, and keep them suggestions comin'

shotgunn


How much movement are we talking about, more or less than 1/16"? Coplanar and bearings are way down the list of possibilities on this one. The two most likely causes are a bad band or a crown problem, with bent or poor quality wheels in third place.

Where did the band come from? Have you tried with more than one? You may just have a bad weld or a kink.

Most of the Delta clones have crowned wheels so a quality tire replacement will give you a decent crown. If the wheel isn't crowned or is bent a bit, you'll likely get better results by crowning. As Darnell pointed out there are a bunch of ways to do it (none particularly easy in my opinion). Check the band first though.

Pete

[Michael Dunn]

Would I just take a straight edge and rotate the wheel (with a blade installed and tensioned) and verify if any parts of the rotation are suspect?

If I find anything, how will I determine if it is the wheel or the bearings? I hope it's the bearings.

That would be a cheap fix, right?

Thanx,

shotgunn


It sounds like the bearings on the wheels are shot. Have you checked to see if the wheels wobble in the plane of turning?

[Paul Atkins]

You said they were all new blades of the same manufacturer. It is possible that all are welded the same and not true. Use a straight edge and see if the blades are not welded crooked. Do this with the blades off the saw.

[Myk Rian]

Got a table saw or flat kitchen counter. Lay the blades on a flat surface and check them.

[Tim Johnson]

If you have 1/4 inch of perpendicular movement in the wheels when the blades are under tension, the bearings are shot, if you are sure the wheels are indeed flat and true. If the wheels are running true and the blade is moving 1/4 inch back and forth, are you sure the upper and lower wheels are co-planer as someone previously suggested? You might have to remove the table to check co-planer issues. I am not familiar with this brand, but most can be adjusted to bring the wheels into alignment with one another.

A site with info on checking co-planer issue http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/coplanar-bandsaw-wheels-2.aspx

[Pete Bradley]

I'd say a 1/4" of movement. I have tried 3 different brand new blades. The thing is, when I look at wheel movement, it looks perfect. However, the band does not move perfectly.

...

Could it be a belt? Or the axle that the lower wheel is on?

The chance of this being caused by a belt alone is nil. The problem is somewhere in the wheels, and almost certainly the top. You've checked the obvious, now look at the less obvious:

1. Are the wheels horribly out of plane with each other? 1/8", even 1/4" is probably ok. If you're not sure how to check see the article below.

2. Do the wheelsl run true under power or does it wobble? Be very careful checking this, you have to run with the doors open. If wobble in the top wheel, check the tracking mechanism for loose parts.

3. You have to do a lot of bearing or shaft damage to make an impact but see if either wheel is loose on the shaft.

Most likely this is still just a tuning thing. This is a particularly good article on band saw tuning:

http://www.ccwwa.org/NEWSITE/plans/BandsawTuneup3.pdf

Pete

[Michael Dunn]

I have adjusted the the wheels for coplanarity. It is really easy to adjust. The table does not need to be removed.


If you have 1/4 inch of perpendicular movement in the wheels when the blades are under tension, the bearings are shot, if you are sure the wheels are indeed flat and true. If the wheels are running true and the blade is moving 1/4 inch back and forth, are you sure the upper and lower wheels are co-planer as someone previously suggested? You might have to remove the table to check co-planer issues. I am not familiar with this brand, but most can be adjusted to bring the wheels into alignment with one another.

A site with info on checking co-planer issue http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/coplanar-bandsaw-wheels-2.aspx

[Lee Schierer]

Most band saws have a two piece cast C arm that runs between the base and the upper wheel. Usually there is a bolted connection between the two halves and this connection is doweled for alignment. Check to see that your upper wheel is aligned at the left and right edges with the lower wheel.

Or one of your wheels are bent.

Or one of your tires isn't laying flat on the wheel (glue or debris from the original wheels under it.

[Alan Schwabacher]

The part of the wheel the blade rides on is not as steady as it should be. That could be the bearing, the wheel, or since you've checked those (I think) it could be the tire. With the blade removed, took at the tire as you turn the wheel by hand. The crown should not wobble side to side or up and down. If it does, it needs to be fixed either by repositioning the tire, or by sanding it down as the wheel spins.

[John Coloccia]

Just one simple thing to check, although it's probably not it. When I first got my big Grizzly, I had it setup but it wasn't level. It was out by quite a bit because it's setup in a converted garage (the garage floor is graded, of course). Anyhow, I had it setup so that the grade was putting side load on the bandsaw's frame. If you grab the housing where the top wheel is, and push it back and forth, you'll see that it's really not all that stiff. It's stiff enough, but it moves a bit.

Anyhow, having it setup like that made kind of a spring and amplified whatever small imperfections there where in balance/crowning/whatever. Once I leveled it, the oscillation went away.

This was just my experience, and I haven't heard of this happening to anyone else, but it's just something that's easy to check before doing anymore work to it.

[Michael Dunn]

I do have new tires, but this could be an issue. What grit should use? I have the Rockler Urethane tires.


The part of the wheel the blade rides on is not as steady as it should be. That could be the bearing, the wheel, or since you've checked those (I think) it could be the tire. With the blade removed, took at the tire as you turn the wheel by hand. The crown should not wobble side to side or up and down. If it does, it needs to be fixed either by repositioning the tire, or by sanding it down as the wheel spins.

[Michael Dunn]

This seems promising... I am in a garage as well. The floor is terribly un-level. I built a mobile base (using the hardware from Rockler). I can see that the saw is very tilted to the right.

I have some leg levelers and threaded inserts, I just haven't been able to install them. I'll make a point to do that tonight.

It seems that in my life, all of the un-expected things happen to me. Thankfully nothing too terrible, yet... Just the little things. You know what they say about little things.

Thanx,

shotgunn


Just one simple thing to check, although it's probably not it. When I first got my big Grizzly, I had it setup but it wasn't level. It was out by quite a bit because it's setup in a converted garage (the garage floor is graded, of course). Anyhow, I had it setup so that the grade was putting side load on the bandsaw's frame. If you grab the housing where the top wheel is, and push it back and forth, you'll see that it's really not all that stiff. It's stiff enough, but it moves a bit.

Anyhow, having it setup like that made kind of a spring and amplified whatever small imperfections there where in balance/crowning/whatever. Once I leveled it, the oscillation went away.

This was just my experience, and I haven't heard of this happening to anyone else, but it's just something that's easy to check before doing anymore work to it.

[Michael Dunn]

My wheels do not appear to wabble when rotating by hand or by motor. However, the tire crown (and lack thereof) does shift.

I guess I really need to get these bad boys crowned.

I hear it is pretty involved.

Thanx,

shotgunn


The part of the wheel the blade rides on is not as steady as it should be. That could be the bearing, the wheel, or since you've checked those (I think) it could be the tire. With the blade removed, took at the tire as you turn the wheel by hand. The crown should not wobble side to side or up and down. If it does, it needs to be fixed either by repositioning the tire, or by sanding it down as the wheel spins.

[Michael Dunn]

While I'm at it... Does anyone have any tips for reducing vibration?

Last night I installed some shock mounts from McMaster. They reduced it by a decent amount. However, I think I can do better.

Should I buy new belts? How doe I know what size to buy? Mine a the 'V' groove type.

Thanx,

shotgunn

[Alan Schwabacher]

I was able to get my tires smoothly aligned without sanding them, so I'm not certain what grit is best, but I think the Duginske book goes into some detail. I'd probably try something like 100 grit.

I think 1/4" movement is large enough that frame vibration is unlikely to be responsible for all of it, though it's worthwhile to get rid of what vibration you can.

The idea of leveling can go a long way toward reducing vibration. With a relatively lightweight frame, what is really most important is to make sure that all bolts are tightened up, and that each foot has about the same weight on it. If the feet are not quite the same length, the frame might distort a little so that it does not rock, but will be less stable than if it's properly leveled.

Adjust the feet to get the table pretty level, then grab the table and try to move it diagonally. If it moves more easily in one diagonal than in the other, adjust one of the feet you were pushing toward to be longer. This will likely make your saw more stable. This is the sort of thing that can make a significant difference on a relatively lightweight bandsaw, but that is unlikely to affect a heavier one.

By the way, one of the reasons that link belts are handy is that you can adjust the size to what you need.

[george wilson]

PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION that your blade is not welded crooked. Someone said to uncoil your blade and lay it on a flat surface to see if it lays flat everywhere. The weld being crooked is a very common problem,and will cause your blade to move in and out.

[Pete Bradley]

I'd go after the vibration after the crown issue is resolved.

Old belt is a very likely source. If it doesn't have a number on it, you can measure. See the "belts" section of mcmaster for the measurement method for different types of belt. I recommend you replace with an AX belt.

[Myk Rian]

While I'm at it... Does anyone have any tips for reducing vibration?

Last night I installed some shock mounts from McMaster. They reduced it by a decent amount. However, I think I can do better.

Should I buy new belts? How doe I know what size to buy? Mine a the 'V' groove type.

Thanx,

shotgunn
Slip the belt off the pulleys and take it to an auto supply for a new one.
I used paper clamps to balance my wheels. Find the heavy spot and clamp 2 on the opposing sides till it's balanced.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=138062&d=1263256940

[Ken Higginbotham]

Can't you put the tires on the lower pully, turn the saw on and rub sandpaper on them to do the crowning thing?

[Alan Schwabacher]

The tire was probably pretty even to start with, and the problem is probably the way it's sitting on the top wheel. So it must be sanded while it's there.

I think the method of sanding the tire on the top wheel is to put a large dowel in the chuck of a hand drill, and run it while holding the dowel against the wheel. A sanding block can then take off the high spots on the tire as the wheel goes past. If needed, sandpaper can be glued to the dowel for traction.

[Darnell Hagen]

Go to owwm.org, search for crowning.

Look at the post and find Bob Vaughn's response, he'll have a list of links regarding crowning. I'd post a link but that's in violation of the rules.

There are several methods, and more all the time. Find the method that you feel most comfortable with/ have the equipment for.

Generally speaking, crowning directly on the saw is better than removing the wheel.

[Joseph Tarantino]

michael....stop wasting time and contact iturra design. no website but they can be reached here:

http://www.manta.com/coms2/dnbcompany_l6b7r

i had the same problem with a jet 18" BS as shown here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrxBP8YBKYM

if this is your condition (note the oscillating motion of the blade), the editors @ wood magazine refer to it as "blade loping". i was using new timberwolf blades (4 different new t-wolf blades) and the problem persisted. new urethane tires and coplaning wheels didn't solve problem (jet uses crowned wheels and according to jet, this means coplaning wheels is not important. for the record, i think they are wrong). lou iturra @ iturra welded a lenox blade for me and here is how the saw performs now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67s4qtbxHsk

note the nickel test. and this is before i undo the wheel mis-alignment the saw had in the lenox blade video after i paid an authorized jet dealer $170 to set up the saw (H.I.T. distributors in nassau county, NY is utterly useless).

my advice.....call iturra. he is extremely knowledgeable on band saws. he hasn't steered me wrong yet and has spent, at times, over 1/2 hour just discussing my problem before he ever sold me anything. HTH.

[Michael Dunn]

Yup, that is my exact problem. Yours appears to be a little worse than mine though. It's like mine is 'loping' once per band revolution. Yours seemed to do it several times per revolution. This gives me great hope.

So what was the actual problem? Did you fix it yourself based on his suggestions? Or did he fix it himself? Actually, I just read you post again.

The blades were the problem??? I can't decide if I am excited to hear that or disappointed. If that is what the problem was.

I'll call him tomorrow.

Thanx a million man!!! I hope this is it...

shotgunn


michael....stop wasting time and contact iturra design. no website but they can be reached here:

http://www.manta.com/coms2/dnbcompany_l6b7r

i had the same problem with a jet 18" BS as shown here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrxBP8YBKYM

if this is your condition (note the oscillating motion of the blade), the editors @ wood magazine refer to it as "blade loping". i was using new timberwolf blades (4 different new t-wolf blades) and the problem persisted. new urethane tires and coplaning wheels didn't solve problem (jet uses crowned wheels and according to jet, this means coplaning wheels is not important. for the record, i think they are wrong). lou iturra @ iturra welded a lenox blade for me and here is how the saw performs now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67s4qtbxHsk

note the nickel test. and this is before i undo the wheel mis-alignment the saw had in the lenox blade video after i paid an authorized jet dealer $170 to set up the saw (H.I.T. distributors in nassau county, NY is utterly useless).

my advice.....call iturra. he is extremely knowledgeable on band saws. he hasn't steered me wrong yet and has spent, at times, over 1/2 hour just discussing my problem before he ever sold me anything. HTH.

[george wilson]

Did you read my above post????? Check the blade for a crooked weld.

[Michael Dunn]

Yes, I just haven't got a chance to do that yet. I am at work now. ('till 12am CST)

Since that is a very simple test, I will do it as soon as I get home.

I just hope the countertop isn't filled with kitchen stuff. I don't wanna wake the wif and kids. That would be bad, very bad.


Did you read my above post????? Check the blade for a crooked weld.

[Michael Dunn]

If the weld is crooked, then what do I do? This would mean the 4 brand new blades are defective. (still not at home yet, I just cannot stop thinking about this.)

How and where do I buy quality blades? I thought Olson made good stuff. I bought these from peachtree.




Did you read my above post????? Check the blade for a crooked weld.

[Michael Dunn]

Evidently the quality control department at Olson has narcolepsy. They must not look very hard at there blades before they leave.

I have 3 blades here. 2 - 1/4" blades (one brand new fresh out of the box minutes ago. The other brand new but fresh out of the box 6 weeks ago.)

I laid the original blade (the known bad one) on my counter top and clearly saw that about 6" away from the weld the blade is not flat or true or whatever we call it.

I also have a brand new 1/2" blade as well. The 1/2" blade didn't look as bad on the counter, but was BAD on the saw.

Well, I feel better that I do not have to keep pouring $$$ into this budget saw.

What is the solution, where do you guys buy your blades from? Mine are 92 1/2"



Yes, I just haven't got a chance to do that yet. I am at work now. ('till 12am CST)

Since that is a very simple test, I will do it as soon as I get home.

I just hope the countertop isn't filled with kitchen stuff. I don't wanna wake the wif and kids. That would be bad, very bad.

[Michael Dunn]

Here are some pics of the blades on my countertop.

1/4"...

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt351/shotgunndunn/Bandsaw/bandsaw02.jpg

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt351/shotgunndunn/Bandsaw/bandsaw01.jpg

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt351/shotgunndunn/Bandsaw/bandsaw03.jpg

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt351/shotgunndunn/Bandsaw/bandsaw04.jpg

Test cuts on a scrap 2x4. (this piece has a 45 degree cut, not that it matters, I thought I'd say, just in case it threw off perspective.)

Free hand scroll cuts...

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt351/shotgunndunn/Bandsaw/bandsaw07.jpg

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt351/shotgunndunn/Bandsaw/bandsaw08.jpg

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt351/shotgunndunn/Bandsaw/bandsaw05.jpg

freehand straight cut...

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt351/shotgunndunn/Bandsaw/bandsaw09.jpg

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt351/shotgunndunn/Bandsaw/bandsaw10.jpg

Well, what do you think? The cut actually looks pretty clean, surprisingly. I am beginning to not regret this bandsaw purchase so much now. The cuts went really smoothly as well.

I cleaned the blade with Mineral Spirits, de-burred the backside, then applied some Olson wax.

I also installed the levelers (tonight) and wheel brushes (a few days ago).

I think I will buy some new thrust bearings. (probably a fence too!!!) These were pretty nasty, I clean them up a bit though. Since they are cheap I think I'll go for it.

The vibration has been cut down a bit as well too. I think I can still make it better. I am gonna get those link belts too.

So, what do I do about these blades that suck so badly?

Thanx a million to all who posted!!!

shotgunn

[Marty Paulus]

OK lets make sure its the tires that are the problem. Does the entire tire move on the wheel or is it just the crown on the tire? Seems to me that if you didn't take some care when putting the tire on the wheel it could be off center in one area. That would throw the crown of the tire off. Something to check before taking the sandpaper to the tires. I would be surprised to find the crown on the tire walking from side to side on the circumference.

[Joseph Tarantino]

for blades, call iturra design. with one purchase, he solved more of my bandsaw problems for less money than anyone else. he really, really knows bandsaws. and it wouldn't surprise me that he's probably forgotten more about your particular band saw than you will ever know.

as for the blades you have, use them on questionable material. the main problem with a loping blade is the vibration it creates in the saw and the wear it places on the thrust bearings. those defective blades will cut, but they will punish your saw and bearings more than a properly welded blade.

BTW, how sure are you that your counter top is perfectly flat. did you check it with a straight edge before you checked the blades on it? just a thought.

does your saw have flat or crowned wheels? if they are flat (non-crowned) then wheel coplanarity is, according to mark duginske, important. where wheels are crowned, there is a school of thought that coplanarity is less important, but i'm not sure i agree with that. but lou iturra can speak to that far more eloquently than i can. good luck.

[george wilson]

Have you checked your counter top to see if IT IS FLAT?

[Darnell Hagen]

What you're showing with the blade isn't unreasonable.

Most blades will be longer on one edge than the other, it's part of the toothing process.

[Paul Atkins]

I'd just cut the thing at the weld and silver braze it back straight. I can redo a blade and have it back on the saw in less than 10 minutes. That goes for broken ones too. I just buy the 100' rolls of stock and make my own up. YMMV

[Darnell Hagen]

Hey Paul, what do you use for brazing?

I've got a Foley brazer that I've never used and I'm looking for tips.

[Michael Dunn]

The entire counter top is not perfectly flat, but I found a spot that was good and flat.

One of my two 1/4" blades looked really good and straight. The other did not look so great.

So I put the good one on the saw and there was no more loping.

I made a pretty clean test cut too.

I guess I need to learn how to weld, eh? Cool, more tools I get to buy, eventually.

Thanx,

shotgunn

[bernhard Riddering]

Hi,

It looks to me that you have a bent bottom shaft!
Transport to your place or before can contribute to that.
The vibration is a sign towards that to.
Run the machine without blade, start up and switch of quickly, then look at your bottom wheel and pulley.
or use a dial indicator on both sides to look for run outs.
Hope this is of help.

[Paul Atkins]

Darnell I use 45% silver brazing wire available at the welding shop. The guide is a piece of aluminum angle that I cut a slot in. I use a mapp gas torch or a propane/oxy setup depending what is at hand. I grind a bevel on each end to match and to get a bit more surface area. I have to agree with Bernhard as far as checking the bottom shaft too. Running without blade will check the bottom wheel. Hope this helps.

[Michael Dunn]

I got my hands on a wheeler puller and pulled off the old pulley in just a few seconds. I put the new one, removed the old belts and installed the new twist drive belts. My vibration has been DRAMATICALLY reduced. The machine runs quiet and pretty darn smooth, especially considering what I have gone through.

It won't pass the dime test, but I imagine most tools that aren't made with a LOT of cast iron (or at least one that just weighs a lot) still have some vibration. I think the amount of vibration I have is not enough to severely degrade the quality of my cuts.

Now I still have to get my table inserts cut out. I bought a fly cutter, but it doesn't appear to one of high quality ($10 @ ptreeusa) I'll figure it out.

Thanx guys!!!!!!!

shotgunn

[David Hostetler]

Not sure I understand, does this mean you replaced the wheel(s) and drive belt?

FWIW, solid V belts are prone to vibration when they sit for long periods. Link belts tend to run much smoother. My HF bandsaw runs like a MUCH more expensive machine due to the link belt...

[Michael Dunn]

I replaced the pulley on the drive shaft of the motor. I also replaced the old 'V' belts with the twist drive belts.

I am still using the original 14" wheels. I would have just bought a new saw if I had go as far as to replace the wheels. That would have been the straw that broke this camels back.

Long story short, it runs really good now. I paid $140 for the saw itself and I probably put about $200 (DOH!!!) into it. I overestimated the quality of the saw when I bought it.

Oh well, you live you learn, at least it turned out o.k. in the end.

Next time, I'll investigate MUCH deeper into a used bandsaw (or ANY tool) purchase.

Thanx,

shotgunn


Not sure I understand, does this mean you replaced the wheel(s) and drive belt?

FWIW, solid V belts are prone to vibration when they sit for long periods. Link belts tend to run much smoother. My HF bandsaw runs like a MUCH more expensive machine due to the link belt...

[Curt Harms]

I replaced the pulley on the drive shaft of the motor. I also replaced the old 'V' belts with the twist drive belts.

I am still using the original 14" wheels. I would have just bought a new saw if I had go as far as to replace the wheels. That would have been the straw that broke this camels back.

Long story short, it runs really good now. I paid $140 for the saw itself and I probably put about $200 (DOH!!!) into it. I overestimated the quality of the saw when I bought it.

Oh well, you live you learn, at least it turned out o.k. in the end.

Next time, I'll investigate MUCH deeper into a used bandsaw (or ANY tool) purchase.

Thanx,

shotgunn

Now you understand the saying "Too soon old, too late smart" :D We've all been there at one time or another, I certainly have!! Actually, having around $340 in a saw that now works well and that you know well doesn't seem all that bad to me.