Carter bandsaw products.

[C Scott McDonald]

I have an old Delta 28-245 that needs some repair and tune up. It is the older american made model and would like to keep it around. Plus, I am kind of attached to the old thing.

Main goal is to make it run well enough to resaw flat door panels for my never ending kitchen cabinet project.

I was thinking about getting a new tension spring and and the blue tires. Anybody try thier products? Not seeing many other options out there. I commited the cardinal sin of never taking the tension off the blade and now cannot get enough tension on a 3/4 inch blade to stop it from deflecting on a resaw.

Would it help or hurt to get a Resaw King from Laguna when the saw only has a 1/2 horse motor?

Any other "have to have" to tune up a 14" saw?

Thanks!
Scott

[Van Huskey]

First, there are a TON of options for just about anything that will fit that Delta or any of its clones. Carter makes good products but particularly for that saw there are many alternatives.

If you don't need tires the urethane tires won't make any difference, but if you need a guy sells PAIRS of orange ones on eBay shipped for less than the price of one Carter. Rockler sells the same orange ones for $41.50 but there is almost always a coupon code, but the guy on eBay is still cheaper.

If you need a high tension spring Louis Iturra sells a high tension spring for less than the Carter Cobra Coil after shipping, not a whole lot of money saved if you get free shipping on the Carter from somewhere BUT ask for and get his catalog, it has more 14" Delta stuff than you can imagine and a lot of good bandsaw info, even if I do disagree with some of it. You have to call him, he is in Jacksonville FL, the number I have for him is: 904-642-2802, make sure to get a catalog with your shipment!!!

PS there are tons of other "upgrades" for that saw both in the Carter line, Iturra catalog and others, only you can deceide how much money you want to spend on a small saw like that.

For that saw I suggest getting a Woodslicer (or one of the cheaper ones made from the same bandstock, Iturra has one called the Bandrunner and Spectrum Supply sells the Kerfmaster, if you get the spring from Louis get the blade from him as well since with shipping split between it and the spring it will be the cheapest way to go. The blade is hardened spring steel with a thin kerf, thin gauge and little to no set, just what you need for resawing on a 14" cast saw. They WILL dull fast but are by far the best fit for your saw and limited HP. The Laguna RK is the best resaw blade on the market and even with its thin gauge and narrow kerf it is really pushing your saw in more ways than one plus it is aweful expensive to put on a saw worth not much more than it costs...

some of my musings on BS blades: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?149862-Lets-talk-bandsaw-blades!&highlight=lets+talk+bandsaw

[james bell]

I purchased a mm16 to replace my 12" craftsman, but learned that the larger saw would not take 1/8" blades. So I upgraded the 1/3hp motor with a 1.5hp from grizzly and put Carter guides on it. It will now cut anything, though I use the 16 for resaw. So my advice would be buy a bigger motor and upgrade with carter guides and other accessories.

[Bruce Wrenn]

On your 14" saw, you most likely can't tension a 3/4" blade properly. The orange tires (no matter who you buy them from) are a better deal than Carter's. McFeely's has a SET for $31.10 and dollar shipping. Item # UBT-0014. Contact Woodcraftbands for blade recommendations. A motor up grade would help.

[C Scott McDonald]

Thanks Van, I got some tires off ebay and a Iturra spring coming.


On your 14" saw, you most likely can't tension a 3/4" blade properly. The orange tires (no matter who you buy them from) are a better deal than Carter's. McFeely's has a SET for $31.10 and dollar shipping. Item # UBT-0014. Contact Woodcraftbands for blade recommendations. A motor up grade would help.

Think your right on this. Think I will take a step down to a 1/2 inch blade and see what happens.

Thanks for the help.

Scott

[Van Huskey]

A word of caution when using a new higher tension spring and ANY 14" Delta cast saw or the clones, the tracking arm assembly (which takes the brunt of the pressure from tension) is THE weak point on that saw. I have seen more bent and broken tension arms on these saws than any other single part on any bandsaw. The Iturra catalog has a lot of info on this as well as Duginski's bandsaw book, both of which every bandsaw user should own.

[Van Huskey]

Also required tension is not the same for all 3/4" or 1/2" blades, the required tension depends on the gauge of the band and the type of material the band is made of. Thats why I recommend the thin gauge blade I do above and in the thread I mentioned for 14" Delta saws.