Easy Method to Crown Band Saw Tires

[Rich Riddle]

Many methods people use to crown tires involve tools far more expensive than I own. Found this method a while back. It took longer to set up the grinder than crown the tires. Here are pictures of the cheap grinder setup.

Here is the jig when it come out of storage or gets ready to go into it. Use shims to "balance" the wheel as you spin it. You will need the shims.

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Close up of shims.

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Use a rod the size you need (mine was 3/4") and a collar to keep the wheel aligned with the jig. Screw the collar and wheel down on opposite sides of the jig.

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Set the crown to 6 or 7 degrees. I used a Wixey the first time. After that you simply attach a shim on the far side of the jig into the same hole you did when you measured. It's fast and easy.

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During the crowning process. Those are all the tools you will need. The small rubber mallet moves the band saw wheel toward the grinding wheel. Tap very slightly on the far edge to move it forward.

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I will never use anything but rubber tires after using other types.

[Paul Incognito]

I used a similar method, but used a belt sander. I held the wheel vertically using an wooden axle clamped between saw horses and clamped the sander to the horses at an angle. It worked, gut your way seems like it would be more controlable.
Thanks for sharing.
Paul

[Bill Huber]

I guess you learn something all the time.

I never knew you had to crown the tires, I though the wheel had the crown on it and you just put the tires on.

So do you have to crown urethane tires or do they have the crown on them.

[Paul Incognito]

Bill,
The following applies to rubber tires: Some wheels are flat so the tire needs to be crowned. Even if the wheels are crowned, it's a good idea to do something like Rich shows. It will even out the tire and flatten any humps/low spots from gluing them on. The crown helps the blade track in the center of the wheel.
As for Urethane tires, I have no experience with them, so can't help you there. Maybe someone who's used them will chime in.
Paul

[Rich Riddle]

Bill,

I can only speak about the urethane tires on a prior Powermatic when saying those tires had no crown in them. I put the crown on those tires but will never again purchase urethane for band saw tires. Some larger band saw tires require no crown, like many larger European models. However, many of the smaller band saws and many old woodworking machines do require it. This system takes longer to set-up than to crown the tires (about five minutes tops). It took far longer to post the method. Crowned tires certainly lead to blades tracking much better on the system. Never did figure out why a blade would naturally ride on the highest spot on the wheel instead of seeking out the lowest. Oh well, it doesn't matter. The blades do track to the crown.