Need help with 14 inch bandsaw upgrade

[Mike Allen1010]

I have a 20-year-old, 14" cast-iron, two-piece Taiwanese made bandsaw (Transpower is the brand). I have been considering an upgrade with riser block and more powerful motor, but am way out of my depth here and would really appreciate any advice and suggestions:

I'm a hand tool guy and use my bandsaw primarily for resawing. My original plan was to hit the lottery and upgrade to a new, larger bandsaw, still 110 V, single phase but with larger resaw capacity. However, I recently was gifted a set of Carter ball bearing blade guides (upper and lower) and am considering trying to upgrade my current bandsaw with a riser kit and 1.5 HP motor. I spent about six fruitless hours trolling the web and talking to the Jet and Grizzly technical services people to answer a couple questions/problems, but am still no closer to a solution, I'm hoping my fellow creekerss can help point me in the right direction.

I think I can make an extension block of the riser kit fit with some fiddling with alignment pins etc. My problem is the bar that holds the topside blade guides is 3/4" diameter (with a flat spot for the locking screw). All the kits I've seen have 7/8" diameter bars. Any suggestions for where I could get a 3/4" diameter round blade guide attachment bar that would work with the riser kit installed? Could I just buy a piece of steel bar stock from an industrial supplier and grind the flat spot? Alternatively Grizzly technical services suggested I find a machine shop to turn down the 7/8" diameter bar they supply to my needed 3/4" diameter?

I would like to get some extra horsepower to facilitate resawing wider stock, however I needed to run on 110 V circuit as I can't rewire for 220 V. I spoke with Darrell Ituro and although he doesn't sell motors anymore he recommended a 1.5 HP, 1725 RPM, single phase TEFC type motor. When I Google this there is an overwhelming number of options and suppliers.

I'm happy to pay a fair price but I don't know much about electrical motors and would very much appreciate a recommendation to a source that can understand and supply what I'm looking for despite my lack of knowledge.

I guess the larger question is it worth it to upgrade my current 14" bandsaw or just save up to purchase a larger model?

Any and all suggestions and recommendations are very much appreciated!

Best regards, Mike

[Alan Schwabacher]

You can probably use 3/4" rod and not grind a flat. If you find it difficult to align the guides after changing height, you could check the cost of machining a flat. I would expect that no flat would be better than an inaccurate one.

Make sure you get another motor that turns in the same direction and has the same frame size so it will mount properly. I'm sure you'll get advice on motor quality, which costs. There's possibly a price beyond which it would make more sense to buy a different saw with a high quality motor.

[Myk Rian]

Any upgrade you try with that saw is a crap shoot. I had one as my first, and gave it away for free because nothing fit.
Look for a 20 year old Delta.

[Craig Coney]

IIRC Transpower is a house brand of CP Tools in El Monte, CA, you could try calling them. I would recommend saving your frustration and upgrading to a different saw. I went thru something similar with a Grizzly BS which was fine for most use but I was pushing its limits and decided to upgrade to a Laguna saw. I couldn't justify putting a lot of upgrades into a saw I would likely upgrade in a few years and took the plunge.

[Andrew Hughes]

Hey mike, I can't help with your bandsaw tune up,but there is a promising auction right now in out in palm desert I think.Goggle Interschola Auction there may be a smoking deal on a bandsaw there.
How is the chest of drawers coming along?

[Rick Potter]

From where you live, there are a couple craig list markets which will have the saw you want, if you just keep looking. Listen to Myk, and get a used Delta with the riser already on it, and don't waste time on the Transpower. It is a Delta copy, but a lot of parts do not interchange. Sell it after you get the new one.

Rick Potter

[Judson Green]

Yep! Agree with the others and suggest looking for a used Delta, Rockwell or Jet.

The band saw I have is Rockwell branded from the mid 70's. Bought it used with a 1½hp motor, riser block installed, fence, mobile base and lots of other items for $350. Needed to replace the tires and will shortly need to replace the thrust bearings. Deals are out there.

[Curt Harms]

I know people have great success resawing with 14" cast iron band saws. I had a non-expandable band saw and wanted more cutting height. I considered buying a cast iron saw w/ riser kit but then thought I'd be better off buying a saw that was designed to do what I wanted from the get-go. I wound up with a Rikon 10-325 which was pretty new at the time.

[Mike Allen1010]

Thanks a lot Guys this is exactly the kind of practical advice and suggestions I was looking for. I guess I'm now in the BS market as a seller and a buyer.

Thanks, Mike