Installing Carter Blue tires on Laguna 14 Twelve bandsaw

[James Nugnes]

Just went to the Carter site looking for instructions to install the Carter Blue Bandsaw tires. They appear OK with simply heating the tire and installing the new tire on the bandsaw wheel.

Laguna provides no instructions for replacing the tires on the 14 twelve bandsaw.

I know some have done this upgrade on their 14 twelves here. Wondering if there were any issues I should be aware of before I attempt it. Hoping for one that those that have done this upgrade were able to keep the wheels on the bandsaw in order to change out the tire.

Any issues arise during removal of the original Laguna tires?

Thanks for your help

[Larry Frank]

I just put them on my 16" Jet. There is a YouTube video about a band saw tire jig. I used it to put mine on and it went well. A second pair of hands is also useful.

[Bob Varney]

I have to ask, that bandsaw has not been out that long how did you wear out the original tires so fast?

Bob

[Matt Day]

I think he's just doing an upgrade.

There was a thread recently about installing tires, and in it I posted a link to bandsaw installation jig that works great and is easy to make. You have to remove the wheel though to do it.

[James Nugnes]

Sorry I did not see this question earlier but yes would just be doing it as an upgrade. I am just thinking it would be worth the upgrade to lessen noise and vibration. I do find it interesting that replacing the original tires with the Urethane Blue tires from Carter has such a pronounced impact but can't argue with all the comments I read about the upgrade being just that effective.

There is a youtube video of a guy that has installed the Carters on his 14 twelve. It does not show the installation. He just does a before and after. He puts his hand on the table with the saw running before and then after. Before his hand is being vibrated quite clearly on the table. After, his hand is dead still. I would hope to be able to do it on the saw maybe with an extra pair of hands to help.

[glenn bradley]

I've only done this twice but, it seems in my limited experience that folks make way too much of it. I heat a bowl of water in the microwave, set one tire in it for about a minute (probably less but, it will depend on the ambient temperature of the room), position the tire at one point on the wheel and clamp it there. I then just stretch the tire around the wheel. A large round-shaft screwdriver can be of some assistance but, can also just slow you down. I put the second tire in the same water for a little longer time and then repeat with the other wheel.

All that being said, not all 14" wheels are the same size and dad's old Delta may just be the "right" size for the tires we used. Dad lives very near the pacific coast and the air does odd things to some compounds. The first set of tires lasted many years but, eventually started moving away from the wheels under load. At the price versus the life of the tire it is a better value than many other things we use in the shop ;-)

[James Nugnes]

Yea Laguna says the tires on there now should come off without issue. Just called them. There is no adhesive on the backing of the tire. So it should just pry off the wheel.

Carter says installing their Ultra Blue's is likely a one man job as long as you have clamps which I do have and can boil soapy water.

Interesting that the original tires which I just measured come in at about 13/16". They are neither 3/4" or 7/8" wide. I wonder if some of the big vibration and noise benefit people get installing the Ultra Blues are as much about covering more of the wheel than the original tires cover as anything else. The extra 1/16" of material does not sound like much but I think I will try to push that 1/16" to the back of the wheel so that the profile off the front is still the same as what you have with the original tires.