14" Delta Bandsaw tune-up help requst

[Howard Pollack]

Hi-
I have an old Delta 28-200 bandsaw with a riser block. I've changed the tires and set the wheels to be co-planar and this has helped it a lot in terms of reducing vibration and getting the blade to run with much less movement, both forward and back and side to side. But there still is some. I'd appreciate thoughts about this.
At this point I have some questions about details. They are:
1) It needs a lower thrust bearing, what sort do folks like (the upper one is ceramic). ?
2) What sort of blade guides are preferred on this saw (mostly used for ripping). The ones I now have on it are the bearing type.
3) What is the best type of blade (size and tooth configuration) for ripping 4/4 stock? for ripping 8/4 stock? I'd like to get a smooth cut.
4) Is there a low-vibration type of belt? I have a cheap link-belt on it now.
5) And finally, what is the optimum size motor for this saw?

Thanks, in advance, for your help and thoughts.
-Howard

[Van Huskey]

Hi-
I have an old Delta 28-200 bandsaw with a riser block. I've changed the tires and set the wheels to be co-planar and this has helped it a lot in terms of reducing vibration and getting the blade to run with much less movement, both forward and back and side to side. But there still is some. I'd appreciate thoughts about this.
At this point I have some questions about details. They are:
1) It needs a lower thrust bearing, what sort do folks like (the upper one is ceramic). ?
2) What sort of blade guides are preferred on this saw (mostly used for ripping). The ones I now have on it are the bearing type.
3) What is the best type of blade (size and tooth configuration) for ripping 4/4 stock? for ripping 8/4 stock? I'd like to get a smooth cut.
4) Is there a low-vibration type of belt? I have a cheap link-belt on it now.
5) And finally, what is the optimum size motor for this saw?

Thanks, in advance, for your help and thoughts.
-Howard

1. I am a big fan of the ceramic replacements because they are pretty much zero maintenance versus constantly cleaning or replacing bearings
2. with ripping guides are not as important as with some other tasks because the beam strength is high enough to keep the blade movement to a minimum and outside of the grain of the wood not much else is trying to push the blade sideways, that said my favorite solution is solid guides with ceramic being my favorite, ceramic is also an easy retrofit from Space Age
3. Forget worrying about how smooth the surface is for ripping, you are never going to get a glue ready finish off the bandsaw so speed is much more important. No wider than 1/2" on that saw. I would get a 1/2" 3TPI raker set hook tooth for 4/4 and up wood, but if you need to cut 3/4" stock then you need at least 4TPI (3 teeth in the cut at all times is the "rule").
4. Even the cheap link belts transfer little if any vibration but neither will a QUALITY standard V belt
5. There is no real optimum size but if you are mainly ripping even with an aggressive blade it is slow going on a bandsaw compared to a table saw so more HP is better, I would look for 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 hp. When I repower 14" cast saws I usually go 240v and put a 2hp motor on them.

[lowell holmes]

I value this book.

Band saw handbook
Book by Mark Duginske

He covers all the bases. You can fibd it on line.

[Van Huskey]

I value this book.

Band saw handbook
Book by Mark Duginske

He covers all the bases. You can fibd it on line.

While there are a lot of good bandsaw books Mark's is probably the best (the second edition 2014 is slightly better than the 2007 edition).

[Howard Pollack]

Thank you.
Howard