Delta 28-303 questions

[John Fox]

Good morning!
Newbie to this forum.
I just purchased a used delta 28-303 14" bandsaw. It was from a government auction site. So inspection prior wasn't part of the deal. Cosmetically ok condition. Bits missing, small.belt missing. Aftermarket upper blade guide. All handles/ knobs missing.
Biggest concern is the shifting process.
The shop teacher moved shift knob up tight to large pulley. No big deal. But now when I shift it I get no movement of the blade wheel by spinning the smaller 4 pulley. Since I don't have a small belt I can't try it. Which leads me to my next question.
Has anyone cross referenced the belts?
Or measured them?
A quick measument lead me to 40" small and 57.5" large. Does thst sound right?
Or should I just try and find belt replacement?
Thanks for any help!
John

[Bruce Wrenn]

Head over to Harbor Freight, and buy a length of the green link belts. Then make the length of belt you need. Unless you are cutting metal, you won't use lower speed. Louis Ittura will have most of the parts you need. If not go over to OWWM site.

[John Fox]

Bruce,
Thank you for your reply. I thought of the HF belt actually. Thanks for the tip. I found some more issues with the saw. The bushing on the motor shaft is completely garbage. So I've ordered a new bushing and upper guide so far. Waiting for the parts. I already have a rockwell 28-240 14" bandsaw. I'm the second owner it's in really nice shape. The original owner put a gear reduction pump on it to cut metal. He was a machinist so the job was pretty clean and neat. I just couldn't get the fpm to do a nice job on hardwood. I'll be selling my rockwell once I get the "new" delta all worked out.
I am concerned that when I push the knob to switch to metal cutting I don't feel it in gear. And as much as I spin the pulley I get no movement from the saw side.
Any suggestions on that?
Thanks again for your time
John

[John Fox]

I finally got that harbor freight belt put on today. Just as I thought. It's loud and I'm not transmitting power to the blade pulley. With the knob pushed all the way in. I turn the saw on and I can stop the blade pulley with my finger on the tire. Thinking i might have to open the gearbox
Any suggestions?
Thanks
John

[John Fox]

We'll I figured it out. I would like to say thanks for the help. But no one gave me any! Nobody has this saw huh?
28 year finish carpenter. I know my stuff. Hints would have been nice splitting open the gear box.
I do have to thank Bruce for the belt info and parts suggestions.

[Dave Sabo]

WoW - 12 hours elapse before you chastise a woodworking community for not responding with help on your Metalworkg bandsaw .

That's rich.

Sounds more like behavior from a millennial than a seasoned carpenter of 28 years. There's a broad range of experience on this board, but most have better things to do than sit around looking for topics to respond to all day. This is not a manufacturer's help line.

I for one think it'd be obvious you'd check the entire power train of a used piece of machinery with questionable provenance. Followed thereafter by all the bearings. Bruce gave you all the info you really needed for old bandsaws: OWWM and Iturra

[John Fox]

Dave,

12 hours?
Huh?
Like 4 days and over 300 views. Obviously some people do have the time to search this forum.
I didn't bash this community.
Just stayed facts.
Obviously you math isn't the best.
I thought forums were there to share individual experiences. And since my bandsaw can cut metal I should be on a machinist forum huh?
Thought this was a general power tools forum...
And "provenance" really? For a second I thought I was on a corvette forum talking about a true numbers matching 454 big block.
Nope it's still a bandsaw.
I was quite clear I got this from a public auction from a high school and pre inspection wasn't part of the deal.
For the record you are wrong with the bearings.
Also.
$255 for the saw
$13 for misc repair parts.
$268 and it runs great.
Not a bad investment.
I also thanked Bruce twice for his kind advice.
And yes being a 28 year carpenter I do tend to be a little impatient. Sorry, part of the job. I'm not into leaving a project in a hundred pieces for weeks. I get it done.
Now Dave if your reading this while you at the Mercedes dealer paying $250 for an oil change on you C-class... Let me just say.
If you want to have a wood working discussion some day to see who has more experience and knowledge. Bring it.