Replacement thrust bearings for Delta 14" - question

[Mark Gibney]

Highland Woodworking sells a pair of Iturra bearings for Delta bandsaws for $18.
The big auction site sells a bag of 10 for $12.

Neither seller offers any information about where the bearings are made or any more information about them.

Does anyone have any hard won wisdom to share on which might be the better purchase?
I picked up a couple of 14" clones that I need bearings for also, so quantity might matter here.


Thanks, Mark

[Andrew Seemann]

The thrust bearings on my 1996 Delta 14" are just Taiwanese NTNs (actually all the bearings are NTN). The thrust bearings on a small bandsaw really don't take that much thrust, you probably would be fine with the bag of 10.

[Mark Gibney]

Thanks Andrew, I'm leaning that way.

[Wes Billups]

Mark, I had the same dilemma just a month ago and ended up getting a four pack from Amazon. No issues and I've done a lot of sawing since replacing the originals. PM me if you are interested in the remaining two as I don't foresee needing them for another 25 years and figure someone could get some good use out of them.

[Dwayne Watt]

Just make sure the bearings are sealed, not shielded. Else you will be changing them out frequently (particularly the lower guide bearings) due to dust incursion. Any brand bearing will suffice as long as they are sealed.

[Mark Gibney]

Wes, Dwayne, thanks, your advice has, ahem, sealed the deal.
Wes the bag of ten are so cheap I think I get them - I'll need a good few in any case, but thank you so much.

[Carroll Courtney]

Check with your local hardware store, they also have those bearing.

[Aaron Rosenthal]

I replaced the bearings in my Delta knock-off bandsaw last week, with some units from my go-to auto supply store.
Since then, though I've actually wondered if I would have been better off getting the Carter setup; Yes 10x the price, but, how long would they last vs. my $25.00 for 6 bearings.
Generally, Jim Becker is right; buy once even if it costs more, than many times cheaply.

[Mark Gibney]

Carroll - I have already ordered them, though I do like supporting my local hardware store when I can.
Aaron - Jim Becker has the wisdom of experience in a lot of woodworking things.

[Marc Fenneuff]

I replaced the bearings in my Delta knock-off bandsaw last week, with some units from my go-to auto supply store.
Since then, though I've actually wondered if I would have been better off getting the Carter setup; Yes 10x the price, but, how long would they last vs. my $25.00 for 6 bearings.
Generally, Jim Becker is right; buy once even if it costs more, than many times cheaply.


I caught part of Alex Snodgrass's many youtube appearances on the subject, I think this one was on the Wood Whisperer and Alex was wearing a Carter Products shirt. Anyway, he said the standard bearings are "5000RPM" but the Carter bearings are "30,000RPM." My math says that means the Carter bearings are six times better. So, um, er, uh.... As I've mentioned on here before I straddle the blunt razor's edge of "cheap but good enough" and "expensive but shiny, cool, and might last forever." I usually come down on the latter side. You wanna talk bearings on old iron, just check out owwm.org some time.

I spent $50 shipped for a set of all 6 bearings for my 14" Delta BS and they are Chinese but they are sold by a machine restoration business here in Michigan that only does legacy Delta tools and that's what they put in them.

[Bruce Wrenn]

With a Fastenal three miles from my shop, they are my "go to place" for bearings. If they don't have what I need in stock, by 9:00 AM tomorrow they will.