Russ Ambrose
03-07-2006, 9:47 AM
I recently inherited some of my grandfather’s woodworking equipment, one piece of which is a Delta/Milwaukee 14 inch bandsaw. Judging from the owner’s manual, he purchased it in the late 1940s (or perhaps the early 1950s). While I have been woodworking for a while, this will be my first attempt at "restoring" a machine like this. I would appreciate any input or advice anybody can offer as I work to get this saw back in (better) working order.
The saw runs, although the motor needs to be replaced - it’s old and underpowered. I figure I’ll just get a rebuilt 1hp motor. There does not appear to be anything on the saw that is "broken" or inoperable. The wheels don’t wobble or hang up and the blade seems to track just fine. The table is solid and stable. It does not run as quietly as I would like, but it does not appear to be "grinding." Perhaps it just needs a good cleaning. I figure I should replace the tires, guides, and tension spring if nothing else.
As for "cleaning" the saw, should I just take it all apart (clean and inspect everything) and rebuild it from the ground up? Assuming I do need to tear this thing down, can anybody suggest a good resource (book, website, etc) to use as a "general guide to bandsaws" as I work on restoring this?
Any and all input is appreciated - thanks.:)
The saw runs, although the motor needs to be replaced - it’s old and underpowered. I figure I’ll just get a rebuilt 1hp motor. There does not appear to be anything on the saw that is "broken" or inoperable. The wheels don’t wobble or hang up and the blade seems to track just fine. The table is solid and stable. It does not run as quietly as I would like, but it does not appear to be "grinding." Perhaps it just needs a good cleaning. I figure I should replace the tires, guides, and tension spring if nothing else.
As for "cleaning" the saw, should I just take it all apart (clean and inspect everything) and rebuild it from the ground up? Assuming I do need to tear this thing down, can anybody suggest a good resource (book, website, etc) to use as a "general guide to bandsaws" as I work on restoring this?
Any and all input is appreciated - thanks.:)