36" Towsley bandsaw rebuild finished

[Dave Bureau]

I just finished the rebuild of a JT Towsley 36" wooden wheel bandsaw. Awesome machine.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dave,

Beautifully done! Are those the original wheels?

[Dave Bureau]

Yes they are the original wheels, in mint condition.

[Ken Garlock]

Nice looking restoration, Dave.

At 36", what the heck size blade does it take?

[Dave Bureau]

18'6" blade. 17" resaw cap.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Nice work Dave, looks ready to go another 100 years!

[Dan Ewalt]

One word Dave....... NICE!!!!!!

[Cary Falk]

WOW! That's purdy.

[Rich Neighbarger]

Nicely done. It's nice to see old tools still in use. I often wonder about the history an old tool and if the projects it was used for also survived over the years.

[Dave Bureau]

Thanks guys. The person I bought it from is 90 years old. He said that it has been sitting in his garage for 60 years and it was old when he got it. He said that he didnt use it much but it was nice to have around. It will complement my 100 year 16" Crescent jointer just nicely.

[johnny means]

Very sexy piece of equipment. Is the motor a retro fit?

[Dave Bureau]

I believe it use to be an old line shaft machine as it did have some clutch linkage that came with it. The past owner had a 2hp motor on it. I installed a new 5hp TEFC single phase motor.

[Ben Franz]

Excellent job on the restoration - what a great old machine! I wonder why old bandsaws (in particular) attract so much attention and admiration when they get rescued? Seems like my favorite type of rebuild story of all.

[Bob Vallaster]

Nice work. Elegant simplicity. A thing of beauty.
I imagine the black spokes just disappear at speed.

BobV

[Dave Bureau]

Nice work. Elegant simplicity. A thing of beauty.
I imagine the black spokes just disappear at speed.

BobV

yes the spokes do disappear at speed. it now runs at about 330 rpm. I am going to do a pully change to run at 600rpm. The old manufacturers catalog recommends about 600. What amazed me was how true and balanced the wooded wheels are. The balancing weights are in bored holes under the tires.