Bandsaw ... worth the effort?

[Ronald Blue]

Here's an often good choice for pulleys and related power transmission products. They don't list a taper lock pulley small enough to help but here is a link for a 2.45 OD pulley with a 5/8" bore.

surpluscenter.com/Pulleys/Finished-Bore-Pulleys/

[Van Huskey]

My next steps are to acquire a different pulley for the motor, as the manual states a 2-1/2" motor pulley was supplied with the machine, but the one from the dead motor was 3". That should correct the blade speed to the recommended 2050 SFM.

I was digesting the sticky post on bandsaw blades a few minutes ago and will be trying to decide where to purchase those later today.

I'll post photos once those last details are buttoned up.

I wouldn't worry about the motor pulley being slightly larger, 2000 fpm is on the low side for wood so a bump of 400 fpm would not be a bad thing as it is still not spinning the wheels too fast.

I often wonder if I cause more confusion than I clear up with the bandsaw blade thread. What type of cuts do you plan to do? Mostly contour (curve) cutting?

[Lisa Starr]

Van - since I didn't even have a bandsaw on my radar until this one fell into my lap, I'm not sure what exactly I'll do with it. I imagine contour cuts for now. Once I finally finish our interior trim I'd like to move into building furniture, but that is a long way off. Since I insist on doing things the hard way, everything takes longer. You know, don't buy the backband for the window casings, make it. Don't have a reclaimed door the correct width for a opening? Remove the wedges and disassemble one that is too wide. Adjust the tenons and re-assemble.

I ordered a 1/4", 6 TPI, blade today for a starter.

Thank you for all your help thru this project.

[Van Huskey]

The 1/4" 6TPI will do the vast majority of cuts one would do on that sized saw. The main exception would be cutting stock thinner than 1/2" since you want a minimum of three teeth in the material at all times.

[Lisa Starr]

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Well here it is cleaned up and re-assembled. All I need is the blade I ordered on Sunday to arrive and I'll officially have a bandsaw in my workshop. Not bad for $100 total expediture. Thanks for all that offered help and opinions along the way.

[Bob Vaughan]

A 3" pulley diameter is about all a v-belt likes to bend around. A smaller diameter invites belt rumble that translates up through the machine. While that observation is true, I have many machines that have a 2-1/2" diameter pulley and I just live with the rumble. Most times it isn't that bad, but with a 3450 rpm motor, its clearly there. If you're faced with replacing both pulleys, then you can do the math and get a bigger driven pulley or just live with the increased speed. Clearly that band saw is capable of handling more SFM than a paltry 2100.

[Jayson B. Williams]

Lisa, I am new here to the site, here is a present for your 1950 Atlas 912 Band Saw.

1950 Atlas 12" Band Saw 912 Manual
http://www.vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=726

1950-1951 Atlas Wood Working Tools Catalog

http://www.vintagemachinery.org/pubs/51/18231.pdf

Good job on what you done so far on your Band Saw.

Jayson

1) I tried searching the S/N online to determine the age of the machine, but so far, have come up empty handed. The S/N is 12141.

2) The 1/4"-20 x 1/2" HH Bolt and washer that hold the lower wheel on are missing. I'll just machine a replacement washer that matches the upper one.

3) The blocks appear to be bronze of some type and have been reversed at some point. I can just load them in a vise on a Bridgeport and mill a bit off to square them up. I'll have to determine the angle to mill the 4th one, but that is very easily done. Would I be better off just to purchase some Cool Blocks?

4) There is a tapped hole in the front of the table at the slot. What is the purpose, as there is nothing there now?

5) I checked the table and it is flat within about .003", except at the outside edges which taper off. There are some pretty heft Blanchard Grinding marks in the table on those edges that appear original. I expect I'll just give it a quick polishing up thru 2000 grit and call it done.