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Thread: Tires on a flat bandsaw wheel

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
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    Los Angeles
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    Tires on a flat bandsaw wheel

    Has anyone put urethane tires on a flat bandsaw wheel - a wheel without the channel to hold the tire in place?

    Sulphur Grove Tool sell crowned urethane tires on the Big Auction site they say fit a Davis & Wells 20" bandsaw wheel (and other makes).
    I emailed them to ask for some details and clarification but I haven't yet heard back.

    Backstory (optional!) - the rubber tires I installed haven't worked out.
    I've tried several ways to crown them, and none have been successful. The tires are coming separated from the wheel at this point.

    I got new tires for the 14" bandsaw at the same time, and I had no issues crowning them. The rubber stayed glued to the wheel through the crowning process, and the sandpaper abraded the rubber smoothly.

    In contrast the 20" tires seem not to want to adhere to the wheel, and the sandpaper and the rubber didn't like each other at all. The rubber seems overly stretchy, if that makes any sense, and the sandpaper doesn't wear it down effectively.

    All advise welcome. Thanks, Mark

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Cincinnati, OH
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    924
    I had the same experience with urethane tires on my old Laguna 18" bandsaw. The replacement rubber tires were difficult to "true" prior to peeling them on my lathe. My belief is that the viscous rubber cement recommended by the supplier caused varying thickness in the actual surface of the tire.

    The best method for crowning the tires was a 4-in-1 rasp which quickly removed the rubber. I had tried every method I could find prior to the rasp and had spent numerous hours trying to get good results. The rasp completely crowned the tires in less than 5 minutes.
    Rustic? Well, no. That was not my intention!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    So Cal
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    I tired urethane on my 14 inch saw once they were terrible.I think they where the blue ones anyways very lumpy the blade went back and forth.
    Why don’t you just have Dan do them?
    I had Daily saw re tire some wheels long ago. Not sure if they still do them since they have moved.
    Good Luck
    Aj

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Los Angeles
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    David - how did you control the rasp?

    Andrew - I asked Dan if he mounts tires and crowns them. He said he doesn't and the place that does them charges $175 - I think this is per wheel, not for the pair. Plus I'd have to UPS them there and back. I don't know where it is, but with the weight of the wheels that would be costly.

    I looked up Daily Saw and I'll call them on Monday. Their website says they retire wheel and balance them. Thanks for the lead.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    So Cal
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    3,739
    I had a feeling Dan was going to be expensive. I've bought some parts for my Davis and Wells table saw.And hes a close negotiater.
    Good luck with Daily saw they did a great job on my wheels. I don't remember how much they charged. It was at least 9 yrs ago.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Northern Illinois
    Posts
    943
    I’m confused about the crowned versus flat wheels/tires. I have a 14” Rikon which appears to have crowned wheels or tires (appears to be rubber tires from the factory). Yet all after market urethane tires appear to be flat and seem to be sold to work on any bandsaw with the right size wheels.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Cincinnati, OH
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    924
    IIRC, the rasp was braced against the saw frame on the front, i.e. downward wheel direction, for the inner bevel and on the bottom for the outer bevel. The upper wheel was rotated by hand and the lower wheel under power. The surface was left a little rough, intentionally.

    Has anyone been able to attach a urethane tire to a flat wheel with good results?
    Rustic? Well, no. That was not my intention!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Wenatchee. Wa
    Posts
    769
    Quote Originally Posted by Randy Heinemann View Post
    I’m confused about the crowned versus flat wheels/tires. I have a 14” Rikon which appears to havetracking problems crowned wheels or tires (appears to be rubber tires from the factory). Yet all after market urethane tires appear to be flat and seem to be sold to work on any bandsaw with the right size wheels.
    T
    That's because the crown is on the metal wheel so that a flat appearing tire will be slightly crowned when stretched over the wheel. Rikon replaced two wheels that got out of the factory w/o any crown For my bandsaw. Solved all my tracking problems immediately.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    West Lafayette, IN
    Posts
    6,529
    I just crowned tires the rubber tires on my 24 inch and 14 inch bandsaws. I made a jig that allowed the wheel to pivot in a 5 1/2 inch radius which made the crown. I mounted a sanding disc on my radial arm saw. I doubt I’d get consistent results with a rasp.

    Woodworkers tool works in Wisconsin is well regarded on OWWM for rubber tires. They’ll mount and crown for you too I think.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Posts
    868
    My Davis and Wells 20" bandsaw had flat blue tires glued on the wheels when I bought it. The guy had the blade tracking on the center of the flat wheels and tracking was terrible.

    I crowned my wheels using a jig I made for use with the 12" disk sander on a shopsmith. Worked well.

    There are any number of ways to crown a tire on a bandsaw wheel. Look over at OWWM and you can find much information and pictures.

    Bill
    Too much to do...Not enough time...life is too short!

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