My new bandsaw, I hope...

[Zachary Hoyt]

Thank you both for the ideas. I think I should be able to handle this with a hand truck once I remove the table, trunnion and motor. If I understand correctly it should be about 450 pounds at that point. The heaviest single object I have loaded on a trailer by myself was a Garland 6 burner/grill/broiler/2 oven restaurant range that was supposed to weigh 600. I moved that on a flat cart with casters, and then lifted one end at a time onto the trailer. That was 10 years ago, but I should still be able to lift about as much, I hope. My current trailer is only a bit more than a foot off the ground and has a ramp/tailgate thing, so it should be relatively easier.

[Bill Dufour]

I have found an appliance handtruck is much more stable,. It is about double the track width of a handtruck so less likely to tip to the side. Be nice if you could rent one of those wit the extra hinged wheels on the back. Make it similar to that Oliver cart.
Bill D.
https://suburbanrental.net/product/a...dolly-4-wheel/

[Marc Fenneuff]

These saws are tippy with the table and motor removed for transport. The base will scoot out from under you when you tip the saw so strap the base if using a handtruck and have a helper brace the bottom if you tip it.

[Zachary Hoyt]

Thanks for the tip, it's very good to know. I'll have 2 1.5" and 2 2" straps, so I should be able to get it secured to the hand truck.

[Zachary Hoyt]

The saw is here, after a long and mildly arduous excursion to get it. The ferry rides were very nice. A couple of helpful folks at the National Guard base helped with loading, and loaned me a 9/16" socket to remove the trunnion, after I realized that I had all the sockets from 7/16" to 1" in the car except that one. It was a bit of a project getting it into the shop by myself, but in under an hour it was done, with no damage other than some minor paint scuffs on the side that was down. I took a bunch of pictures of each step, for a future self-help pamphlet I am thinking of titling "How To Move A Bandsaw If You Are A Silly Person". I was not able to back straight up to the shop door because of the proximity of the house, so I jacked up the top end and turned the saw, put down a couple of cherry 5/4 rough cut boards to make a bridge, and used some 1-1/2" oak dowels as rollers in the putative Ancient Egyptian fashion. Then I used the jack again to get the top up about a foot and was able to lift it from there.

I may have to sell the jet lock fence because the rails stick out across about 2/3 of the walkway in that part of the shop, unless I think of a way to rearrange things to make them fit. I'm going to need new tires, as one had exploded and the other one is probably not far behind. I see that Sulphur Grove has them for $225, and Blue Max for $255 on eBay. If there's something better I'd like to hear about it, or if one of these is better than the other. The insulation is really crumbly on the end of the power cord at the motor, and at the switch wire ends, so I am planning to use all new wire. The motor bearings and thrust bearings need to be replaced, and I need to clean the rust off the table. Other than those things, a new blade and a VFD I should be in good shape, I think. The foot brake even seems to be in at least semi-working order.

[Marc Fenneuff]

Cool pics!

For the fence, you actually have a Microset, not a Jet Lock. AFAIK Delta was still selling the Microset fence for these saws well into the 90's. I cut the rails on mine down.

For the tires, I prefer rubber. Do the wheels have the groove down the center for the Jiffy tires? If so your only options are Woodworkers Toolworks for rubber or those specialty urethane (because the Jiffy wheels are smaller than 20" dia).

[Zachary Hoyt]

Thank you for your help. I am confused by the distinction between the microset and jet lock fences. Some things I read said that the microset was an older design, and some the other way around. I have a Kreg bandsaw fence on my current bandsaw and will probably try using both on the new saw to see what works best for what I do. I would feel bad to cut the rails down, but if I end up keeping the stock fence that might be the best way.

The wheels do have the groove down the center. I've always had the general impression that urethane tires last longer, so I'm wondering what it is that you prefer about the rubber ones. The rubber ones you mentioned say they have to be epoxied to the wheel, which seems like it would be very awkward unless they are a lot looser than urethane tires. Thank you very much.

[Tom Trees]

Show me the proof of those urethane tires cutting very well compared to real rubber, and not fake rubber either.
I've not seen them used on any machine, but only on those cheaper saws, to mask misaligned wheels that is... with the usual editing and music involved.
You can see that clearly, if you spot someone tracking a blade by hand, just keep an eye at 12 o'clock on the upper wheel,
to watch the tips of the teeth moving in and out on the upper wheel, i.e not staying put on the camber...
and if rubber was used instead, it would be nibbling off the apex.

That apex of the camber being of utmost importance, if intending to attain the maximum beam tension from the blade, and not have the blade "give in" and wear out thrust guides prematurely.

Safe guess to assume you've seen my posts concerning accurate bandsaw wheel alignment, and letting the cat out of the bag concerning the deception going on since 1996....unless you've been living in a cave for the last year.

Good luck with the machine.
All the best

Tom

[Jim Becker]

Nice looking beast of a machine, Zachary! On the fence, it appears from the photo that you could just trim off those extra long fence rails since it would be unusual to use the fence "out there" anyway.

[Bill Dufour]

Good move, nothing got hurt. I thought a bandsaw normally was laid down on the spine for moving?
Bill D

[Zachary Hoyt]

Tom, I have used urethane on my previous two 18" bandsaws and have been happy with it. I have seen your posts about bandsaw wheel questions but have not weighed in, since my experience has been different so far.

Jim, thank you very much. It would be easy to cut the rails and I would just need to get over feeling guilty about it. I'll have to try using this fence first and see if I like it more or less than the Kreg. If I am going to sell it then leaving the rails uncut would be better, but if I keep it there's no rational reason not to cut them.

Bill, thank you very much. I have always laid them down on the spine before, but this saw has a weird configuration on that side. There is a big piece of box steel, maybe 7x7 or 8x8 on the spine, but the lower cabinet sticks way out past it, so it would be tippy on that side. I'll get a picture that shows the spine later on and post it, as it will be better than my attempt to describe the shape.

[Bill Dufour]

When my brother picked up used engines to be rebuilt. talk about wierd shapes with no good balance feet. He took along a few old tires with no wheels. Let the machine crush the tires and settle down to a comfortable position. He preferred big fat racing slicks.
BilL D

[Zachary Hoyt]

I used to run into that with old farm machinery too, that it didn't sit up nicely. The tires sound great for that. I found a picture in my collection of moving the saw that shows the spine pretty well, and why it wouldn't balance nicely on it.

[Zachary Hoyt]

I've got the bearings all out of the saw and motor and will be ordering new ones. The guides are the kind with blocks, so I don't have to order bearings for the sides. I looked up an extra set of casters I had bought a couple of years ago and found out that they are rated for 880 pounds per set so I can use them with some heavy angle iron to make a mobile base. The casters I have had under the Unisaw and 6" jointer have held up well, so I am hoping they will work for the bandsaw too, though it's heavier. I've been very happy with them and they are only $12 a set at Surplus Center. I also put all 11 of the saw moving pictures into an album just for fun.

Casters

Album

[Bill Dufour]

Are you a welder? Mobile bases get a lot easier if you can do that. I bought. a power hacksaw to cut the iron square. Works well, patented in 1912. Previous owner converted it to electric motor.
Bill D