Still another bandsoar question

[Ed Harrow]

I've been spending the past several days going thru my ancient Delta bandsoar.

Some may remember my questioning the axial play in the upper wheel. I replaced the bearings, and ground about .040" of the spacer bushing between the inner and outer bearings. That slop is now gone. :cool:

I ordered a bunch of stuff from Iturra Designs - also very :cool: folks. Using the shims they supply for adjusting location of the upper wheel, I have adjusted the wheels so that they are now coplaner (I used a 4' level as a straight edge).

Additionally I replaced the lower thrust bearing, and cleaned and lubricated the entire lower guide adjustment mechanism (even losing and finding one of those little springs...)

So, here is my quandry. All that and, with a 3/16" blade, I can't get the lower thrust bearing even remotely close to the blade.... The end of the adjuster comes up against the collar on the adjuster, thus limiting the bearings adjustment towards the front of the table. The blade is normal to the table (or is it the other way around). The other item of interest is that the blade seems (and has always been) towards the back of its "hole" in the table.

Short of making some modifications to the threaded rod (shortening it), and to the tubular spacer (shortening it), I don't see a resolution.

Thanks for any suggestions. Ed

[Paul Scheuer]

What size saw, and how old is ancient ?

[ishmael]

Hmm. Nothing's bent, in the guide holders? Hmm.

Was it this way before you did the main bearing work? And you haven't fussed with the lower wheel at all?

Look at it again, with jaundiced eye, and report back. Something isn't fitting, HA, but I've been away from these beasts for a number of years.

[ 03-17-2003, 08:28 PM: Message edited by: ishmael ]

[Mr. Know It All]

I noticed a Delta ad in a 1957 "Popular Mechanic's" so it could be as old as me. I don't bend the same way I used to either. :D
Could one of the bearings be the wrong size? Just a guess.
Peace---> Kevin in Ohio

[Dave Fleming]

For ANYTHING Delta contact Keith Bohn aka Unisaw 100 on the Oldwoodworking Tools forum on Yahoo.

He has an extensive collection of Delta stuff. And can reel off dates and models like nobodys business.

[Mrleft8]

Sounds like your blade is not square to the table (front to back, not side ways). If your blade is riding towards the back of the "hole" you need to raise the front of the table. On the other hand, that would seem to imply that your trust bearing would be too close to the blade if anything. Are you sure that all the parts actually belong on that saw, and aren't home made replacements? The first thing to check, is blade to table square. Next check that your wheels aren't too far forward. It's possible that over the years the front table support/trunion, has become worn, and is causing the table to be "low" in front....

[Ed Harrow]

I'll see to a picture...

http://home.fiam.net/eeharrow/delta.JPG
Your basic 14" Delta (with height kit)

http://home.fiam.net/eeharrow/topwheel.jpg
Your not basic top wheel.

The problem predates this work. As to age... could be pre 1940, but not certain. The upper wheel is a disk, not spoke.

All pieces used have been purchased from Delta or Iturra. I compared all new pieces, with respect to dimensions, to the old (don't know if they are original). I did not replace the lower wheel bearings. The table is normal to the blade in both axes.

Dave, I did indeed check in with those folks with respect to the questions I had about the axial play in the upper wheel, and it being a solid disk. That was a while ago, but as I recollect they were a bit non-plussed re that wheel, and referred me to a particular party at Delta. I did get photo copies of old Delta manuals from Delta, but no answer re the wheel, nor the potential cause of the play. Like I said, taking .040" off the spacer bushing corrected that aspect of the problem.

[ 03-17-2003, 11:17 PM: Message edited by: Ed Harrow ]

[Dale R. Hamilton]

Hope its not irrelevant, but why bandsoar instead of bandsaw? I never saw this word in a tool catalog.

[Dave Fleming]

Dale, it is a...affectation a colloquialism fabricated over in the news group, rec.woodworking and used now bye folks on the Oldwoodworking Machinery Forum on Yahoo.
bandsoar for bandsaw
old arn or old ahrn for old machinery
plus others.
I believe I am guilty of infecting these Forums with those words now too!

[ 03-18-2003, 10:27 AM: Message edited by: Dave Fleming ]

[Ed Harrow]

That's guilty, guilty, guilty! ;)

http://home.fiam.net/eeharrow/under-table_guides2.jpg

[Dave Fleming]

Edwin, blade riding the crown of the rubber tire or towards the rear or front?
How does a 1/2 inch blade run? Does the lower rear guide bearing kiss it or is there a similar gap as with the 3/16 blade?

[Ed Harrow]

The blade is (now) pretty much in middle of both wheels. Bigger blade is not a problem.

Previously, before getting the wheels aligned, and the slop removed from the top wheel, blades would run on outer edge of upper wheel, and center of the lower.

Thanks for you comments/suggestions.

[Cedarhill Boatworks]

Mr. Fleming,

I may be wrong but I think its required to draw out all three syllables of aarrhhnn, especially really old aarrhhnn. Sometimes it helps to spit on the shop floor after saying aarrhhnn.

[GROOVY]

Dave I have one that looks like yours,
a Delta/Rockwell. I looked at the guide bearings and the adjustment arangement, my adjustment rod is very near the end of stroke with a narrow blade. I think you might want to remove the height kit, then recheck the wheel alignment.
Are the wheels shimed to far forward? My blade runs reaward of the slot
If you replaced the thrust bearings double check that they are the same width as the old ones on mine are 0.3580 wide. If that fails you may want to shim the thrust bearing.

[Dave Fleming]

Cedar Hill I stand corrected. I have been away from the east coast too long.

Groovy, I am not the owner of that bandsooooaaar, Ed Harrow the original poster is.

For the record I have my own misgivings about those riser blocks.
Think about it folks instead of 2 surfaces to check to make sure they are true to each other and not ground off square, you now have 4 surfaces to check. And what if the saw is as Ed's is close on to 40 years and you go out and buy a new riser block to put in there. CI does move and Delta uses open castings with some ribs as reinforcement.
General and old PMs are/were box castings inherintly stronger than open and they were solid frame, no mating castings to make sure they are square to each other.
My view and again it is MY view, if you are going to do much resawing get a machine that can really handle the loads and don't forget a machine that can do such resawing is not confined to just that but is good for all bandsoar work.
Caveat: unless it is a true dedicated re-saw bandsoar.

[Bayboat]

Sounds like you guys are dealing with a bandsore. tongue.gif :D

[sawcutmill]

If it is broken why not get a Band aid? or go see a doctoar!