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14” Rockwell Bandsaw #1: Initial testing
This is
part 1
in a
2 part
series:
14” Rockwell Bandsaw
-
Initial testing
-
Replacement trunnion knob
- Initial testing
- Replacement trunnion knob
Before testing I took the covers off. Tires were pretty gummed up. So I grabbed my Red Devil scraper and spun the wheels while holding the scraper against the tire.
After which I fired him up to see how he runs.
Then I took the covers off to see how it looks while running naked:
The belt on the motor pulley looks to be a lot newer than the tires:
I am extremely satisfied with my $100 purchase. It’s my first bandsaw. As someone that does not own a table saw and only small power tools (but lots of hand tools), this one machine will bring a lot of satisfaction.
When I get a bigger shop, I can add another bandsaw perhaps. But I am elated to finally have a bandsaw.
After which I fired him up to see how he runs.
Then I took the covers off to see how it looks while running naked:
The belt on the motor pulley looks to be a lot newer than the tires:
I am extremely satisfied with my $100 purchase. It’s my first bandsaw. As someone that does not own a table saw and only small power tools (but lots of hand tools), this one machine will bring a lot of satisfaction.
When I get a bigger shop, I can add another bandsaw perhaps. But I am elated to finally have a bandsaw.
6 Comments
It looks like you got a great buy!
Thanks! Looking forward to some tests cuts after I get the table aligned
I had a Delta 14 for a while before giving it to my neighbor in exchange for some work.
The problem I had was getting the blade tension right, and keeping it right. Which meant that I had problems with the blade wandering when I was resawing. A new, sharp blade would track fine, but even a slightly dull blade would wander all over the place, even after I had replaced the guide blocks with bearings and a lot of other “throw money at the problem” attempts.
You should get a lot of service out of that bandsaw.
The problem I had was getting the blade tension right, and keeping it right. Which meant that I had problems with the blade wandering when I was resawing. A new, sharp blade would track fine, but even a slightly dull blade would wander all over the place, even after I had replaced the guide blocks with bearings and a lot of other “throw money at the problem” attempts.
You should get a lot of service out of that bandsaw.
May you have the day you deserve!
Dave, did you replace the tires on it in an attempt to fix that issue? I’ve read that worn tires can have that effect, especially after the blade fills a bit. Dunno…
Ryan/// ~sigh~ I blew up another bowl. Moke told me "I made the inside bigger than the outside".
I replaced the tires more than once, Ryan, but the factory tensioner would skip a thread in use (there was a stripped spot on the threaded rod), releasing the tension. I replaced it, but the replacement I bought didn’t fit quite right and ended up jamming repeatedly, and I finally just gave up. The guy I traded it to bought another tensioner and got it working, but I had reached my limit.
May you have the day you deserve!
Fair enough…sounds like it was a pain anyway…
Ryan/// ~sigh~ I blew up another bowl. Moke told me "I made the inside bigger than the outside".
