By George, I think I've got it!

[Roger Tulk]

I've tried on and off for several days to get my Beaver/Rockwell goshdarned 28115 bandsaw to keep a blade on its wheels. So today I took it apart, at least took off the guides and examined them. The thrust bearing on the lower guide was seized, so I bathed in for a couple of hours in Evaporust, and once the bearing was moving reasonably freely, I put some WD40 on it, and put it back in the guide thingy. Then I removed the guide blocks, and tried to replace them with Cool Blocks, but the 3/8 x3/8 ones I had bought figuring they would fit (yeah, yeah, I know...) didn't, and more careful measure shows me that the blocks should be 5/16 x 5/16. I'm wondering if I can somehow sand or otherwise pare them down to 5/16, as I can't find 5/16 x 5/16 phenolic anywhere. I tried installing a brand new 3/8" blade, thinking that if the problem was that I had been trying a used blade, that should cure it. However, when I turned the blade by hand it duly popped off. So, I readjustted everything, as shown in the photos, and stepped back, fully expecting to see the blade jump off, but it ran for a solid minute without mishap, so I guess I got it right somehow. So now I hope and pray everything will be OK.

Perhaps Steve Morris, the guru of all things Beaver, can say where I should look for tires, and spare parts. Also, is there a way to adjust the lower wheel, as the blade runs very close to the front of the wheel? TBF, this bandsaw has been giving good service, and I am happy to keep using it. I believe it was manufactured in 1981, which makes it not toooooo old.

See below...

I had not adjusted the guide blocks before I took these pictures. The last picture shows the position of the blade on the lower wheel, the second last on the upper.

 

[Ted Calver]

Nice pics Roger. Got any of the bandsaw?

 

[Roger Tulk]

Gee Whillikers! Guess I should have looked at them before I published. OK, I'll fix it. Those were pics of my visit with my son to the museum in Victoria, BC.

 

[David Johnson]

The first picture I thought was your shop. Otherwise looks pretty good time.
David

 

[Roger Tulk]

Ok, I couldn't delete the attachments once they had been posted, so here they come again.



The lst picture is the lower wheel, the second last the upper, showing the position of the blade on the wheel. I had not adjusted the guide blocks when I took these pictures.

 

[Ed Thomas]

Could be your wheels are not coplanar (looking at the last 2 pics). With the guides backed right off, the band should track on both wheels more or less in the same place.

R&D Bandsaws in Brampton is the place for bands & parts http://www.tufftooth.com/

 

[Roger Tulk]

Could be your wheels are not coplanar (looking at the last 2 pics). With the guides backed right off, the band should track on both wheels more or less in the same place.

R&D Bandsaws in Brampton is the place for bands & parts http://www.tufftooth.com/

that's vey possible.. A few years ago I tried to see if there was any way to adjust the lower wheel, but couldn't see any. Meanwhile, I've put it to use already, cutting some 8/4 pine. If anyone knows how or what I should adjust, I'm all ears.

 

[Ed Thomas]

I expect to be down your way sometime in the next 3 or 4 weeks ...

 

[Roger Tulk]

Alrighty then! PM me a day or two before you come down, if you wish to drop in.

 

[Brian McMillan]

Watch this video Roger. Good info:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU&t=11s

 

[Paul Hubbman]

Are the tires properly crowned? It would be difficult to get the tires to track properly or stay on the wheels if there was no crown.

 

[Dan Noren]

When it came time to replace my blade guides, I just cut some of the lignum vitae that I have, and used that. Good enough for submarine shaft bearings...

 

[Jim DeLaney]

...Those were pics of my visit with my son to the museum in Victoria, BC.

I thought those looked familiar. I visited that museum about 40 years ago, when we lived in Seattle. Ehibits have changed a bit, but the theme is still the same. Great place!

 

[Roger Tulk]

Yes! I was in there in 1993, and they had a wonderful display of West Coast Indian life and housing. They have made some major changes, and I thought the museum was moving away from information to entertainment. Of course, most museum patrons these days don't have the patience to spend two minutes reading about a display.

 

[Paul Hubbman]

Ever get the saw running properly? We're curious.

 

[Roger Tulk]

Ever get the saw running properly? We're curious.

Yes, thanks. I even got phenolic blocks that fit with only a little sanding. It's runnin fine now.

 

[Ed Thomas]

Alrighty then! PM me a day or two before you come down, if you wish to drop in.

I'll be in the area on Thursday, and free after noon(ish).

 

[Paul Hubbman]

Glad to hear it, and that you got the guide blocks taken care of.
For future reference, why wouldn't the blade stay on? What was the fix?
paulh

Ever get the saw running properly? We're curious.

 

[Roger Tulk]

Glad to hear it, and that you got the guide blocks taken care of.
For future reference, why wouldn't the blade stay on? What was the fix?
paulh

Since I didn't actually changet anything in the end, it seemed to be a matter of holding my tongue right, and carefully adjusting the top wheel to put it back in its former working condition. Since Ed Thomas was kind enough to drop by yesterday, I have some more things to think about now.

 

[Ed Thomas]

I've been wondering if someone has had the upper wheel assembly apart and reassembled it in some strange fashion. That upper wheel is definitely running in the wrong plane.