Change your bandsaw tires

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  • Carlos
    Veteran Member
    • Jan 2004
    • 1893
    • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

    Change your bandsaw tires

    I had one explode on Saturday, sending a few chunks out of the machine and sounding scary. No real damage. But it killed our plans for the weekend as nobody close by had 18" tires, only 14. They were the old rubber ones, and the saw was purchased new on 12/13/07. I put on poly tires, which was not hard at all, with four hands. Soaked the tires in 140 degree water with a little soap, put on as far as they'd go easily, clamped, and stretched it by hand, no tools. Very quick. I would hate to do this without a helper though.

  • dbhost
    Slow and steady
    • Apr 2008
    • 9209
    • League City, Texas
    • Ryobi BT3100

    #2
    There is a reason I keep putting off replacing my tires.

    #1. My OE tires are looking bad but haven't blown out yet.
    #2. I don't expect to be able to get any help doing mine.

    I am a bit surprised you removed the wheel to do the job. I have always heard you do them on the saw... Looks like you get easier access, but harder to get leverage against them that way.
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    • Carlos
      Veteran Member
      • Jan 2004
      • 1893
      • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

      #3
      When I googled it, the top three hits said to remove them. And there's no way I'd get a helper to reach into the saw with me because of its position. If you're running solo, maybe that's the choice? Leverage was no issue, we were pushing down against the bench and using a thumb for outward leverage, pulling the tire with the other fingers.

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      • Carlos
        Veteran Member
        • Jan 2004
        • 1893
        • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

        #4
        Oh, and the saw runs SOOO much smoother now. The cracked tires had definitely added vibration and "walk" of the blade. It sneaked up over the years and I never noticed. Changing them made a huge improvement.

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        • capncarl
          capncarl commented
          Editing a comment
          Glad it worked out! A long slow degrading will definitely slip up on you. My guide bearings have been slowly getting louder. I’ve changed a number of tires, some on pretty large Powermatic metal band saws, and never thought about removing the wheels!
          A friend was asking about band saws Saturday, someone had given him a 14” no name saw, and he couldn’t get the blade to track at all. I was telling him if the tire was old and worn could be his problem. He asked, what is a tire? that his wheel is all metal with a groove on front and rear. I told him to order new tires and then I would show him how to track the band!
      • Carlos
        Veteran Member
        • Jan 2004
        • 1893
        • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

        #5
        I've done bearings a few times (not sets, just single bad ones). And agreed, those should be checked regularly, at least every blade. I'm doing it more often now, because Woodslicers last YEARS. It's cheap to buy a sleeve of bearings and always have them.

        Funny about the missing tires, I do wonder why metal bandsaws don't need them and wood saws do.

        Now I'm looking around the shop for other potential wear items. I think I've changed every belt to a link, so basically no wear any more, but what else...

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        • capncarl
          capncarl commented
          Editing a comment
          The vertical metal cutting band saws had tires and the horizontal metal cutting band saws had no tires. The main fabrication shop was an open front Butler building, when the temperature was below / near freezing the vertical band saws would gallop around due to the wheels being out of round. Those saws didn’t have quick blade tension release and no one thought to loosen up the tension every night!
      • dbhost
        Slow and steady
        • Apr 2008
        • 9209
        • League City, Texas
        • Ryobi BT3100

        #6
        Well, I don't have tracking issues as of yet, but I definately am getting a big of vibration that wasn't there in the past.

        The big issue I think is going to be working around the table. I figure on removing it so I can get all the way around it. Right now the flip top cabinet project is taking up my space though, so once that is done I should be ready to roll with the tire swap...

        I just wish I could find them in colors other than blaze orange or electric blue.
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        Comment

        • Carlos
          Veteran Member
          • Jan 2004
          • 1893
          • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

          #7
          Er, you're concerned with the color of your bandsaw tires? What color is your purse? LOL

          Orange is my company color, so I was happy.

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