Porter Cable 14" Bandsaw

**LCHIEN** · 05-02-2022, 06:53 PM

Porter cable is the name now on the old Delta line of equipment. That is probably the classic Delta 14" saw which has been copied by everyone. I think you will probably find parts easily for that very popular design. Probably a safe buy if the price was right. 14" is the sweet spot for bandsaws. I have a 12" Delta and often wish it was a little bigger; its a slightly reduced version of the 14" Deltas.

Got a picture or the lowes number or the PC model number?

How much did you get it for?

**dbhost** · 05-02-2022, 08:21 PM

Amazon has dozens of different MFG urethane tires for band saws, just pick a set for the standard 14" saw and you should be good to go.

LCHIEN is right, the Porter Cable name has been stuck on what was previously Delta equipment. Not bad stuff at all... Motor might be a bit small for resawing but slow and easy usually does the trick..

**mpc** · 05-02-2022, 09:18 PM

Even though it was sold "as-is", often the manufacturer will treat it as a brand new - both from a missing/damaged parts perspective and for warranty claims. So my first actions would be to look at the owner's manual, (download one from Porter Cable if you didn't get a paper copy) and review the parts lists. Determine what's missing. Then send PC's Support/warranty folks an email, or use their online claims page, to ask for the missing stuff. Include a scan of the receipt to prove the sold-on date so they know it's a new saw, not a used one.

Tires: you will find rubber and urethane tires available in sizes for most bandsaws made in the last couple decades. Bandsaw sizes are fairly standard/common. Rubber tires tend to be less expensive but won't last as long, especially in hot/dry garage shops, compared to urethane. But either will work quite well. Carter Products makes all sorts of bandsaw add-ons and replacement parts including tires; they would be higher priced tires but you can find them in Woodcraft/Rockler style stores. I got replacement tires directly from the manufacturer of my bandsaw (Rikon) as their price was competitive with other sources that seemed trustworthy.

Blades: you can find Olson blades at many retailers, including Woodcraft and Rockler. They're decent blades; I've had good luck with them. Woodcraft has started selling Starrett branded blades; I tried one on my bandsaw and really liked it. Lenox blades are good too. An online-only blade source is Iturra Designs - search for their address and phone number on the web - and ask for a catalog. Iturra's blades have a good reputation and tend to be priced better than most retail stores but you do have to wait for shipping. To start with, if you don't have any blades, consider a 1/4 inch 6 TPI regular tooth blade. That is somewhat of a "universal" blade that will cut decent straight lines (resaw cuts and rip cuts) and can make all but the tightest curves. It's a good "learner" blade too. You will see blades in a few basic styles: "carbon steel" are the most common and least expensive, Bi-metal are a little more expensive but the teeth stay sharper longer, especially when cutting tougher woods, and carbide toothed blades which cost a small fortune though they last a long time but only make sense if you use the bandsaw a lot and can afford the wider kerf they make (turning more of your wood into sawdust) during resawing. Carbide blades are generally available only in larger blade sizes (1/2 inch an up) for resaw work; they're all but useless for curve cutting. So stick with bi-metal and carbon steel blades for now. For your first blade, if you've never used a bandsaw before, I would spend money for a known quality blade brand just so you know it won't cause you grief while learning... a Starrett, a Lenox... those are the brands I know. Others might be quite good too; I have no experience with them.

What blade to use for a particular cut? You have two main things to consider: the thickness of the workpiece and the tightest radius curve that needs to be cut. More blade teeth usually means a cleaner cut until the workpiece gets too thick for the blade - when sawdust packs the gullets (gaps between the teeth) full that creates friction, heat, and distorts the blade leading to wandering cuts. So you want several teeth in the workpiece but not too many. 3 teeth in the workpiece is more or less the absolute minimum. A 3 TPI (Tooth Per Inch) blade cutting a 1/2 inch thick board would fail this rule... what happens is you end up feeding the workpiece too quickly into the blade so a tooth slams into the top of the workpiece as it enters, causing vibrations or even shearing the tips off the blade teeth. With a 3 or more teeth in the blade at one time, it is much harder to feed too quickly (you'll feel the blade bending) so you won't overload the next tooth entering the workpiece. Nor more than 12 teeth in the workpiece is a general upper limit rule. For the blade size (1/4 inch, 1/2 inch, etc.) you need to look at the tightest radius curve you will cut; there are charts in the saw's owner's manual, or online, that will tell you the minimum radius each blade size can cut. The straighter the cut desired (e.g. resaw cuts or rip cuts) the larger blade should be is the usual recommendation. With practice though you'll find 1/4 or even 3/8ths blades can make pretty darn straight cuts if the bandsaw is aligned/calibrated properly.

Besides being a 14 inch bandsaw - which means the wheels are 14 inches in diameter - what is the "resaw" height of the saw? That is the distance between the table surface and the lowest point of the upper blade guide assembly when the guides are raised all the way up. It typically is around 6 to 7 inches on many bandsaws, especially 14 inch models. If your bandsaw is the classic "C" shape using two cast iron sections bolted together (in the area next to the table... in the vertical-ish column that supports the upper wheelhouse stuff) then you can buy a "riser kit" to increase resaw capacity. Riser kits include a metal block that fits in this joint, lifting it around 6 to 7 inches; they also include a new support shaft/rod for the upper blade guide assembly that is also 6 or 7 inches longer. That way you can resaw stuff up to 12 or 13 inches tall - quite a bit. A "Euro Frame" bandsaw will be made of folded and welded sheet metal... the lower wheelhouse, the vertical column, and the upper wheelhouse will be one solid assembly, not two cast iron pieces bolted together. Riser kits can't be used on Euro Frame style bandsaws. I'll bet your saw is the classic two-piece cast iron frame style so a riser kit is an option. Why do I bring this up? If you think you will need the large resaw capacity, get the riser kit now before you buy a bunch of blades... adding the riser kit requires longer blades too. What is the horsepower of the motor... large resaw work requires more HP unless you don't mind really slow feed rates. Bandsaws with less than 3/4 HP probably should not be used with riser kits. 1.5 HP or more will handle most resaw tasks at decent feed rates.

edit: if you do an online search for bandsaw setup, adjustment, calibration, etc... you will see all sorts of articles and videos describing how to align the bandsaw wheels to be coplanar... and two theories on "blade tracking." Your bandsaw owner's manual probably states to adjust the blade tracking (where the blade rides on the wheels) to be centered on the "crown" hump of the upper wheel tire and (hopefully) centered on the lower wheel. The other theory is to adjust the tracking so the blade gullets ride on the crown center... most of the blade will be on the back half of the tire. The idea is that, with the gullets always in that position regardless of the blade size, you won't have to adjust the lateral blade supports fore/aft. And, with the blade teeth and gullets supported by the tire, the theory states you will have less "drift" during resaw or rip cuts. I have my bandsaw calibrated to track with the blade centered and I get drift-free resaw cuts. And I get drift-free cuts that way despite the folks promoting the second theory who state such tracking makes the blade teeter-totter on the crown. Maybe if the crown is really high or pointed? Videos and articles show how to make a freehand straight cut to see how your saw and blade drift... and to adjust the rip fence to match that drift. My bandsaw rip fence is aligned parallel to the miter slot in the table and to the side of the blade; it's not angled a few degrees and I get straight, drift-free, cuts. Getting the bandsaw wheels coplanar, with the blade tensioned (the blades are exactly above each other, one is not shifted forwards or aft relative to the other and are not tilted left/right relative to each other), is key in my opinion. You may have to add shim washers behind one wheel to move it forwards (towards the operator) to match the other wheel... not uncommon. The lower wheel axle shaft can be aimed/calibrated by 4 bolts on the backside of the saw; see what adjustment is needed with the blade tensioned but turn those bolts only when the blade tension is released; otherwise you can strip what few threads exist on the saw structure. Those 4 bolts tip the lower wheel up/down and left/right; get it exactly matched to the upper wheel when the blade is tensioned properly.

By the way: proper tension: most bandsaw tension gauges are not well calibrated from the factory... if they exist at all. A few well-known bandsaw book authors claim they read "too little tension" so they tell you to crank the blade tension until the gauge reads one size larger: i.e. tension a 3/8ths blade to the 1/4 tick mark on the scale. That is risky; you may overtension stuff if your bandsaw happens to be one that reads high, not low, like my Rikon originally did. You can bend/break parts or just the blade if you're lucky. Instead: set the upper blade guides to about 6 inches above the table. Align the guides in the normal manner - both the upper and lower set. Then push on the side of the blade with the face of a finger - where your fingerprints are. Push until the skin color on the fingernail side lightens a bit - that'll be around 15 to 20 pounds of pressure typically. The blade should not move sideways more than 1/4 inch when tensioned properly. Try some test cuts, especially resaw cuts in moderately thick workpieces. If the cut is pretty good, adjust your bandsaw blade tension scale to match the installed blade size.

mpc

**nicer20** · 05-03-2022, 09:34 AM

Originally posted by LCHIEN View Post

Porter cable is the name now on the old Delta line of equipment. That is probably the classic Delta 14" saw which has been copied by everyone. I think you will probably find parts easily for that very popular design. Probably a safe buy if the price was right. 14" is the sweet spot for bandsaws. I have a 12" Delta and often wish it was a little bigger; its a slightly reduced version of the 14" Deltas.

Got a picture or the lowes number or the PC model number?

How much did you get it for?

Hi Loring,

Here are couple of photos of the machine I got. It is Porter Cable - PCB330BS. I cleaned up all the dust it had collected being a display model - a few minor scratches on paint etc. nothing more than cosmetic blemishes. Some surface rust on the table but I am sure I can clean that too.

I got it for $120. Looks like after I add some missing parts like tires, blade and few missing screws, throat plate etc. I might be out for ~$170-175. I believe the regular selling price was $570 so still a very good bargain.

Of course, now I need to find projects to justify the tool. Have hammer searching for nails

.

Attached Files

**nicer20** · 05-03-2022, 09:54 AM

Originally posted by mpc View Post

Besides being a 14 inch bandsaw - which means the wheels are 14 inches in diameter - what is the "resaw" height of the saw? That is the distance between the table surface and the lowest point of the upper blade guide assembly when the guides are raised all the way up. It typically is around 6 to 7 inches on many bandsaws, especially 14 inch models. If your bandsaw is the classic "C" shape using two cast iron sections bolted together (in the area next to the table... in the vertical-ish column that supports the upper wheelhouse stuff) then you can buy a "riser kit" to increase resaw capacity. Riser kits include a metal block that fits in this joint, lifting it around 6 to 7 inches; they also include a new support shaft/rod for the upper blade guide assembly that is also 6 or 7 inches longer. That way you can resaw stuff up to 12 or 13 inches tall - quite a bit. A "Euro Frame" bandsaw will be made of folded and welded sheet metal... the lower wheelhouse, the vertical column, and the upper wheelhouse will be one solid assembly, not two cast iron pieces bolted together. Riser kits can't be used on Euro Frame style bandsaws. I'll bet your saw is the classic two-piece cast iron frame style so a riser kit is an option. Why do I bring this up? If you think you will need the large resaw capacity, get the riser kit now before you buy a bunch of blades... adding the riser kit requires longer blades too. What is the horsepower of the motor... large resaw work requires more HP unless you don't mind really slow feed rates. Bandsaws with less than 3/4 HP probably should not be used with riser kits. 1.5 HP or more will handle most resaw tasks at decent feed rates.

mpc

Hello MPC,

The resaw height is 6". I believe there is a riser kit available - will look into it more. You have got a good point about looking into this earlier than later from blades investment point of view. Thanks.

According to manual, the motor is "1.5HP Max Developed". It is a 120V/10A motor. Also the saw allows two speed operation - 1630 & 2730 Feet Per Second operation. I think the slower speed is for metal cutting and faster one for wood.

Thanks again for all the education. I am sure I will need more in future. So thanks in advance too.

- Nicer

**LCHIEN** · 05-03-2022, 10:17 AM

That's a really good deal on a solid classic but basic Bandsaw.

If you are going to get a riser, do it before you invest in a bunch of blades!!!

Picture below of a Delta with a riser installed.

Attached Files

**nicer20** · 05-15-2022, 11:33 AM

Thank you all for the guidance.

Porter Cable won't send the missing parts for free and they are on backorder. So ordered the missing tires and a blade on Amazon. Got the setup done and tuned the saw after watching a few videos on YouTube.

Here it is - I think it is running pretty smooth and passing the Nickel test as I read somewhere (please check the attached video).

mpc, LCHIEN : I will look into getting the Riser Kit soon but wanted the basic saw going before plunging more $$. For now I just bought a 1/4"-6 TPI blade. Got a Bosch blade for ~$10. I hop to learn some basic stuff.

Now got to find some basic projects to make wife happy

- (just kidding I am lucky - she is pretty cool !!).

PS - I think the first thing I should make is the missing throat plate which is anyway is also out of stock so can't buy.

Attached Files

IMG_6615.MOV (24.73 MB, 6 views)

**leehljp** · 05-15-2022, 12:30 PM

Throat plates available on amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=14+inch+b...f=nb_sb_noss_1

Several shown on that link.

**LCHIEN** · 05-15-2022, 12:55 PM

There may be some options for the riser block other than porter cable.
Grizzly tool and HF in the past and other makers have copied the delta design so close that many parts are interchangeable with no or very slight mods. Some research may save you money or time. I did no do this but recall others having done so. If you don't plan on cutting anything taller than what 6 inches don't waste your time! It sounds tantalizing but in reality I never needed it.

**nicer20** · 05-15-2022, 06:18 PM

Thanks Hank - I will check these out.

Thanks Loring. I will explore these riser block options on the side. As far as planning on cutting taller than 6" I am not sure I will get there right now. I was not even looking into getting a bandsaw when an opportunity just presented itself. So I might need some time to outgrow the capabilities. On the other hand I am sure I will always encounter a situation that will push the limit of the tool no matter how capable it is. It will always require some thinking to overcome the limitations. But I guess that is where part of the fun is .....

**nicer20** · 05-17-2022, 04:00 PM

Hey all Gurus,

One question to all of you - I adjusted the tension on my bandsaw blade as a part of tune up on Saturday.

I read/saw some recommendations that I need to release the tension everyday after work. My saw doesn't have one of those quick release features. It seems like a pain to release the tension every time I am done using the saw for the day. That would mean I have to go back to adjusting the tension and rechecking the alignments again before I can start using the saw next time.

Doesn't look practical to me.

What do you guys do? Or should I just unwind the knob a certain number of turns and re-tension by winding exactly that many turns?

Thanks in advance,

NG

**mpc** · 05-17-2022, 04:52 PM

Yup, de-tension the saw when it won't be used for several hours. Otherwise the tires get distorted: the crown slowly gets flattened out and the portion of the tire actually subjected to the overnight blade tension develops a flat spot, similar to how tires on trailers that sit for months at a time end up D-shaped. That D-shape will lead to increased vibration. Bandsaw tire damage does not occur quickly - forgetting to release tension one night is not going to kill them for example - but leaving them tensioned for several days or between weekends will make a noticeable difference. Letting the saw run with moderate tension for a few minutes will undo some of the damage.

Your idea to back off the adjuster a specific number of turns is a commonly recommended technique. It's a good habit to get into. Having some sort of reminder to re-tension the saw is good too; after the first time you turn it ON with no tension you'll never make that mistake again! On some bandsaws, especially the small and medium sized Euro frame saws, the tension knob sits loosely on the shaft so you can simply lift it off and rest it on the table when the saw is de-tensioned. Larger saws with the tension knob hanging from below the upper wheelhouse can't do this... and most "Delta" style (cast iron "C" frame saws) don't have removable knobs either. My practice is to wind the power cord around the tension knob on my small bandsaw, and around the quick-release lever on the larger bandsaw, at the end of each day.

It is a good habit to release tension on any tool with a tensioning mechanism: belt sanders, scroll saws, coping saws, hacksaw blades, etc. Leaving things tensioned subjects the tool structure to a continuous stress that could, over time, cause it to bend/flex out of shape. Continuous tension on sanding belts can cause the glue/tape at the seam to weaken and fail prematurely too. As you put away such tools at the end of a workday, release the tension.

Another good habit to get into, with any power tool, is a mental checklist before turning the tool ON each time. Airline pilots, even though they fly the same type of airplane over and over, have paper or electronic checklists of things to do before every major operation: before starting the engines, before taxiing, before starting the takeoff run, before starting the descent, before landing. Such checklists reduce the possibility of overlooking something and help get your mind on the job at hand. A bandsaw checklist might be something like:

1. Is the blade tension correct?
2. Manually spin the upper wheel: is the blade is tracking properly? If the tracking is different than normal (e.g. the blade is suddenly riding close to the front or rear edge of the lower wheel when it normally runs in the center) then something has loosened, broken, or otherwise fallen out of adjustment on the saw and you need to fix it before using the saw.
3. Are the guide assemblies a) tight, b) adjusted properly, c) the blade isn't contacting the guides when tensioned but not making a cut, d) guide bearings actually spin freely when you move them by hand.
4. Is the table tilt mechanism properly locked?
5. Is the pin, bar, bolt, whatever, that holds the table level/flat across the blade change slot properly installed?
6. Are all doors and blade guards closed and locked?
7. Have an adjustable base on the tool? If so, is it in the locked position? For benchtop tools, is the tool properly clamped/bolted in place? This is especially important if you plan to work with large/heavy workpieces that will cantilever off the bandsaw table.
8. Is the throat insert installed properly: not rubbing on the blade and flush with the tabletop? It is not uncommon for the insert to be pushed upwards during blade changes... thus it becomes a forward-facing step blocking your workpiece.
9. Look at your workpiece size - is there enough infeed and outfeed clearance? It sucks to be part-way through a cut and find your workpiece smacking into a wall or other object.
10. Got your safety gear on? Eye and hearing protection, dust mask. Are any necessary push sticks or push blocks nearby?
11. Is the dust collection hooked up, and are the blast gates open? Forgetting to open the appropriate blast gates, and closing all other gates, is a common oops. Is the dust collector ON?

That checklist is most applicable to the first-use of the bandsaw each day or after blade changes. Once you know the saw is still healthy, subsequent uses that same day can skip to step 9. The owners manual for a tool likely has similar safety checklists or steps. Example: For a lathe, double-check the locking levers for the tailstock, the banjo, and the tool rest are tight, then rotate the workpiece by hand to make sure it clears the tool rest, are commonly recommended checklist steps before turning the lathe ON each time.

Another good habit to get into is to never store a tool, or even leave it on the workbench overnight, in a "half ready" state. A prime example is stopping part-way through a blade or bit change: either remove the blade/bit or completely finish the changing job including guide adjustments. Starting a table saw, circular saw, or router with a not-tight blade/bit is hazardous! It's too easy to pick up a tool that "looks ready to use" and forget that you still need to tighten the blade lock nut or router bit collet until it's too late. Airline mechanics have big red tags to hang on jobs left unfinished... just to make sure the job gets finished before the airplane is flown again. Pilots, during the pre-flight walk-around, can easily spot these tags and know "this airplane is not ready for service!" People working with power tools and sharp bladed instruments need similar processes to remind them of a not-quite-ready-to-use situation. Having the blade or bit not installed is a pretty obvious "not ready for use" indicator. Blade tension somewhat contradicts this rule: a bandsaw with an installed blade should be de-tensioned prior to overnight storage... so you must remember to re-tension it prior to use. Having some sort of reminder - in my case winding the cords around tensioning knobs - helps.

mpc

**nicer20** · 05-17-2022, 05:52 PM

Thank you so much mpc - Great insights. Got to get into these habits. I am going to print the Bandsaw checklist and stick it next to the bandsaw. For now just rushed to the garage and unwound the tension by 5 turns. Hopefully not much damage done between Saturday and now

I have run into no. 9 a few times with my table saw cross cut -

Now I have to also add the tension release for my belt sander, coping saw and hacksaw

Thanks a million for all the guidance.

**capncarl** · 05-18-2022, 04:06 PM

Another thing that I do and encourage others to do is to unplug the tool when I lock up the shop. The reason I do this is the risk of electrical spikes caused by lightning or transformer problems. While it is not a common problem I have lost several air conditioners, TVs and a couple of microwaves due to close by lightning strikes, and one that took out every electrical device that was plugged in when the power company did something with their transmission lines. It may never happen again but it is less likely to happen if the tool is unplugged.

About releasing the blade tension, I do that religiously and when I unplug the cord for the night I drape the cord over the back of the saw so by chance I might actually tension the blade when I plug it in for the next use! About half the time I forget and start up the saw with the blade relaxed….. and I get to go through the motions of putting the band back on the wheels!

I’m not sure how much difference it makes by releasing the tension, if it lengthens the band weld life or not. But I do know that when the band breaks it can scare the heck out of you. If you are really concentrating on your cut and it breaks you probably will have to go clean up and change your clothes.

Porter Cable 14" Bandsaw

Porter Cable 14" Bandsaw

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