My father left me a Rockwell 14 band saw. It's pretty old. The blade is having trouble staying in alignment. I was told that the drive wheel or some other part involved in the movement of the blade has probably dried up and is not replaceable because of the age of the saw.
Can anyone shed any light on this poorly described problem? Are parts available, or do I just junk the saw?
There are rubber "tires" on the wheels. They _may_ (or may not) be the problem; it may simply be out of alignment.
After-market tires are available as well as from Delta if they do turn out to be the problem. One first step to check is to use a straightedge and ensure the two wheels are coplanar--if they're not for some reason, it's very difficult to get a blade to track even if the tires are still ok.
Definitely it is not at all likely there's anything fundamentally wrong w/ the saw; I'd wonder if the person who told you it was likely irrepairable wasn't fishing to "take it off your hands for you". :)
I'd suggest you go to the
rec.woodworking
group instead of a.h.r for more specifics...
Actually, I'll post this followup there as well.
--
Plenty of parts are available. Remove the blade. Make sure the upper wheel bearing and the lower are not sloppy. Replace the bearings if so. If not replace tires. They'll be tight. Heat them in very hot water before you try to install them.
"Or some other part". So he hasn't seen the saw, yet he knows the part is not available!!! Not new and not scavenged off another machine. And can't be made. even ;by you! I wouldn't trust anyone's disgnosis of Terry Schiavo without seeing her, or of, distinction noted, your saw.
Not until you know if it needs a part and what part it needs.
Open the cover and turn the wheels by hand, watching what happens.
Also, what Fred said. And everyone else for that matter.
The saws are eminently rebuildable. Parts are readily available from Delta or from many other sources.
Move the bearings behind the blade back out of the way both above and below the table. Move the guide blocks out away from each side of the blade both above and below the table. Clean the pitch and lumps off the rubber tires. They would need to be in awful condition to need to change them, but that is possible. Let's assume they are not all the way to awful. Install a blade on the tires and tighten to a sound about Middle C on a piano. Turn the top wheel by hand and adjust the tip of the top wheel until the blade runs in the center of the top wheel. If this is working out you can check that the wheels are coplanar with a long straightedge. The only wheel that can be adjusted is the top wheel by installing a washer behind the wheel to move it out or removing a washer to move it in. Here, again, they would have to be out of plane more than an 1/8 to worry abut them. Once you have the blade tracking, turn the unit on to see how you're doing. Assuming the blade runs true, move the bearings up to about a 1/32 behind the blade, both above and below. Turn the machine off. Don't squeeze the blade guides together, but bring them up to touch each side of the blade and make sure they are lightly touching each side of the blade, but far enough back to NOT get into the teeth. Enjoy!
Of course, I could have said it's just not worth fixing, but I would take it off your hands for spare parts. I'll send my address if you want to head that way.
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