I would like to replace the 3/4 HP motor on my bandsaw with a larger hp motor. Do I need to buy a Delta motor for a Delta machine, etc ? Will "any" electric motor work provided the pulleys are the same? Thanks
As long as the pulleys *and* the motor mounts are the same, (assuming you have the required power), then you can use most any motor.
Not just "any" motor. Check the output RPM. Yours is probably 1725 and if so, you need to make sure you match that output or you have to go through a pulley/guard change that you might not want to do. Also if you use an ODP type motor (stock) rather than a TEFC, you need to make sure that the centrifugal switch is dust proof. Also look at the mount. Is yours an enclosed stand resiliant mount? that also needs to be matched, or you will have to make an adaptor mounting plate. Additionally, you need to make sure that the capacitor locations are such that they do not have clearance issues.
Delta motors for domestic units up to 1HP are 1725 rpm and can be interchanged with older models without any pulley changes. Newer models of domestic bandsaws are all 1.5 hp (same motor as the last contractor saw which has a 2 hp rating at 220V). It is mounted differently and has a 3450 output RPM which would require pulley and guard changes on your saw.
Keep in mind that if you exceed the design wheel RPM by as little 15% or so you stand a good chance of throwing the tires.
Frank
In addition to the other good comments, how big a motor do you intend to use on how big of a bandsaw? If you oversize it, you run the risk of buckling the neck under heavy load (resawing to capacity w/ a riser block comes to mind, the normal reason folks look for more power on a bandsaw).
You might instead (or at least in addition to) want to investigate more aggressive blades, alignment, etc., to get the performance from what you have...
You don't need a "Delta" motor. Most of my machines are a different brand. "Baldor" motors are quality, at least they have been for me. You might consider a complete bandsaw tuneup and blade replacement which is often better than more power.
I think it would help if you told us why you want to upgrade the motor.
If you truly need a more powerful motor, you might be better off selling your working bandsaw and buying a new upgraded BS.
Maybe I'm different from the norm, but a new motor is going to be expensive, plus there's potentially a lot of labor and screwing around with no guarantee the saw will ever work right again. I'm in this hobby to relax. I don't like screwing around with trying to soup up machines, but I know some people do.
However, if he's got an older Delta, he might not be able to find a new machine with the same overall quality.
As an ex-Delta hand/plant manager, IIRC, Frank B. gave him the best advice he is ever going to get on this issue ... he should take Frank's advice as gospel.
Is anyone aware of this ever actually happening?
I have the same rig--a 14" Ridgid with a riser block. I bought it new a little less than a year ago. I was disappointed with resawing performance until I got a 1/2" Timberline blade (3 TPI skip-tooth, I believe) for it from Woodcraft last week. The blade cost me about $32, and I'm amazed by the difference. I spent about an hour resawing some bigleaf maple and claro walnut yesterday evening, and the results were excellent. The pieces were 7 to 8 inches wide. The blade cut through the wood like it was butter, and the cuts were smooth and true--no wandering of the kind I had experienced with the cheaper blades I had been using.
So get a good quality blade--this is definitely an area where you don't want to skimp on the quality!
--Steve
Tim... On the advice of the group here, I got the Grizzly riser kit instead of the Ridgid one... same thing and about 2/3 of the price.. I think it was about $50 from Amazon a year or so ago..
Aside from having a Grizzly green block on a gray machine, it works fine.. *g*
I've put 10 or 11" stuff through it, but only when I have to... putting a bigger opening and longer blade on it doesn't give it more HP or (pardon the pun) rigidity...
I changed to a link belt which made it quieter and a little more efficient, I think... Blades are from a local saw shop for $11 to $16 depending on size... I use mostly 3/8" and they're about $13 a piece..
The main advantages of the riser kit, as I look back and compare it with and without, are more light and air flow over the table and because you have that extra 6", the thickness of my added table isn't nearly as critical... Mac
don't mind. Did you alter/redo the dust collection? The original on mine sucks, and I don't mean that in the good sense of the word. I have seen others that have the dc drilled into the bottom door front, casing back, just a variety of different places. As of yet, your the only other one I know on the group that's got the Ridgid Saw. I really like mine, I've got all Timberwolf blades up to 3/4 and I've resawn some really thin stuff with it. No playing card stuff like *SOME PEOPLE*! LOL But I like it.
I've got the Ridgid bandsaw too--bought it from the BORG last Fall. Got my riser block on Ebay for about $50.
As I said in another post, I just put a Timberwolf 1/2" blade on it last week, and the resawing performance is so much better I almost can't believe it. I've used it on bigleaf maple up to 8-1/2" wide, and the cuts are smooth and true.
I even sliced a 1/4" thick piece of zebrawood about 5" wide into two
3/32" thick slices this afternoon, to be used as guitar headstock overlays. Impressive.Maybe I should get one of those link belts, eh wot?
--Steve
I went the lower door route... 4" hole with a DC fitting...
It's not very effective at the moment, but it won't get a good test until I move and can use the DC with it... right now it's got a reducer to the 2 1/2" shop vac hose.. still it's much better than that tiny one that it came in the front...
I removed the original fitting and use a couple of magnets to hold a piece of hardboard over the hole...
Since I'll be working in an indoor (part of the house) shop when we move, I'm considering adding a "Y" at the blast gate and running on hose to the port in the door and one to a shop-built collector under the table as close to the blade guard as possible, pointed at the zero clearance insert..
BTW: this was not the saw that I wanted, it was just available with a deal that I couldn't refuse when we got a new HD card... but it's a lot of saw for the price, IMHO...
OH! Do you run yours on 110 or 220v?
I'll be running it on 220 when we move and hope that makes a bit of difference, too.. if not, if/when the motor wears out I'll put a bigger one in... I don't see that happening soon, as my brother has the same saw and it's 10 years old.. *lol*
Mac
I'd recommend one, Steve, for a couple of reasons:
As is normal, from what I understand, the saw got a bit quieter and smoother with the link belt..
The other advantage of me was that I could CHOOSE what length the belt was.. On my saw, if I wanted to keep the belt loose enough to slip if the blade bound up, I couldn't move the motor back far enough on the adjusting slots to open the bottom door fully... a real PITA when changing blades.. I made the belt long enough so that when it's at the tightness that I want, there's room for a shop vac nozzle between the lower wheel case and the motor.. Mac
Thanks again Mac. When you say shop built collector??? Does it work better that the OEM? You got any pictures? As soon as I get some free time, yea right, I'm going to pop a hole in the door I guess. I got to do something about the amount of sawdust that thing kicks out. I run it and the table saw 220. That was the first thing I did after I got it set up. As for the difference, I couldn't honestly say, because I've never had the chance to run one on 110. I've had this one going on 8 years now. I have a couple new tires in the cabinet for it, but as of yet, it don't really *need* them. So if you want to do something with the motor, I wouldn't wait for it to croak. I don't think anything'll get them boogers down.
I'll use sheet metal or bend a plastic vac adapter to fit.... the OEM port is way to small to be effective, IMO....
After drilling the hole in the door and all, I read in the woodturning group about collecting the dust at the blade... I tried a really crude experiment: Shoved a 2 1/2" DC hose in from the back side (opposite of the OEM fitting) and wedged it in across from the swing out lower blade guard... it seemed to work very well with just a shop vac, so I'll try it with the DC when the new shop is set up...
Some folks claim that this is a better position than on the door because you get the dust out of the air sooner... makes sense to me and might be more effective that the door type OR a "Y" to both, as you're concentrating the suction to one point?
Yep... for a "cheap" BS, they seem to use long lasting motors... maybe I'll replace it and use the old one on my jet mini lathe.. *g*
Mac
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