Delta 28-307 wheel adjustments

[Wyatt Wright]

I recently purchased Delta 28-307 14" bandsaw. It is in pretty good shape, but I the wheels are not coplanar. The bottom wheel needs to come out about 3/16" or so.

My first problem is that I cannot get the bottom wheel off. I have removed the arbor nut but the wheel won't budge. I have the manual from Delta, but it does not mention wheel removal. The top wheel came right off once the nut was removed. Is there something here that I am not seeing?

My second problem is that I am unsure of how to move that wheel out. The Bandsaw Book tells me to use washers. Again, the manual makes no mention of this. Is that the correct method for this saw?

This is my first bandsaw and I have little experience with them. The Bandsaw Book mentions two things about tracking the blade. The first is to just to use the top wheel adjustment to get the blade to track on the center of the crown. The second method is to make sure that the wheels are coplanar and let the blade find its own center. The second method is preferred. If I am unable to adjust the lower wheel, than I will have no choice but to go with the first method. I would just like to get some general comments about this from more experienced people.

Wyatt

I also posted this on the oldww discussion area, but reposted it here to reach a wider audience (support team).

[Swingman]

Most importantly, how does the band saw cut? Does the blade track? Can blade drift be dealt with easily by aligning the fence?

If the answers to the above are satisfactory, then don't overly concern yourself with "coplanar".

If not, shim the top wheel only to match the bottom wheel.

[Secret Squirrel]

[e-mail] (Wyatt Wright) wrote in news: [e-mail]:

I wouldn't sweat it alot unless I couldn't get my blades to track properly. 3/16 seems like an awful lot to shim, so I'd go back and check my measurements also. Using washers or other similar shim stock is the generally accepted method to do this. If your wheel is frozen to the shaft, you may find that you need to use a gear puller to remove it. You can buy one at any decent auto store and can probably rent one for just a few dollars as well.

[George]

There is, of course, the key and rust on the shaft to contend with, I should think, but otherwise you've got everything.

Washers work fine. Coplaner wheels with the tracking screw at neutral give you the maximum available adjustment to track all kinds of blades. If you use one kind of blade, better to adjust that kind for coplaner than to angle the top.

You have the manual? If you need an exploded view, go to

and search on 28-307 model number.

[Unisaw A100]

Actually, you stand a better chance of winning the lottery than to find a set of wheels on a band saw that are coplanar.

How come? On my Made In 'Merika/Not By Asian Children And Political Prisoners Vintage Powermatic 141 I have the same. So far I can't find a reason to fiddle with it.

First, have you examined the parts drawing to surmise if there is a key in a key way (there is) or something/anything else in/on/around the shaft that might be binding? If none then possibly you'll need a squirt or two of (insert your favorite lubricant/WD-40 isn't a lubricant here). I like Marvel Oil but some/many have an allegiance to Kroil. Next, and while the lubricant is making it's way into and around the shaft go get a wheel puller. From here it's a matter of using the wheel puller.

Now, before you commence with surgery, is the blade tracking properly? Answer this before proceeding.

I would call Duginske on the phone and dress down about what a shoddy bit of writing he's done.

He makes no mention/gives no credence/importance of the wheel being crowned/doesn't mention this as the "usual" reason you can't get a blade to track?

sigh...

Oh boy. I can't wait to see what Bob Vaughn has to say.

UA100

[Preston Andreas]

On the Delta, you want to shim the upper wheel, on the Jet, shim the lower wheel. You can get a shim kit for the Delta by contacting Iturra Design. The shims range from .001" to .125" and costs about $10. You can contact them at 800-722-7078. If you don't have their catalogue, you don't know what you are missing. Not only do they have a lot of good products for bandsaws, but the information within about bandsaws makes it more like a book you would purchase to just read.

I have the 14" Delta bandsaw with a 6" riser. I bought the bandsaw book when I got my bandsaw. For several years, I had trouble resawing. The blade would bow and wander. Finally, I decided to take the time to tune-up my bandsaw. I put on a blade that I thought was dull and had also given bad results for resawing. It cut like it was brand new and I could resaw thin veneers. Tuning up my bandsaw made all the difference in the world.

Make sure to realign the wheels parallel after you set the blade tension.

Preston

[Wyatt Wright]

It is a Delta and the problem is that the lower wheel is the one that needs to be shimmed. No amount of shimming the upper wheel will draw it close to the frame...

I either get that lower wheel off and shim it or I move the shaft out somehow. I know that it comes apart.

Unisaw and Vaughn have convinced me that coplanar is not that important. We'll see about that when I get the saw back together (I'm still cleaning 50 years worth of crap off it). If it tracks well, I may not mess with it. But I can't help thinking that coplanar (or a lot closer than I am now) has to be better than not coplanar.

[mnterpfan]

This worked well for me. I am in the process of re-building a 28-380 from 1956. I just got finished sandblasting and priming most of it today after a full teardown yesterday.

Eric