Lets see those band saws!

[nine4gmc]

Lots of members here with cool band saws, show us what you have! Prior to joining GJ, I only had one, since then I have bought and sold a dozen or more in the quest to upgrade on a budget. Earlier this year I snatched up a 20" Delta wood only machine but because it had the wrong motor/pulley setup on it, it has sat in the corner of my shop ever since. I wanted to be able to cut metal with it but never got around to modifying it to do so. Well, the band saw gods were smiling down on me this past weekend and I picked up another 20" Delta but this one has the Reeves drive and gear box setup for wood and metal! Here it is fresh off the trailer, I plan to clean it up and paint it, put some new tires on it and get a VFD for it(it's a 3ph machine).


Here is the other 20" back when I first got it. I'll probably sell it due to lack of space but we'll see what else I can get rid of first...

This is a Craftsman 12" I just built and restored from parts and pieces I picked up over a year or two from all over the place. Saw was from CL local, motor and stand from a garage sale, motor mount and saw mount plate from Bluebolt, light from my scrapper buddy and the fence from a CL ad someone posted a link to here on GJ from out of state. This is my current go-to wood saw.

And finally my current go-to metal saw, a 14" Delta wood/metal saw. I only did a mechanical resto on it, changing the tires and upper bearings, along with polishing some threads and knobs for smooth adjustments but keeping the patina. I'd like to find a fence for it one day.

 

[DocsMachine]

Here's a lightly Photoshopped pic of my '48 DoAll LHF 16" saw:

Had it just about a year now, and it's proven to be one of the handiest tools in the shop.

Doc.

 

[MushCreek]

I haven't got a pic right now, but I recently picked up an old Kalamazoo horizontal bandsaw. It's bigger than others I've seen, with a 24" capacity. It's waiting on a go-through and paint job. I also have a crappy Craftsman 12"; not one of the cool old ones. Someday I'll get that killer deal on a nice vertical rig.

 

[Thumper68]

Nines you will love that new saw, it is the same as mine, the thing eats metal and runs so smooth.

 

[Redboy]

Mine's the ubiquitous Delta 14" saw, but it came with a "big" 1hp motor. Seems most of them were sold with 1/2 or 3/4hp...

I love this old machine!

 

[kazlx]

I've got that same Rockwell saw that I haven't put power to yet. It's a single speed saw, I'm guessing wood only. I was planning on just throwing a VFD on it to cut metal with it.

 

[Empty Pockets]

I have a humble 14" Reliant band saw that I got from a Woodworker's Warehouse store, years ago

 

[OccupantRJ]

Here is my two Deltas. I have another 20" high speed also.

 

[nine4gmc]

Great show of saws guys, keep them coming!!

Thumper, what VFD did you go with on yours and is there anything you would change?

Also, I mentioned in the Garage Sale thread prior to picking up my new 20" that it had the cooling fluid attachment but after checking out the manual and actual machine, it's really a dust/chip blower hose with air pump built onto the original Rockwell motor that runs the saw! I got everything turning by hand last night and plan to order a VFD and blades one day this week.

 

[84scrambler]

Picked up my DoAll on craigslist earlier this year. I called it the deal of the year for me.. Set me back $1k and coincidentally it was located right across the street from my work. This thing had almost zero use by the company. I put about $600 into it converting it over to single phase, kept it true to the same parts that it would have came from the factory all the way to Baldor motor. The one exception was the pulley which I had to machine cause I didn't want spend $200 for a new one from DoAll, I swear everything that DoAll sells must be covered in gold and diamonds cause man there stuff is expensive!

I need to get some updated pictures of its final location, it went from my work to one side of my garage and then to the other side. I also added an oiler, the original one was busted so I "upgraded".

 

[Gizmosity]

For wood there's my recent-ish 36" auction find now spinning via an EBay VFD, and his mini-me.

For metal I have a Model J Johnson that needs a bit of fiddling yet.

Hehehe.....

 

[Thumper68]

Great show of saws guys, keep them coming!!

Thumper, what VFD did you go with on yours and is there anything you would change?

Also, I mentioned in the Garage Sale thread prior to picking up my new 20" that it had the cooling fluid attachment but after checking out the manual and actual machine, it's really a dust/chip blower hose with air pump built onto the original Rockwell motor that runs the saw! I got everything turning by hand last night and plan to order a VFD and blades one day this week.

I went with this one from Automation direct, a bit higher priced but I wanted the removable face plate and built in speed pot. I also got the 3 foot cord to remote mount the controls on the front of the saw, very easy to use this way. I will have to get a updated pic. I find that I leave the saw itself set at about 500 rpm and use the speed pot to adjust from there.

https://www.automationdirect.com/adc/Shopping/Catalog/Drives/GS2_(115_-z-_230_-z-_460_-z-_575_VAC_V-z-Hz_Control)/GS2_Drive_Units_(115_-z-_230_-z-_460_-z-_575_VAC)/GS2-21P0

Cord
https://www.automationdirect.com/adc/Shopping/Catalog/Cables/Drives/GS-CBL2-1L

Edited to add, Automation directs tech line is awesome. I have called a few times with questions and they have helped every time.

 

[nine4gmc]

Scrambler, love those saws!! That 36" is downright scary and the mini-me is just as cute as pie, love your Johnson too!

Thanks Thumper, I took the cheap route and went with the $102 ebay vfd, it should be in next week so I'll probably have some questions on setup. I also ordered some tires, a table insert and will be picking up some blades before it all comes in.

You guys be sure to post mods you have done as well, I remember someone putting a Delta Unisaw Fence on their band saw. What else have y'll done to make them more useful?

 

[OccupantRJ]

Shayne, you might want to rethink that first sentence! Careful how you tell a man that you love his Johnson!

 

[nine4gmc]

But look at it Occupant, it's... it's just soooo big!

On a side note, I am currently drawing up plans for bearing guides like the ones on ebay for both my 14" and 20" Deltas, the bearings should be in by next weekend. Is anyone here running those or the Carter bearing guides and how do you like them?

 

[OccupantRJ]

I adapted Do-all stock guides to my two Deltas due to the upper one being missing on one of them. I had the guides from an auction purchase I made years ago. Did not particularly like the stock Delta guide on the second saw so included it in the conversion. The Do-all uses two skid guides along with a ball bearing for cutting thrust.

 

[Roberts210]

Here's my Delta Rockwell W&M. Runs great and I'm constantly switching between high speed and low.

 

[Gizmosity]

I put an old Unisaw Jetlock fence on my 20" Delta/Milwaukee/Crecent saw. It bolted right up with zero modification. Same bolts even. I made my own insert plate out of 1/4" aluminum with a rabbiting bit in a router table after I had cut and sanded it to the proper diameter. I also about routed my fingers off when it grabbed and flew across the room. Good idea buying one. I wasn't so smart.

I've always found a way to mount a brush to brush sawdust off the lower tire. Usually just a toothbrush bent by heating it up with a lighter. This big saw though has a wider wheel than I've ever had. I need to find a wider brush.

 

[Steve from Socal]

Here is my DoAll 1612-3 vintage 1967.

Steve

 

[nine4gmc]

Nice saws guys, keep them coming!

Gizmosity, I considered making one(an insert) but Delta still stocks the oem part for about $20 and it'll probably be the only one I ever have to buy. I would hate to lose a finger before I even get to use the bandsaw! As for the brush, Delta carries them as well for the 28-365 model, mine are in decent shape if you want me to get a pic. It looks like a chunk of brass BBQ pit brush with a bracket attached.

Similar to the middle HF one here:

 

[Doug Arthurs]

Picture of my son in front of a saw we assisted installing at a customers

 

[OccupantRJ]

That is a big Frigg(ing) saw!

 

[nine4gmc]

Would that happen to be a carsaw?

 

[Doug Arthurs]

Big gantry saw. Cuts horizontal and vertical. Allows you to make giant l shaped blocks.

 

[Steve from Socal]

Big gantry saw. Cuts horizontal and vertical. Allows you to make giant l shaped blocks.

Do the blade guides rotate to cut vert/horiz?

Interesting saw,

Steve

 

[nine4gmc]

Nice saws guys, keep them coming!

Gizmosity, I considered making one(an insert) but Delta still stocks the oem part for about $20 and it'll probably be the only one I ever have to buy. I would hate to lose a finger before I even get to use the bandsaw! As for the brush, Delta carries them as well for the 28-365 model, mine are in decent shape if you want me to get a pic. It looks like a chunk of brass BBQ pit brush with a bracket attached.

Similar to the middle HF one here:

Scratch that, the bristles are normal not brass. Mine just looked like brass until I actually felt them. I also see that there are blade wipers on the lower guides that look like smaller versions of the brushes I posted above.

I'll have to get pics of my saw again tomorrow, I soaked it in purple power today and rinsed it off, it came out pretty clean! Only bad thing, I accidentally wiped over the saw speed guide on the upper front and wiped half the print off the label...

 

[kentenn]

I picked up a 1938 Walker Turner 16" bandsaw. Had to disassemble to move so now it's in "kit" form...

 

[evintho]

Here's mine! Haha! It's cut everything from 1" bar stock to 2"x3" rec tubing to 24ga sheet metal and hasn't missed a beat. Been using it for years. Built from 1" square tubing, an 1/8" steel plate, $2 garage sale vise and an $80 CL Milwaukee portable bandsaw.

 

[nine4gmc]

I've seen yours around here before Eventho, awesome idea and thanks for posting!

 

[Roberts210]

Here is my DoAll 1612-3 vintage 1967.

Steve

Steve, that is a damm MONSTER! Beautiful monster at that.

 

[Doug Arthurs]

Do the blade guides rotate to cut vert/horiz?

Interesting saw,

Steve

Yes the guides can flip from horizontal to vertical.

 

[Doug Arthurs]

Here is a picture of my home shop doall vertical.