Carter bandsaw guide Owners ??

[Marctrees]

I recently purchased a ??25?? yr old Buffalo (Taiwan) 14" wood bandsaw in very clean lightly used condition.

It's styled as a common old Delta 14".

It works OK, but not like a "Swiss Watch"

Believe me, I do not normally buy that kind of stuff, but for $30 on a factory stand, and wanting a bandsaw -- for Wood -- and being poor, I grabbed it.

I live very rurally, and anything better (like an old Delta or similar) would be a 400 mile round trip for visual and pickup, after watching and screwing w typical Craiglist stuff for awhile.

And then I'd still be replacing tires, and still with stock block guides.

Will be replacing tires.

I hate to invest around $200 on a cheap foundation, but considering installing a Carter ball bearing guide retro kit.

How will I gain performance, past my existing block guides?

I love accuracy and consistency,better cut control. will it help much?

Again, I would rather an old Delta or similar, but this is what I got.

Thanks Guys !! Marc

 

[Technologyteacher]

I got an old Delta that had a broke upper blade guide assembly. I replaced it with a Carter bearing kit. Works great. I think I found the kit on EBay for not too much $$

 

[guy48065]

I upgraded my 14" Delta with Carter guides and it didn't make much difference with normal blades--but it's easier to adjust and does control thin 1/8" blades better than my stock steel blocks or the Cool Blocks I used for years.

Canadian woodworking nerd Matthias recently tested a few bandsaw guides:

 

[6PTsocket]

I upgraded my 14" Delta with Carter guides and it didn't make much difference with normal blades--but it's easier to adjust and does control thin 1/8" blades better than my stock steel blocks or the Cool Blocks I used for years.

Canadian woodworking nerd Matthias recently tested a few bandsaw guides:

I was most amazed by the home made band saw. How many of us go that route. That guy is really very clever, but I don't know about that gross green color. Now I know I can stay with my Delta guides and cool blocks.

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[Hankoh]

I have a similar Delta clone, almost 30 years old now (mine was labeled Bridgewood - sold by Wilke Machinery). I had to replace the guides a year or so ago because the upper guide broke. I got the Carter set and have been very pleased - they work better than the original set. It is still not a great saw, but better than it was.

 

[gungatim]

I had one of those I picked up as a spare from a yard sale. replaced with the roller bearings and it helped (originals were long gone, and cheap tires were rotted as well).

the big thing I hated was it didn't take the standard 14" bandsaw blade, it was smaller, an odd size which meant they were expensive.

I sold it for a profit and moved on...but I think I still have the bearing guides (maybe 2, I think I only used them for the top) floating around, I can check.

bottom line, I felt the cost of upgrading the tires and blades wasn't worth it for a low quality bandsaw. and I think I only paid $60 for mine.

as an alternative, cool blocks work well, and even hardwood dowels work well for guides...

 

[derosa]

Unless the tires are new they're worth replacing for that moment when you're cutting and one gets spit out as the blade makes a bad noise stopping. Rubber tires that old just rot and urethane tires just work better. My old 12" delta with tires and metal blocks did just fine cutting curves on the line and resawing 6" boards. Not certain the bearings on my current saw make that much difference. Do check the bearings that the back of the blade runs on if it has that, previous owner hadn't adjusted them right on the delta and the blades slowly ate through them.
My only experience with Buffalo is a 6" jointer I picked up for 100, new blades and 2 hours of testing and adjustment and it works perfect every time.

 

[6PTsocket]

I have a similar Delta clone, almost 30 years old now (mine was labeled Bridgewood - sold by Wilke Machinery). I had to replace the guides a year or so ago because the upper guide broke. I got the Carter set and have been very pleased - they work better than the original set. It is still not a great saw, but better than it was.

I stopped in there once. York, PA. I am not sure they went out of business but may have just discontinued their house brands.

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[My Old Tools]

Cool blocks or well adjusted steel blocks are just as accurate, maybe more so, than ball bearing guides. Well waxed hardwood blocks will work too. It's mostly in the adjustment and blade tension. Getting the tires crowned correctly and the wheels co-planar will make it track truer. Those little saws are notorious for not being able to tension a blade over about 3/8". The frames aren't rigid enough and the tension springs are usually shot. You can upgrade the spring but it won't make the frame any stiffer.