# At $75, is this Rockwell Band Saw a Good Deal?



## djonesax (Mar 3, 2008)

http://greensboro.craigslist.org/tls/669801347.html

I've attached some additional pics.

Thanks,

David


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

YES YES YES If I didnt already have 3 I would buy it myself. I have a Delta-Rockwell that is over 60 years old and a Craftsman that is about 50 years old, and a little cheep craftsman. I recomend if you do buy it, change out the babit bearings in the wheels to pin bearings. They are about $10.00 to 15.00 but well worth it.


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## Gerry KIERNAN (Apr 20, 2007)

Grab it.

Gerry


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## djonesax (Mar 3, 2008)

I cant find one of these for sale anywhere on the internet. What would something like this normally cost?


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## skymaster (Oct 30, 2006)

One whole heck of alot MORE than you wood want to pay.:yes:


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## Gerry KIERNAN (Apr 20, 2007)

As a guess I would have to say $300 to $500 or more bought new.

Gerry


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## djonesax (Mar 3, 2008)

I have been trying to find this saw online but am having no luck identifying it. The person said he would send me the model number tonight but until then can anyone help me identify what model this MIGHT be so I can research it. Also looking at the picture it looks larger than a 10" saw to me and I wonder if he is talking about the thought and not width from the blade to the saw.


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## mdlbldrmatt135 (Dec 6, 2006)

It looks to be about a 10" saw....... my 9" uses 59ish inch long blades.......


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## djonesax (Mar 3, 2008)

Ok I got the saw. I paid $50 for it. Now I have some questions but you all knew I would...

1. When I cut, the blade leaves cut lines or stokes and is not even remotely smooth. Is this normal for a band saw?

2. When I put the band on is there anything I should make sure to do properly? For instance should the band run in the center of the wheels or does it matter?

3. How should I set up the guide blocks and blade support bearings per type of blade?

Thanks,

David


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## MrRodeoCC (Mar 15, 2008)

Here is a guide that will get that bandsaw setup right. Good Luck!!
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~pwguild/i-bndsaw.htm


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## Gerry KIERNAN (Apr 20, 2007)

Good buy David. 

I read the setup guide for bandsaws and that is good information. With regard to the cut lines in the wood, that is probably a coarse blade in the saw. Try a finer pitch blade, and see how that works.

Gerry


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## djonesax (Mar 3, 2008)

Seems like a good article. I have a much better understadning of how everything is supposed to work. Thank you.


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## djonesax (Mar 3, 2008)

Doesn anyone have any idea on how to increase the size of this table and add a rip fence without it costing a fortune?


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## allthunbs (May 14, 2008)

Handyman said:


> YES YES YES If I didnt already have 3 I would buy it myself. I have a Delta-Rockwell that is over 60 years old and a Craftsman that is about 50 years old, and a little cheep craftsman. I recomend if you do buy it, change out the babit bearings in the wheels to pin bearings. They are about $10.00 to 15.00 but well worth it.


Firstly, what is the difference between Babit bearings and pin bearings? Second, I have the generic 14" import with the 6" riser block and I've recently put in new bearings. Are "pin" bearings available for my saw?


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## Gerry KIERNAN (Apr 20, 2007)

Babit bearings are a sold metal bushing, usually made out of a sintered bronze alloy[designed to hold lube in the pores] Pin bearings are more commonly called roller bearings and have bunch of small diameter rollers encased in a hardened metal shell. If you contact the company you got the saw from they should be able to advise you as to wether or not they have bearing upgrades available. The other option would be to measure the existing bearings and go to a bearing supply house to see if they have roller bearings to match. Here you have to be a little careful, as most of the offshore equipment is manufactured in metric measurement.

Gerry


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## djonesax (Mar 3, 2008)

I followed the setup article and have it all setup correctly I think. The saw still wasnt cutting well so I replaced the blade. All I can saw is wow, the wood turned to butter. I took off what looked like a 1/2 inch blade and I replaced it with a brand new 3/8 inch blade with more TPI. It works amazingly better and the cuts are much smoother and straigter. There are still some blade marks but at least now they are marks that I can sand out.


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## allthunbs (May 14, 2008)

Thanks Gerry. I call the "babbit" bearings, bushings (bronze bushings, oil impregnated bronze bushings) and the "pin" bearings I call ball bearings. When I first red your post I thought the "babbit" would be ball bearings and the pin would be roller bearings. BTW, do you still use Worthington measure ;-)

djonesax: I recently bought an "import" (read Korean copy of the Delta 14" bandsaw) for $15.00. I put a new set of bearings and a new blade and it still didn't work quite right. I then started going around the machine taking a bit apart, cleaning it up and putting it back together. Part of the cleanup was to make sure it was put together right in the first place. I found that the original owner really screwed up the assembly. I got hold of an old manual and began checking the saw from one end to the other. One of the things I noticed is that the castings didn't always line up properly. I discovered that this particular saw still had casting lines that had not been cleaned up. I cleaned them up and I now have one beautiful little saw that I know intimately.


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