# Metal Bandsaw Restoration



## delaney001 (21 Feb 2021)

Hi, repairing a metal bandsaw and need to get 2 new pulleys for the gearbox/motor combo.
can anyone recommend a uk supplier of pulleys? All I’m finding are China based results which are estimating delivery sometime between March and the reckoning.


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## minilathe22 (21 Feb 2021)

Simply Bearings Ltd ~ Oil Seals SKF FAG TIMKEN KOYO NTN NKE TRULOC Needle Rollers Taper Rollers Rod Ends Oil Filled Bushes Loose Balls O Rings Grease Plain Thrust sell quite a few pulleys. I dont know if they do any stepped ones. UK based and I have had next day delivery from them recently.


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## Jelly (21 Feb 2021)

Bearing King, Bearing Boys and Steel City Bearings all sell standardised pulley and belt ranges too, I would assume that pretty much any bearing factor would do so.

If you need a power transmission component which is somehow nonstandard HPC Gears are hands down the best commercial supplier I've come across.


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## delaney001 (22 Feb 2021)

Thanks very much Minilathe and Jelly, will have a look at those 3 now.


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## delaney001 (22 Feb 2021)

Changed the heading of the thread, as i have a few more questions that some might be able to help with. 

Need to source a pump for a coolant system for metal cutting bandsaw. Is there limitations to what can be used due to risk of filings being in the liquid? Or can i get a simple pond style pump and just ensure their is a filter on the line? 

Thanks


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## minilathe22 (22 Feb 2021)

I think these normally "filter" the metal filings by having a sump that the fluid drains into and then the pump inlet higher up so it won't catch any of the bits.


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## Jelly (22 Feb 2021)

delaney001 said:


> Changed the heading of the thread, as i have a few more questions that some might be able to help with.
> 
> Need to source a pump for a coolant system for metal cutting bandsaw. Is there limitations to what can be used due to risk of filings being in the liquid? Or can i get a simple pond style pump and just ensure their is a filter on the line?
> 
> Thanks



If you don't use a dedicated coolant pump with fine, easily cleaned strainer pots built in, mount it with the inlet well above the bottom of the tank, with a baffle between it and the return point, which goes down lower than the (pump) inlet.

Gravity will then separate whatever the strainer fails to catch, and increase the pump lifespan substantially.

*Edit: *Oh, I just repeated what @minilathe22 said, that'll teach me for not refreshing before I reply.


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## delaney001 (22 Feb 2021)

Thanks lads, that makes perfect sense. Should be able pick up a small pump and rig up a baffle in the reservoir. 


My next question, if your not sick of answering them for me, its a pretty basic one. I have cleaned up some surfaces and want to prevent any rust reappearing while waiting to assemble. I have used a simple little 3in1 oil in the past to cover small surfaces, but i can only seem to find it in the little 150ml bottle. For larger surfaces is there a more cost efficient oil you can get to protect cast iron surfaces? Something in a 1 or 5 litre container, or can you use any oil at all? I've gotten a small little oil can with the trigger pump to apply the oil, just wondering what is the most useful oil to go for. 

Thanks.


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## minilathe22 (22 Feb 2021)

You are more than welcome to keep asking questions. Oil if regularly topped up will likely prevent rust, usually with a machine a plastic cover when not in use will prevent condensation falling on it in the first place. There are quite a few other threads on this subject, try the search feature.


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## Jelly (22 Feb 2021)

Any mineral based oil will be alright.

If you're leaving parts unused for a long time I find grease more reliable than oil, but it's very messy to clean up.

Spray on cosmoline is about as convenient a method as there is for rust proofing with grease, and it's highly reliable, just requires a full wipe down with white spirits when you come to remove it.


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## TFrench (22 Feb 2021)

I used my bandsaw today and totally forgot to measure the pulleys for you. Sorry! I've been using boeshield recently, its expensive but very good. Just wipes off.


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## delaney001 (23 Feb 2021)

TFrench said:


> I used my bandsaw today and totally forgot to measure the pulleys for you. Sorry! I've been using boeshield recently, its expensive but very good. Just wipes off.



No hassle at all French! Im getting a motor early next week, if you get a chance to measure them before then it would be great.


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## delaney001 (23 Feb 2021)

Here are some pics of the progress for anyone that is interested. 
Got the saw for free, as it was on its way to the scrap yard. Not in bad condition really, but missing a motor and coolant pump and associated switches. Probably looking at €300 to get it back to good working order. 
Link below is a few progress pics.


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## delaney001 (24 Feb 2021)

Another question for you. Is it possible to make a gasket from silicone or something similar? I need a gasket for the gearbox to prevent oil leaking out, the old one is soft plastic, and it’s leaking. 
could I run a bead of silicone around the edge, leave it dry and then clamp the lid of the gearbox down onto the silicone?


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## Jelly (27 Feb 2021)

There are specific liquid gasket formulations available for exactly that purpose, I can't think of any trade names off the top of my head but I can look them up.

Generic sealants might work, but may also disintegrate into the oil causing issues long term, so I would take great care using them, and plan to disassemble and inspect how they've performed after a few months of use before committing to it being a permanent fix.



Gasket paper, or sheets of foil-covered bitumen-mineral wool gasket are good alternatives which can be readily shaped to make custom gaskets using a small ball-pein hammer and a Stanley knife.

Those would probably be my preference as once you've made one, it can be refitted multiple times provided adequate care is taken in disassembly.


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## delaney001 (6 Mar 2021)

Ended up getting a tube of Locktite sealant. A bit like a tube of toothpaste, and clamp it close.
Haven’t used it before but I assume once I use it, the seal is only good for one use. If it’s opened again does that destroy the deal?


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## Reginald (21 Mar 2021)

delaney001 said:


> Hi, repairing a metal bandsaw and need to get 2 new pulleys for the gearbox/motor combo.
> can anyone recommend a uk supplier of pulleys? All I’m finding are China based results which are estimating delivery sometime between March and the reckoning.


I think Axminster sell them


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## woodfarmer (6 Apr 2021)

Just a tip of something I had to learn for myself. On a metal cutting bandsaw which twists the blade the procedure for installing the blade is often incomplete. No where have I found the missing bit of information, had to work it out for myself. Basically a band will track towards the "high point" of the band wheels. Metal saws usually have flat wheels with no high point in the middle unlike wood cutting vertical bandsaws. To ensure the blades don't tend to come off the pulleys the guide bearings have to be installed in this sequence.
1. with no guide bearing touching a blade that is running (by hand), true on the wheels, with back edge of blade correct on the wheels. slide the bearing that is nearest to the cutting teeth to just nearly touch (ie not touching with near nil clearance) the blade. Usually this will be the inside guide bearings. Lock guides in place.
2. Now bring the other set of guide bearings in to push the back of the blade over so it runs true to cut. eg work piece horizontal, blade between the two sets of guides vertical. Lock in place.
3, check tracking, if ok slide the rear support bearings to just touching,

The reason is that now the outside edge of the blade has more tension that the toothed side, so the blade will track to the non toothed edge on the pulleys. Because the blade will track towards the high spot of the pulleys and it now thinks the high spot is at the non toothed edge because that is where there is most tension.

Hope this helps.


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## delaney001 (11 Apr 2021)

This is amazing. I haven’t been online for a while, but I finished up the saw last week. Got new motor, pulley, belt and nvr switch. Got everything going which was great, but the saw was throwing blades every now and again, couldn’t figure why.
I haven’t implemented it yet, but I imagine exactly what you have detailed is what is happening. This site is a great resource, thanks very much!!!


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