Walker Turner 14 inch Band Saw Tire Selection (sheet metal cutting application)

[MrCreosote]

Top tire is gone.
I will not come close to putting 10 hours on this saw (I'm 70 and only small maintenance work now - NO projects.)
Too many choices.
All this urethane stuff, very little rubber.
I'm thinking rubber since cheaper but maybe crowned urethane might be quicker? (wheels aren't crowned) (Since Time = Money, I will trade Quick for Cheap)
And then there's the glue.

 

[L Vanice]

Urethane is a type of synthetic rubber. It may be popular for saw tires because the tire maker can buy it in long rolls and cut and easily weld it to fit any diameter wheel.

If the metal of the wheel is crowned, there is no need for the tire to have a molded-in crown.

I would just get what is cheap and easily available. Maybe even see if there is a small bike inner tube that could be cut into a strip the right width and circumference.

Larry

 

[MrCreosote]

From what I've read, the wheel is not crowned so you have to crown the tires.
I was thinking just the cheapest but maybe someone might have a tip to save time.

 

[Tom A]

Just use the urethane tires - They'll hold up fine. AND, I don't think you need to glue those.
But if the wheel rims are flat, you'll have to crown the tires - It can go pretty fast with a disc sander, but you'll need to find a way to drive the top wheel for that.

 

[MrCreosote]

Just use the urethane tires - They'll hold up fine. AND, I don't think you need to glue those.
But if the wheel rims are flat, you'll have to crown the tires - It can go pretty fast with a disc sander, but you'll need to find a way to drive the top wheel for that.

In that case, they sell crowned urethane tires would save the time.
Have seen them for $75 on Amazon, but found them for $66 but check out this cross-section (!) WOW: Let's just say, I WANT these! LOL (still need to confirm the glue not needed - but then like I said, I won't put 10 hours on this saw)

 

[ratbldr427]

In that case, they sell crowned urethane tires would save the time.
Have seen them for $75 on Amazon, but found them for $66 but check out this cross-section (!) WOW: Let's just say, I WANT these! LOL (still need to confirm the glue not needed - but then like I said, I won't put 10 hours on this saw)
View attachment 403745

Check out Sulpher Grove. They have several outlets. Prices are really reasonable.

 

[MrCreosote]

Check out Sulpher Grove. They have several outlets. Prices are really reasonable.

I've found SG on Amazon, but the Amazon search is garbage, "crowned" in the search is basically ignored so 95% of the hits are noise. I did find crowned on A but they were more money and didn't have any indication of the amount of crown.

 

[MrCreosote]

Latest thinking: I'm tempted to build up some crown on the wheels using different widths of electrical tape and then use a flat urethane belt.
For metal cutting snail speed, should be easier to half-a$$ something. (I know, I'm a cheapskate but then I probably won't put more than a couple hours on the saw.)

 

[Vecair]

You can find urethane tires on ebay for about 35 bucks a pair. Urethane does not need to be glued. There are also several install videos on You Tube.

 

[MrCreosote]

UPDATE: Tire off (only top is bad), wheel clean but "grooved" from running blades w/o tire (maybe they used tape of something else that was glued down): Wheel has many grooves where various blades wore into wheel to the point where the general area of the teeth results in a slight negative crown.

RESURFACE WHEEL: Any tricks other than turning in lathe? I was thinking disc or burr grinding at 45* angle that would cause the wheel to rotate so with an even hand, result should still be fairly round. Again, I'm metal cutting.)

 

[Tom A]

If the groove is that bad, I think I'd fill it with something (JB Weld, epoxy putty, etc,) and then turn it down - Just to the original wheel surface, no more.
If you turn the top wheel down below it's original diameter, the blade won't run vertically through the guides anymore.
You could rig up something to drive the top wheel, and use the saw as it's own lathe.
Maybe a motor or drill with a rubber sanding drum, pushed tight against the wheel, or something like that - You'll figure it out.

 

[MrCreosote]

If the groove is that bad, I think I'd fill it with something (JB Weld, epoxy putty, etc,) and then turn it down - Just to the original wheel surface, no more.
If you turn the top wheel down below it's original diameter, the blade won't run vertically through the guides anymore.
You could rig up something to drive the top wheel, and use the saw as it's own lathe.
Maybe a motor or drill with a rubber sanding drum, pushed tight against the wheel, or something like that - You'll figure it out.

You bring up a good point: if the wheel diameters are not the same, then the blade will not be vertical thru the guides. But it does bring up the issue that both wheels should be the same diameter. The bottom rubber is OK, but is actually worn down in the middle resulting in a negative crown - I could crown it never the less. If I keep it, then I need to crown a 1/8" top tire. If I get the crowned tires, Ill have to use them both since they are much thicker in the middle.

It would be easy to "screed" off the epoxy or Bondo before it gets hard since the wheel edges are not worn down. As far as JB Weld, I can use their Quick since the original runs and sags as it dries - a real problem for doing the entire wheel (would almost need a way to continuously rotate the wheel on a horizontal shaft (!)

 

[MrCreosote]

 

[Tom A]

I guess I just never understood how people abuse machinery like that
I mean, how hard could it have been for the PO to replace the tires, instead of running it like that........
Hopefully, you should be able to correct it without it being too much of a PITA.

 

[MrCreosote]

I guess I just never understood how people abuse machinery like that
I mean, how hard could it have been for the PO to replace the tires, instead of running it like that........
Hopefully, you should be able to correct it without it being too much of a PITA.

Well, before the internet, where in the world would you get band saw tires? I can't even imagine. I'll bet the damage to this WT was done many years ago.

 

[gustafson]

Before the internet you could probably have called Walker Turner and they would sell you some.
Remember ordering stuff and having absolutely no idea when it would come?
Hell I was selling my own products before the internet, it could be done...

 

[MrCreosote]

I remember in the 70's, DoAll had a store in Irwin, PA on Rte 30. I got large carbide burrs sharpened for a couple/few dollars apiece - couldn't believe how inexpensive. I'll bet they might have had tires. Also there were industrial supply houses.

 

[MrCreosote]

CROWNING: Is it harder to crown urethane belts? My bottom rubber is cupped a little but still in good shape - still thick enough to get some crown on it.

CROWN BOTH?: do I really need to crown both wheels? I know the Crown Demonstration Videos show one pulley crowned. It sure would be easier to just slap a flat belt on the top.

CROWNED TIRES: I definitely will not buy a pair of those super thick high crown urethane tires. They just look too extreme. NOTE: I also read a claim that the amount of crown is also related to the blade width and speed in which case, most of the advice is wood related - not metal and specifically not sheet. The blade roll that I have is old DIsston 32 tpi, 5/16 width - I purchased it in the early 70s and it was the only 32 tpi narrow blade out there - bimetal didn't exist (and even right now, I haven't seen anyone offer this roll that I have.)

 

[neilho]

Could drive the top wheel with a bandsaw blade. Use the file/rasp/grinder against the bottom of the wheel. Urethane would be a tougher job than the other rubbers.

Or maybe just fool around with a handheld grinder. Could prob get a grinding action that rotates the wheel at the same time

Lots of glue to fill the grooves, cover with a neoprene tire, file/grind to shape sounds like a plausible solution.

 

[memphisjed]

Grind turn in the saw to flat and let the grooves be. Many “Real” wheels are grooved from the factory to help prevent hydroplaning.