Rockwell 28-300 bandsaw

J

jeff77indy

Aluminum

Joined

May 17, 2006

Location

Grantsburg, Indiana

• Jul 18, 2006

• #1

I have a chance to pick one these up cheap at work.
It appears to be a four speed saw and has tires.
Can any one give me any info on it?
Is it a combo wood/metal bandsaw?

Thanks.
Jeff

 

John in MA

Titanium

Joined

Apr 14, 2005

Location

MA, USA

• Jul 18, 2006

• #2

I have an older model of that saw. It's a metal/wood version of the famous Delta/Rockwell 14" woodcutting bandsaw. Since wood speed, four metal speeds. There's a fairly fancy gear reduction box with an oil sump built into the lower casting of the saw. A knob changes it from wood (direct) to metal (reduction) drive. Great saw.

Take the gearbox apart and check for wear and bearing problems if you get it. And call Delta, they'll send you a manual and parts list. Almost every repair part is still available, or at least was before B&D bought them.

 

macona

Diamond

Joined

Jun 20, 2006

Location

Beaverton, OR

• Jul 18, 2006

• #3

I have the same one. Just someone lost some of the original pulleys, and they are not available from Delta.

Note, its not just as easy as switching the lever to go from wood to metal. You have two different lengths of belts and you switch them when you change from wood to metal.

One interesting thing is the manual is online. I think I found it on deltas website.

 

John in MA

Titanium

Joined

Apr 14, 2005

Location

MA, USA

• Jul 18, 2006

• #4

If you have the pullies set up right it's designed to run with both belts on at the same time. Many users switch them, though, since it saps a little power.

Did you say lever? The lever models were the previous models, a '30s-'40s design I think.

 

J

jeff77indy

Aluminum

Joined

May 17, 2006

Location

Grantsburg, Indiana

• Jul 18, 2006

• #5

Thanks for the info guys.
I'm still working on the Plant Manager on this.
I got a Wellsaw 8M horizontial bandsaw earlier this year for $50, when he ask for me to pay it. I have maybe $150 in it getting it going. I'm hoping I can work the same deal on this.
I bailed his butt out on some Salvagnini machines they needed to get running so I'll probobly end up with it sooner or later.
Jeff

 

D

Dick Streff

Aluminum

Joined

Sep 12, 2003

Location

Omaha

• Jul 18, 2006

• #6

macona and John in MA,

You are both right in this instance. The older lever change models require the belt to be swapped in order to switch from gearbox mode to direct high speed.

The later models that switched by pulling out a knob that releases a dog clutch can be run with both belts still on the sheaves.

Dick

 

M

Mike Henry

Titanium

Joined

Aug 18, 2001

Location

Batavia, IL USA

• Jul 19, 2006

• #7

I think that Ace Tool Repair carries a fair number of parts for older Delta tools:

http://www.acetoolrepair.com/

I need the bottom pulley for a similar saw and will probably end up buying from Ace.

Mike

 

macona

Diamond

Joined

Jun 20, 2006

Location

Beaverton, OR

• Jul 19, 2006

• #8

Well, not exactly lever, but a shaft that you rotate to engage the gearbox.

Me and my dad got it from a friend of hs for $50. No motor, missing upper guard. It has the solid cast iron base. Can we say HEAVY!

We put a new motor in and made guard.

My dad wasnt using it so I took it.

I am looking for an authentic top cover if anyone knows where I might find one.

 

J

Jon_Spear

Hot Rolled

Joined

Aug 26, 2004

Location

San Francisco, CA

• Jul 19, 2006

• #9

For more info and pictures of this type of machine, you can check out the "Old Woodworking Machines" website.

Here is the type of saw which you describe:
http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=1905
Note that the original saw had step pulleys on both the motor and the middle pulley, which allowed several different high and low speeds. Compare that with the third photo of the link, in whcih the owner has replaced the matched belt pairs with the link type belts. Pulling the knurled knob on the top pulley switches from low back gear to direct drive for high speeds.


Here is the older type of Delta saw, which had a different gearbox, as described by some previous posters on this thread:
http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=995

Here are the rest of the posted bandsaws on OWWM:
http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/ByType-Detail.asp?Type=2

 

V

vises

Aluminum

Joined

May 8, 2003

Location

Paso Robles, CA

• Jul 19, 2006

• #10

I like mine. Mfg ca1954, similar Milwalke name tag versions date to the 1930's, I think.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/codybird/1940%20Chevy%20PU/Home%20Shop/ms5.jpg

 

M

montage

Plastic

Joined

Sep 20, 2020

• Sep 20, 2020

• #11

Badly pitted bull-gear for Delta metal/wood gearbox

I've got a bad bull gear in my Delta band saw and the only option I see is making a new gear since they all seem to wear-out due to the worm gear design causing high loads. Anyone ever see a decent used gear for this saw?