# Band Saw Wheels



## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

You know the two wheels that the blade rides on in a band saw? Well mine had rubber tires on them. The tired had deteriorated. and have fallen off. How Important are they?

Can you run with out them? Will it afect the blade?


----------



## carlferg (Mar 18, 2009)

john, if you run saw without the rubber tires on the wheels the metal to metal contact will take the set (stagger) out of the alternating teeth of the blade on one side. The blade will not cut properly and will want to run towards one side. You can get new tires from Grizzly.com. You will need to know the diameter of the wheels on your saw. The tires are inexpensive and you put a light coat os shellac on the wheel when you install them to help bond the tire to the wheel so it will not tend to pull away and/or crawl on the wheel at higher rpms. Easy fix. carl


----------



## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

The rubber tires are very important. Properly installed tires have a crown on them, they make the wheel bigger in diameter at the center then at the edges. As saw runs the blade climbs to the high spot on the tire and stays there. Makes the blade less likely to come off. You can get by without the crown, but blade will require a bit more adjustment to get it centered on the wheel


The tire also protects the blade from getting dull on one side where it rubs against the metal wheel. You may have used a band saw and had problems the blade blade not following the line and tracking to one side. That's because the blade is dull on one side. A band saw blade always tracks to it's sharper side, the path of least resistance.


Band saw tires are available from woodworking suppliers. Probably will not find them at Home Depot.


----------



## deeredaze (Mar 10, 2008)

John, 
We had a German made bandsaw (Zimmermann) at work that had the tires wear through. Since it had a strange size of tires on it, and we could not find replacements, we used a type of contact cement and a strip of rubber roofing material bonded to the wheels. Surprisingly it lasted for a few years until the glue left go, from the heat generated from cutting metal. We did not glue a butt joint, rather, tapered each end of the rubber to about 45 degrees for a nice long transition joint. 
Remember, this thing was used and abused almost around the clock all year long. So I would not hesitate to try this for myself, it should last quite a long time at home, just cutting wood. I think I would still try to find a replacement tire if possible though. 
Just my two pennies worth! 
Kris


----------



## paperbender1960 (Jan 3, 2008)

Depending on the brand of bandsaw and the size check with Rockler or Woodcraft. Both of my local stores carry new tires for several sizes of saw. I would never run the saw without the tires, if for no other reason than to not damage the blade. 

Glen


----------

