Bandsaw tires (And it's on topic!!)

The very best tire solution I have used is to make tires from a silicone rubber that I got from a heat-seal blister packaging machine supply co. The rubber came in sheets and I cut it into strips and contact cemented them to the wheel. The rubber has outlasted factory tires 10 to 1.

Jeez, Koz, I can't believe you had the temerity to post On Topic. Your'e gonna ruin the group. Anyway, If MSC or J & L or McMaster-Carr can't provide a tire you can make one yourself out of 1/8" thick rubber sheet. This should be available at a local rubber or belting supply. The rubber can be glued on with epoxy. I bought a used saw and the previous owner had done that to the saw. The rubbers are still on. Here, McMaster-Carr has these wheel rubbers: 10" 4561A31 $16.18 12" 4561A11 $16.87 14" 4561A12 $16.72 All 1" wide. Call 'em at 732-329-3200. Tell 'em Eric sent ya:) They're on the web too. ERS

My 14" Delta wood/metal saw appears to urethane tires. Anyway, they are tough and 7 years of cutting 98% metal on it has yet to wear the tires in an significant way. Resilient tires give accurate tracking with different blade widths and tensions. Anyway, you can get tires made from rubber or urethane plus a multitude of band saw accessories at

Often you can turn the old tires down on a lathe and get a good new surface. One alternative is to make tires from an innertube. Cut a band which is wider than your wheel, but smaller in diameter. Stretch it around the wheel evenly, then insert dowel pins or other spacers evenly around the wheel between the tire and the rim. leave spaces between the dowels. coat both the rim and inner tire with contact cement. After proper curing, remove the dowels one at a time from oposite directions and stick the tire to the rim as you go. When the cement is cured you can trim off the excess tire with a stanley knife. (OR, you could buy some tires,). Either way, its best to true up the old surface first, a lathe being the easiest way. Paul

I bought mine for $9.00 each from Memphis Machine & Tool.....they are a rubber, and so far have worked fine. Maybe when they do wear out I'll try the urethane, but from what I have seen over the years rubber lasts quite a number of years.

I certainly would not machine a flange into your wheels a a horizontal bandsaw is a totally different machine than the verticle. I can't say for sure but there are tons of metal cuttin g vertical bandsaws out there and I have never seen one with flanges to retain the blade. They all use adjustable guides. You can cange widths on verticle bandsaw blades to accomodate different radius in cutting stock but normally a horizontal takes one given blade with as its just used for cxutting straight cuts, no curves.

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Thanks for the link. As you and others have suggested here (and the question I was really asking) was that rubber/urethane hold up under a load of metal filings. I'll go ahead and true the wheels, replace the bearings, and probably re-tire with urethane.

Thanks for the help, everyone

Koz (who had to get the kick >My 14" Delta wood/metal saw appears to urethane tires. Anyway, they are

Wow! You must have a very old McMaster book - current prices are $19.69, $20.53, & $21.44 for those sizes...

Now there is a drive-by gloat if I aver saw one! Geoff

Isn't epoxy too brittle for gluing rubber?

Use the spray can 3M super 77 stuff. Its what I use...

my 2 cents

If you are want a reason to fire up the lathe, you can make your own. I make them for a 1/6 scale T34-85 tank RC model project.