bandsaw wheels

[sinjin1111]

Hi guys, i'm going to cost out building a 18"-20" bandsaw similar to the Hiatchi re-saw. Machine access for me is no probs and i have mates who own a 6m bed Mill and at $40 an hour it will be cheap.
So has anyone done a little work on looking for wheels?? Preferably cast.
Sinjin

[soundman]

Order them as a spare part from a machine you like.
I think your bitin off more than you need to chew?

[sinjin1111]

Maybe, i won't know till i start drawing it up. I costed making wheels yesterday was just under $300.00 including balancing. That was based on 20" 10mm thick laser cut disc with a 5mm rolled rim 60mm wide.
Sinjin

[sailingamerican]

I hope you have a good welder and a pile of steel. My x father inlaw built one from wood years ago. It never did a good job. It flexed when he tightend the blade. The guides never lined up etc. He was a ship fitter and rebuilt US Subs. He was good at what he did and could not make it work very well. Parts will cost a lot more than buying a saw. I was a tool and die maker before I became an architect/general contractor. I am not sure I would want to take the time to build a band saw. The guides must be inline. I found a 20" new in the crate Delta band saw for $770 up at an antique auction. The next month at the same auction I picked up the Hitachi resaw with a 3" carbide blade for $610. It came from my doctors hobby shop. I know things cost a lot more there because of your vat tax and shipping. I bet if you look you will find a good buy. If you still think you want to build the band saw send me a list of the parts you do not have. I know some good machine shops and machine rebuilders. I might be able to get the parts you need a lot cheaper than you can. I am leaving for Coffs Harbour the 11th of August. Will be their on the 12th. I can bring them with me. I travel light and have extra weight that I do not use. Contact me at

[email protected] or [email protected]

[sinjin1111]

Hi, and thankyou for the kind offer. The design and manufacture of the machine for me is not hard at all. i design machines for a living. One off special purpose type things. When i saw what you payed for the Hitachi my eyes nearly fell out of my head. here in Aust that machine is about 5k. So you have bargain. Lucky you. Nice place you have picked to go for a holiday by the way.

Sinjin

[alf t]

I have a friend made his wheels out of MDF. He has worked it continuously
for the past 6 years. No problems.
Alf

[goodwoody]

Hi Sinjin What about blades, tipped or steel? How wide? etc. I'm interested to know. Have a look around old farms, sometimes the discarded dairy equipment has cast and machined wheels. Damien.

[Grahame Collins]

SinJin
I have fabricated 14'' wheels for an old Hafco b/saw years ago.The originasl were machined while the aluminium was green and were 2mm out of round and therefore unusable. I used 10mm thick plate and wrapped 25 x 6 flat around the edge.The bearing bosses were 12mm plate and the whole lot was machined back to suit the original tyres.The wheels did not even require balancing.
I am happy to answer and questions from you about it.