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  1. #1
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    Default Woodfast Junior - Tyre Replacement

    Hello,

    I'm a foreigner to this forum so hopefully this is the correct place to ask a question concerning tyres. Not that long ago, BobL gave me his Woodfast Universal Woodworker. The machine, a 1966 university purchase, was at that time accompanied by nearly all of the numerous accessories Woodfast offered to make the Universal a true combination machine. Bob sold the Universal's 10 inch bandsaw four years ago to a fellow called Bueller.

    Last weekend I swapped a 14" bandsaw for a Junior. Mounted on the Universal, the saw cuts well but rattles and vibrates. Given the simplicity of the saw I imagine the tyres are the source.

    IMG_20201114_140556044.jpg IMG_20201118_102425559.jpg IMG_20201118_144820799.jpg

    I have found a seller on eBay in the States who offers tyres for the Junior - 2 BLUE MAX ULTRA .125 URETHANE BAND SAW TIRES FOR 260MM WOODFAST JUNIOR BAND SAW | eBay and I am wondering if anyone has purchased these tyres and if so, do they fit the Junior correctly?

    Also, does anyone know of a local supplier of tyres for the Junior?

    Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

    Bob.

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  3. #2
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    Default

    Bob, I've often followed some of your posts in the Metalwork Forum, finally able to give back.

    I had pretty much the same question you have, I asked but didn't get too much information back, but enough to have a go and yes, they work well and continue to work well.

    Here is the thread I started about 3½ years ago, second page of the thread has the meat of the information, plus some pictures of me putting the new tyres on.

    Urethane Band Saw tyres (tires)

    Mick.

  4. #3
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    Default

    Bob, that seller you referred to, is, as far as I understand it, the actual manufacturer of the product. I may be wrong about that fact, but in the end I telephoned him and he was brilliant and knew exactly what I needed and what I wanted.

    Mick.

  5. #4
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    Thank you Mick.

    After your experience I will go ahead and order a pair of tyres. Woodfast grooved the Junior's wheels on the saw that 'Bueller' owns and if my wheels are similarly grooved I will need to fill them with something that won't interfere with the tyre installation. I don't know if grooving was common practice and if it is something others have encountered, I wonder if there is a recommended fix?

    Regards
    Bob.

  6. #5
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    Woodfast wheels were grooved so as to take vulcanised tyres, vulcanised tyres are superior to the modern urethane and will out last them many times over.

  7. #6
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    Default

    Bob, maybe if you contact the seller and ask his advice, I'm sure he has had this issue before. He replied within ½ a day to me and another person some months later in a similar time frame with another query.

    Mick.

  8. #7
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    Mick,

    I have now had a number of email exchanges with Gary at Bandsaw Tire Warehouse. The Junior's wheels are grooved. Bueller glued a rubber strip filler in place that projected 1.5mm in an attempt to crown the urethane tire he subsequently fitted. I have no idea if it proved to be a successful exercise. I did send Bueller a PM last weekend to which I have had no reply.

    Gary suggested filling the groove with automotive body filler. He also offered to send a urethane filler strip as an alternative to the filler. I am uncertain about the necessity of crowning. Chances of finding about it in relation to the Junior might well be slim.

    Bob.

  9. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Anorak Bob View Post
    Gary suggested filling the groove with automotive body filler. He also offered to send a urethane filler strip as an alternative to the filler. I am uncertain about the necessity of crowning. Chances of finding about it in relation to the Junior might well be slim.
    Crowning will make it easier for the band to track and it also protects the teeth tips with the buttom of the gullet rides on the top of the crown (this is SOP) on most BS.

    As far as the amount of crowning needed for tracking goes, very little crowning is needed. Even a couple of layers of standards sparkies insulation tape will do that. A bit more will help protect the teeth tips.

  10. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    Crowning will make it easier for the band to track and it also protects the teeth tips with the buttom of the gullet rides on the top of the crown (this is SOP) on most BS.

    As far as the amount of crowning needed for tracking goes, very little crowning is needed. Even a couple of layers of standards sparkies insulation tape will do that. A bit more will help protect the teeth tips.
    Thanks Bob.

    Gary asked me to confirm the width and depth of the wheel's groove if I wanted to have him supply an insert. To measure the groove would require destroying part of the existing tire and if there was a problem with obtaining new tires I'd be buggered. I read another thread here about the Junior and the wheel groove depth was 2mm not Bueller's 3. Might be safer to just purchase the tires and deal with filling the groove when they arrive. I will undoubtedly be leaning on you for some more help.

    I will post a bit more on the refurbishment thread about the installation of the saw on the Universal. Not the plug and go I was expecting.

    Bob.

  11. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Anorak Bob View Post
    Thanks Bob.

    Gary asked me to confirm the width and depth of the wheel's groove if I wanted to have him supply an insert. To measure the groove would require destroying part of the existing tire and if there was a problem with obtaining new tires I'd be buggered.
    I wouldn't really recommend running a new blade on those cracked tyres. Chances are they will fly apart while running - then the blade comes off and buggers itself and youre up for a new blade!

    I read another thread here about the Junior and wheel groove depth was 2mm not Bueller's 3. Might be safer to just purchase the tires and deal with filling the groove when they arrive. I will undoubtedly be leaning on you for some more help.
    No worries.

  12. #11
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    Default

    Hi AB. My bandsaw (12") also has grooved wheels. I have used Carter blue tyres but did need to use some contact adhesive to keep them in place. No crowning and the blade tracks fine. I was able to purchase tyres locally

  13. #12
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    I purchased tires from the bloke in New Jersey for our wadkin Wadkin bzb500

    The wadkin has aluminium grooved wheels which have no lip on the edge of the rim, & which had been previously butchered. I purchased crowned blue tires made especially to fit the measurements of the rim. They arrived about a month later.

    I put them on the Wadkin on Saturday. The previous rubber tires had been glued on in a really messy job, then trued and crowned with abrasive. There was quite a bit of cleanup but we used a small screwdriver to pry the glue out of the grooves, then a wire wheel chucked in a cordless drill to sweep most of it out. I then fitted the tires, which was relatively easy, then realized the thicker tires had changed the effective diameter of the wheels, so I'd have to move the centre of the guide carrier plate 1/4" further out. Fortunately the wadkin guides are mounted on an eccentric cam, so it was just a matter of rotating the shaft they mount on. Unfortunately its a trial and error process where you have to mount the blade to check your rotation guess, dismount the blade to correct, remount to check... It took about 6 goes.

    Finally I was happy with the setup under hand rotation. so it was time to power up to see if anything would fly off. Fortunately I am in the habit of installing the blade guard as the top tire walked off the rim forward and the lower tire walked off backward, and the blade chewed up the blade guard.

    I emailed Gary at the tire warehouse with the photos asking for a solution. He got back overnight & said the tires would have to be glued on with general purpose contact cement. I have identified Sika premium 4600 as the closest thing to the Weld wood contact cement, he recommended. I will let you know how I go
    Attached Images Attached Images

  14. #13
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    I'd be inclined to use flat tires if that's what was on the machine already.
    Especially if you want to resaw with it, more than curve cutting.
    If you won't be running a narrow blade that often, then It's just a case of more tracking adjustment turns needed to swap between blades.

    I'd be looking for rubber tires as I haven't ever worked with urethane,and don't know how it scrapes compared to rubber ones.

    Tom

  15. #14
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    In an attempt at keeping things simple I just purchased a pair of Blue Max Ultra tires from New Jersey. Thank you all for your suggestions and advice.

    Bob.

  16. #15
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    I glued the tires on our Wadkin detailed story here Wadkin bzb500

    It has been a successful operation. I am very pleased with the blue max tires. The thicker tires with the inbuilt crown work well, You just have to be aware that the thicker crowned tires change the effective diameter of the wheel slightly, which means you need to reposition the guide carrier plate to account for that.

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