Installing and Crowning Bandsaw Tires 

I replaced my bandsaw tires twice and everyone seems to complain how hard they are to get on. I wish people would take their wheel off it only takes two seconds and makes tire replacement a breeze.

I have a 16 inch band saw with cast iron wheels it doesn't have rubber on wheels, the blade runs with teeth overhanging. It is Makita old model. Bought it in Saudi Arabia in 1985. Good running since then, no problems. I have not been able to find any literature on Internet. Makita is no response. I wish to know more about it can you help? In India and far east they almost all have steel wheels with no rubber but I have not been able to get any proper working details about the crowning of the steel wheels, they seem to have no crown. Can any one help. Thanks.

Keith I have a 1942 bandsaw delta Rockwell, wood and metal with the reduction gear, I can't find the lower bearings do you know where to find them. Thanks

what if you took a c clamp and clamped it sideways on the wheel instead of onto the belt making a fence around the belt keeping it from being able to pop off

Thank You! I am restoring my Granddaddy's antique silver bandsaw. This video will help me alot. Have a Great Day!

I have a bandsaw that is driving me crazy, my belt keeps jumping off.

If that is contact adhesive, is usually is supposed to dry on both sides before you have one side touch the other. But I understand the dilemma of adhering a stretchy surface with contact glue.

You’ve obviously do not read enough comments on RU-vid videos. There’s only one way of doing any job and that's the person writing the comment's way, anything else is WRONG! Another great video, thanks.

I wish you would of gone into more detail on the shape and size of the crown. You don't show any details. I wish it was as easy as you made it look because it is not.

If your holding the sandpaper freehand without a solid unmovable support, you are not truing up the tire surface to be round...you are simply making a surface that is parallel to the original wheel surface at best: at worst you are humps into it from vibration and bumps. For proper truing, follow the principle of lathe turning, you need a solid rest. An old installed blade with the teeth ground down can serve as a good driver for the free wheel work without risking getting cut.

This was a truly great video. I had no idea that there was so much involved with installing these tires. I need to take a second look at the new polypro tires I put on my Delta 16" bandsaw. I did not glue them, nor equalize the tension as you did. I also used "C" clamps to help me install the tires. (Oh well!)

I've never glued a tire onto a wood band saw in my entire life and I've never had one come off what the hell LOL

Thank you sir, another great video. I sure got lucky when I replaced the tires on my Harbor Freight 14 inch band saw. I just ripped the old one off and stretched the new one into place. So far so good, but after watching this video, maybe I should re visit that project. Now that I think about it, I do hear some thumping going on in there. Sure makes sense when you do it correctly. Oh well, tomorrows project :) .

Nice! I just bought an old Powr-Kraft 14" band saw from the 40's or 50's for $40. My tires are a little cracked but not too bad. My problem is I don't know how long of a blade I need. There is one on there now, but it's too long. They jerry-rigged it by adding a block of plywood under the top adjusters....not sure why. But it rubs on the top of the guard. Is there a place to go to find that information?

What kind of glue do you use on a bandsaw tire ? Can you use the newer urethane tires ?

I will give away our secret in our shop with several bandsaws. We stopped buying tires years ago. Now we use several wraps of 3m Scotch 33 electrical tape or even a top quality duct tape. We have saws from 12" to 36" and this is how they all run in production situations without failure.

Never ever say Keith skimps on glue!

Hi Keith, Nothing beats well maintained tools, no injuries, better precision and the tools last longer. Thanks, Pierre

Here's a tire gluing hack that works for me... When nobody is looking, steal one of those decorating bags from the kitchen (hopefully its disposable), fill it with glue and squeeze the glue in front and behind the dowel as you turn it. The dowel will help spread the glue evenly on both surfaces. I found that to be easier than trying to force the bristle brush in there. Another way... Save an empty toothpaste tube. Cut the end off of it, clean out the leftovers, fill it with glue, fold over the back end and roll the tube end as you empty the glue. I'm sure you could use those hacks for a lot of other things too. Don't knock it till you try it!

Thanks for the vid; I worked in a shop that had more than 15 bandsaws for cutting vacuum formed parts. The biggest (and nicest) that I ever serviced/rebuilt was a 42" or 48" Tannewitz with direct drive. Putting the tires on that one was a job, but once it was all done & tuned up it ran really nicely. Never did crown the tires, guy I learned from hadn't done it so I didn't. Next time I replace a set I will be sure to do it though. Thanks Kieth Rucker, the information you share with us is invaluable.

I have been putting off this job for a long time. After watching your video I have the confidence to get right on it. Keith as always thanks for your time and effort.

Those aren't the 3 S's I know :) Shit, shave and shower... Thanks for the video. I'm about to replace the tires on an old inherited Sears Craftsman 12" from the 70's. I've had to strip it down and do some rust removal and replace guide bearings to make everything work smoothly, so I figured new tires wouldnt hurt.

Great video. Thank you! I have an issue I'm hoping you can help me with. I recently bought a powermatic 143 from a friend that used to belong to his dad. The tires were falling apart so I decided to replace them. After reading a bit I decided on urethane tires and they keep coming off. Is it because there's no channel for them to sit in? If so then I'll just buy rubber tires and glue them in but I was hoping these would work. Thank you for any insight you can offer.

Where gloves with acetone.

Hi sir goodmorning,I'm in the market for band saw which do you think is better to buy a powermatic 141 or a powermatic 044?thanks

Wow, that is fantastically looser than the tires I've tried to install. They take some real oompf and effort to get stretched around and never could i just use a finger to pull down enough to get that rod under it.

Keith, I'm enjoying your bandsaw tire replacement video. I just bought a Sprunger 10" bandsaw that needs work. Are you familiar with Sprunger tools? Where can I get parts for my saw: manuals, guides, rip fence, miter gauge, etc..

Thank you,. We are going to set up our Walker Turners soon. Four very happy old rust covered work horses. They have a new home....have come out of storage.

Great how to video Keith.

I have no memory of how I replaced the tires the first time on my 2007 band saw but this time it was giving me the fantods. Lots of videos show how easily new urethane tires slip on with the wheels removed, but I didn't want to bother with that. I'm here to tell you that your trick with a strip of t-shirt worked EASILY the first time! Many, many thanks!

thanks for all the great advise Keith Rucker. Your video is helping me and my family understand this old bandsaw with no name from an old warehouse. I contacted Bobby from woodworkers tool works and he was very helpful and will be supplying me with the upgrades I need to get this machine up and running. Also he will be giving me my military vet. discount. Thank you, deeman

Neither of my band saws even have rubber wheels but they both seem to work fine. I don't know that they ever had them either by looking at them. On a metal saw wouldn't chips cut your tires up and embed themselves pretty fast?

My pulley on my blade wheel (not the motor pulley) works itself loose and comes off. I have re-positioned it and tightened the set screw several times, but in a few minutes of using it, it works loose again. Someone suggested I coat the set screw and keyway with JB Weld. What would you do about this problem? Thank you.

Keith. I like that you want to talk about how important it is to cut the power off and place the wire where you can see this. Most people do not mention it at all. In Sweden called this "shut down and lock" we often have protection switch with locking arrangements in workshops and in the industry. Each repairman on the machine has a personal padlock fitted before the job and and removed when the job is finished for the specific worker. In this way, the machines will be unable to started unintentionally.

Very well planned video. Thorough instruction, easy to understand. Thanks Keith!

Thanks for the info - very informative.

Thanks, Keith sure a good informative video as always.

Great video again thanks Keith. My bandsaw is extra fun with three wheels.

Thank you for your excellent video. Now I am convinced that I can install new tires on my old Crescent 36" bandsaw by myself with its wheels on it. BTW, I cannot find the contact cement(or corresponding adhesive) in the site you mentioned.

Using a heat gun to soften the old glue and rubber can also be handy.

you give such great explanations and see so friends. Thanks for taking time to make this video. It saved me a lot of aggravation with my saw.

Keith, Thanks for the stroll down memory lane. I used to hate to put tires on bandsaws, unless they were the new units with the notch in the center of the wheel and the tire as well. Those tires got put on the hood of my service truck to get them nice and warm to make them more pliable while I removed the blade and old tires. Putting them on was a snap! After a couple of the flat tires came off while the saw was running that I had installed, I lost confidence and refused to replace them anymore. That's an old Powermatic. The newer Powermatic products are painted sort of a mustard yellow for lack of a better description. I have, however, never seen one with the cone pulleys for different blade speeds. The ones I worked on use a Reeves drive (adjustable pulleys) for speed control. This same method is used on variable speed mills not using a VFD. Regards, Dave

Thanks SO much for making this video! I just bought my first bandsaw, and I never would have had the courage to buy a used one without all the great info from kind people such as yourself BTW, I gave Bobby a call, and even though it is almost six years to the day from when you made this, he picked up the phone right away. Thanks again!

A friend of mines wife got severely injured from acetone getting into a small cut in hurt hand . I would recommend gloves while using acetone.

And as the majority of Americans, there is mostly allways this tiredsome talk that makes ones ear full of words here and there. Had to turn the sound button of, just to clean my head.

Thanks Keith! I would really like to see a video of that big Crescent bandsaw someday!

Nicely done Keith. Thanks again!

Especially in the winter time, it’s a great idea to run the tire under hot water from your kitchen tap to make it softer and easier to stretch.

Starting fluid (ether alcohol) often does a good job removing adhesive.

Thanks for your great videos! What do you think of taking those wheels over to your machine shop and turning a crown on them so you can use the tires without having to sand a crown in them every time?

Actually he means the “4” S’s. Sugar, Starch, Salt, Saturated Fat. Yum, yum.

This is a really helpful video for me, a beginner. You went into all the details that I hoped you would. Thank you for taking the time to make and post this.

Outstanding job. Thank you!

A torch or heat gun was the magic solution for me. The glue just wiped off when heated.

I found out you can install the tires with no straps or tools when it slips off mid glue up and your adrenaline kicks in.

Nice video Keith. Im sure someone will benefit from your presentation. Colin

Thanks Keith, very helpful.

MY BAND SAW WHEELS HAS A ***U **CHANNEL TO HOLD THE TIRES** NO GLUE NEEDED.***DR KEL

Great Video! Kieth!

Being a woodworker i life with my 25" Bandsaw for decades. And i say: this is an awesome good explanation. Can´t be done better. Thank you, greatest respect.

Great video. Thanks!

Thanks, Also, you can use rubber cork I find it smoother and easier to install. The gluing process is easier because you the cork is in length. Contact glue on the wheel and the cork, glue the cork on the wheel and cut at the join at an angle, The cork is more resistant than the rubber. Sanding and adjusting is the same process. Take a look at this web site un UK scosarg.com/accessories-spares/bandsaw-accessories DOT html I am sure those can be found anywhere around the world.

Terrific video. I just acquired a new to me old Montgomery Ward/Powr Kraft Band saw from the 60s perhaps. I definetly need to replace the tires on it and the wiring as well. This video will be very helpful

Thanks for the video Keith. A few years ago I used some acetone to clean something with a rag, as you did, but noticed in a couple of minutes I could taste it. My conclusion was that acetone migrates through your skin, so I never used it again without gloves. Cheers, al

For best results and dynamic blade tenacity it is necessary to crown the blade transport wheels to a radius equal to the radius of the wheel itself. I learned that the hard way; carving 18" timbers. I'm currently in the testing phase of my latest veneer resaw prototype. It cuts 18" deep in a throat 14" wide with a 2HP drive train. I use a proprietary rail-and-sled feed system that factors blade lead into its locked position using rails of variable length and robustness to start that first flat cut and veneer the log from there. I feed it with my pinky finger. Using two high performance Iturra tensioning springs, it runs 1" lennox carbide-tipped resaw blades with only 3/32" of kerf to produce 1/16" veneers 18" wide as long as your workpiece. Because the tracking and tension system is frictionless, there is no blade flapping at any setting and the cut finish is so smooth it looks like it just came out of a planer, not a band saw. It's ready-to-glue ! I'm trying to retire falbergsaws.com but I want to introduce this prototype first because when ya'll see what a sweet machine this is going to change the way they build bandsaws hereafter; you'll no longer settle for the antiquated designs you're now getting from the big corporate tool companies.

I've been fixing up an old (30's-40's?) Rockwell (Delta) 14" band saw with gear box. The tires were extremely hard to remove, hard, glued, I had to chisel them off. I found urethane tires that required no glue and they worked wonderful. The wheels have a crown built in and a edge to the rim that keeps the tire from walking.

Acetone! You should wear gloves so it doesn't get absorbed in your skin, a filter mask so you don't breath the fumes and make sure there are no ignition sources which include certain electric motors and electric switching equipment. Safety first!

My 25' blade on 30" wheels call for 18,000PSI. Can the tires handle the pressure? Would it not bite into the rubber?

Thanks Keith! I recently purchased a Powermatic 141 Band Saw (Circa 1965) that I am completely restoring ($50 a real steal!). This video will help me a lot! I'm doing a ground up restoration, including new paint, bearings, and tires. I hope to find a blade that will allow me to cut aluminum as well as wood being that I do not have the speed changing transmission in this model. It runs at 3000 sfpm.

To much talk drifting away from the subject. other wise, very helpful.

I have a King-Seeley (Craftsman) band saw that my father bought new in 1948. What's interesting is that the wheels are crowned and grooved and I know for a fact that they are original.

Keith - as much as i like watching your videos, and i do, it is very annoying to have my screen full of suggested videos that keith rucker has liked. i can't figure out how to make this stop, short of un-subscribing. can you help ? pat

Be wary about sanding it to try give the glue more grab on the tire, I once had to stick rubber and urethane to various surfaces and I did a whole lot of trials and the more shine on the surface the better they stuck, sanding the surfaces made them come off about 50% easier- failure was caused by little of pieces of the surfaces tearing off the parent material. Do some tests see for yourself

Ack, I tried to recrown my bandsaw tires with an angle grinder and a sanding pad and a big piece of rubber came loose from the edge of the tire. Is this likely to happen with a new tire or might this have been because of old tires? I am unsure how old this saw is and when it last had them changed, it is atleast 50-60 years old, I think the tires must have been changed once at least. I would have liked urethane tires so I would not have to crown because I am afraid of ruining a new rubber tire now... But they don't exist for my size saw (24" wheels)

Thanks for a great video. So nice to meet you on uTube - the man who made Rucker a verb!

I've been working to restore my Grandfather's Craftsman three wheel bandsaw. She's a 1950's vintage with 6 inch wheels. I replaced the tires by following your method. There are three holes in each wheel, making installation easier than I thought. By tying down the tire into two adjacent holes and using a small metal rod, starting at one hole and rotating the rod as I lifted the tire edge onto the track surface, it was fairly easy to mount the tire. This astonished me because I'm not usually that lucky. The other two tires were equally easy. I did rotate the rod between tire and wheel for two orbits along the circumference of each wheel to better seat the tires as you suggested. Now I'm ready to crown the tires. I'm not really quite sure about how much surface I should remove from the tire edges. You mentioned a minimal of one or two degrees, using a stick and sand paper. How many turns per edge would you suggest? Thanks for your video. Very informative!

Perfect video I followed your instructions and was some in less than 15 min. Thank you!!!

Hi, I bought a Walker Turner band saw, in excellent condition. :) The man I bought my bandsaw says my saw has spaced teeth and that as such it has to be put to the end of the wheel. Yes, He says, the teeth must be out, if you understand me ???

The Only 3 S"s i know is Shit,shave and Shower! Lol Nice video thanks for Sharing.

being the shade of yellow it is, and the consistency it appears to be; I would say the glue is 3m super weather strip adhesive. common uses include weather stripping, gaskets, rubber on metal anywhere needed.

on my bandsaw the wheels are radiused

Check out your wheels before you spend any time or effort crowning your tires. The wheels on my inexpensive import 14" saw are crowned; and the new urethane tires that I installed last night follow the shape of the wheel perfectly. Incidentally, the urethane is more difficult to stretch than the rubber used in this demo. Once on, I decided to forego using any glue at all.

It was extremely easy for me. Soaked it in hot water for a few minutes and then used two trigger clamps with rubber ends. Took about 45 seconds.

thanks for the information on crowning the tires, i bought an old Rockwell/Delta and just finished restoring it back to its original stae when it was new just needed to crown the new tires, thanks Mr. Rucker!!!

I may be a little late to the party with this comment. I use the same technique but with a twist. I use an 2" rubber sanding disc mandrel in a cordless drill. Place it centered on the idler shaft and use the drill to spin the idler. Makes it a lot simpler to do the job and keeps your fingers out of the path of the spokes.

great video Keith, I just got a Rikon 10-305 & I want to learn before I burn.

I think its been said already. The idea of coating both surfaces is that they both dry before the 2 surfaces are put together. It wont matter as I dont think it will come off.

ارجو ترجمه اسفل الفديو باللغه العربيه لان مشاهدينك من معظم البلدان واللتاكيد

This was one f your first videos I ever saw and have been watching ever since. My question for you on this one is why didn't you just get the new poly tires that just stretch over the wheel with no glue mess? That's what I would have done.

It is not necessary to glue Urethane tires. It is absolutely necessary to glue Rubber tires. Even in late model wheels

Excellent video! Thank you.

I have a steel band sawm I need to bey the tier for 11" wheel , please can you email me where I can get them. thank you.

Excellent video Keith. I'm surprised there are not more videos on properly crowning tires. Thank you for documenting!

A squirt ketchup bottle would make putting the glue on easier.

Always remember the 7 Ps. Proper prior preparation prevents piss-poor performance.

I just used a couple of zip ties to hold the tire, Enjoyed the video.

The problem is... I can't see or measure a 1 degree angle on a round, narrow rubber surface.

Isnt that General's wheels already crowned from the factory?

In the UK the 3 S's stand for a Shit, shave and shower LMAO

music, the classic camouflage to disguise a tedious, pain in the ass process.