If, like my saw, you can’t get the wheel off from its axel (I tried all kinds of things - it was stuck on), you can use the center screw as the axel instead of a dowel. You just have to undo the three bolts holding the upper wheel bracket to the saw housing. Take the whole assembly over to your bench and put the center screw into a 5/16 hole that’s been drilled into some scrap wood to hold it. Works great!
13:00 I soaked my new tires in hot water for a couple minutes before installing them, they went on very easily and when they cooled off they were back to normal. New bearings for the upper and lower wheels probably would have helped. I reduced much of the vibration by removing the saw from the stand, adding a 24x24 piece of 3/4 plywood to the top of the stand and bolting it securely to the stand, then remounting the saw on top of the plywood. You need to cut a opening for the drive belt but it makes a huge improvement along with going over all the fasteners on the stand to make sure they are tight and that the leg levelers are all in solid contact with the floor. If you want the saw to be stable and not shake, you have to start at the foundation (the floor) and work you way up. This goes for any bandsaw, not just this old Craftsman.
Several good comments about the drive belt. Also, the pulley wheel may be out of round and balance. Another thing to do is reinforce the base of the table. We had the same saw. Use a couple pieces of 3/4" ply going across the top. The sheetmetal is much too flexible, otherwise an excellent machine, deep throat, and easy to use.
Thanks for the video. I have the same saw. With the about the the same use pattern. I have replace the drive shaft once. And had a machine shop rebuild the shaft to a tighter tolerance. I will try your balancing method very soon. Thanks again.
You can also take these wheels to your local balancing service shop to have them balanced far better than you can do with your clips. Shouldn't cost much either.
Wow! Thanks for your video. The narration was very helpful. I have lower wheel wobble too. But I can see that my entire lower axle has shifted inward so the edge of the axle is not flush with the wheel like yours. I’ll see if maybe fixing that helps. Not sure how or why it moved, but it’s loose. Thanks again!
I got a vacuum hooked up to mine and 80% of it goes on the floor because of that stupid plastic case but its all i have and it works pretty dam good for what it is , im mine down by the lower wheel after I changed the tires i glued a broken tooth brush up against the tire to keep the dust off .....
Hey I am working on a complete teardown and rebuild of mine. I would take out the lower axel off and see if it's bent. if not replace the lower bearings and the belt to the motor.
Did all that stuff and more, but it helped only a little. Recently accidently discovered a major remaining cause of the bucking. I long ago bolted the feet on the factory base together with 2x4's so I could use a hand truck to tip it and move it around. Recently jammed more tools into my small shop creating the need to constantly move the saw. Now too much trouble to use a hand truck. Replaced the 2x4's with individual lockable double rubber rollers on each leg and this thing suddenly runs smooth as a baby's backside!!! Hooowdah thunk it!!!
The shaft is fine they don’t go bad my just not being used as far as not worth it the bearings are less than $10 and these old craftsman bandsaws are worth more now than when new
You don't have to take the lamp and switch off to replace the tire or wheel. Take the tension all the way out. (You didn't do this) then the wheel will slide or push up far enough to clear the lamp and switch. I didn't even have to go this far as I was able to turn the tire a little once the wheel had the tension taken out and was pushed up.
If, like my saw, you can’t get the wheel off from its axel (I tried all kinds of things - it was stuck on), you can use the center screw as the axel instead of a dowel. You just have to undo the three bolts holding the upper wheel bracket to the saw housing. Take the whole assembly over to your bench and put the center screw into a 5/16 hole that’s been drilled into some scrap wood to hold it. Works great!
13:00 I soaked my new tires in hot water for a couple minutes before installing them, they went on very easily and when they cooled off they were back to normal.
New bearings for the upper and lower wheels probably would have helped.
I reduced much of the vibration by removing the saw from the stand, adding a 24x24 piece of 3/4 plywood to the top of the stand and bolting it securely to the stand, then remounting the saw on top of the plywood. You need to cut a opening for the drive belt but it makes a huge improvement along with going over all the fasteners on the stand to make sure they are tight and that the leg levelers are all in solid contact with the floor. If you want the saw to be stable and not shake, you have to start at the foundation (the floor) and work you way up. This goes for any bandsaw, not just this old Craftsman.
Good suggestions.
Several good comments about the drive belt. Also, the pulley wheel may be out of round and balance. Another thing to do is reinforce the base of the table. We had the same saw. Use a couple pieces of 3/4" ply going across the top. The sheetmetal is much too flexible, otherwise an excellent machine, deep throat, and easy to use.
Thanks for the video. I have the same saw. With the about the the same use pattern. I have replace the drive shaft once. And had a machine shop rebuild the shaft to a tighter tolerance. I will try your balancing method very soon. Thanks again.
You can also take these wheels to your local balancing service shop to have them balanced far better than you can do with your clips. Shouldn't cost much either.
Wow! Thanks for your video. The narration was very helpful.
I have lower wheel wobble too. But I can see that my entire lower axle has shifted inward so the edge of the axle is not flush with the wheel like yours. I’ll see if maybe fixing that helps. Not sure how or why it moved, but it’s loose.
Thanks again!
I got a vacuum hooked up to mine and 80% of it goes on the floor because of that stupid plastic case but its all i have and it works pretty dam good for what it is , im mine down by the lower wheel after I changed the tires i glued a broken tooth brush up against the tire to keep the dust off .....
The bearings were OK? I’m a bit confused as how the drive/idler wheels just became “unbalanced”?
Hey I am working on a complete teardown and rebuild of mine. I would take out the lower axel off and see if it's bent. if not replace the lower bearings and the belt to the motor.
Did all that stuff and more, but it helped only a little. Recently accidently discovered a major remaining cause of the bucking. I long ago bolted the feet on the factory base together with 2x4's so I could use a hand truck to tip it and move it around. Recently jammed more tools into my small shop creating the need to constantly move the saw. Now too much trouble to use a hand truck. Replaced the 2x4's with individual lockable double rubber rollers on each leg and this thing suddenly runs smooth as a baby's backside!!! Hooowdah thunk it!!!
The shaft is fine they don’t go bad my just not being used as far as not worth it the bearings are less than $10 and these old craftsman bandsaws are worth more now than when new
You don't have to take the lamp and switch off to replace the tire or wheel. Take the tension all the way out. (You didn't do this) then the wheel will slide or push up far enough to clear the lamp and switch. I didn't even have to go this far as I was able to turn the tire a little once the wheel had the tension taken out and was pushed up.
Try adding an adj link V-belt , Those things take the wobble out of just about anything !!!
Amigo vc teria as medidas da lâmina de serra dessa serra fita craftsman 12 " obrigado
Motor bearings possibly?
You can get the new tires on easy by first soaking them in hot water.
Olá amigo você tem as medidas da lâmina de serra fita craftsman 12 polegada passa para mim obrigado
Replace the bearings….done!
Use a accu-link belt from harbor freight. They won't develope a memory l had the s a me saw and that smoothed it right out
Change pulley and switch to a web belt... you will be surprised.
Boring and dude, that is the cleanest machine ever.