Bandsaw bearing unavailable

C

CDH

Joined
Jun 8, 2007
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283
My bandsaw is a very old, but very solid, Delta Homecraft (Rockwell) model 28-110 10" unit. It works, but current Delta replacement parts suck. The blade support bearings (original) lasted till about 3 years ago, the replacement lasted 3 years. POS. I still have the old ones, and they appear to have a carbide face and actually be made to support a face load. The replacement...no on both counts.

The old unit is stamped "Made in the USA" "Nice Ball Bearing Co" "No 5852", mounted on a shaft of about 3/8" (didn't measure before coming to the 'puter) and obviously made to support a load parallel to the shaft. The new model is this:

http://www.mikestools.com/1231546-Delta-Thrust-Bearings-for-28-560-Band-Saw.aspx

It is obviously made to support loads perpendicular to the shaft.

Anyone have any ideas on finding the right bearing? My web searching came up empty.
 
3 years service out of a $10 part isn't so bad...and that type of ball bearing can take some thrust load. Carter sells a lot of "aftermarket" bandsaw guides, so does Iturra, they might have something similar to what you need. If you need to DIY, you can maybe find a sealed thrust bearing the right size, and rig up a shaft, but will probably spend more than $10 on it in time alone
 
The thing is, first I hate cheap parts that fail after short service when the original parts lasts 50+ years, and second, I decided to try taking my own tree to a local sawmill. I have more mesquite resawing to do in the next 3 months than the previous 3 years combined. Much more...:D

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You might try your local bearing shop. For example, we have a Kaman less than 5 miles from us.
 
Our local Stewart Bearing didn't have anything to offer, they called and Nice didn't have anything to offer, and the local Delta parts place didn't have their cheap replacement.

I ordered the Delta part online and I guess I'll make a hard face for it out of some thin scrap O-1 I have laying aorund. JB weld should hold it okay. I just hate the cheap chinese crap they pawn off these days as real tools.
 
The bearing you linked to is a thrust bearing, so it would be the bearing on the back of the blade.

The 2 the support the side load of the band should be easy to find.
Measure ID and OD and buy the appropriate bearing from your favorite bearing supplier.

The same goes for the thrust bearing. Just tell your supplier ID, OD, RPM, and a load range, and you're good to go.
 
Correct, this is the bearing behind the blade. The side supports on my saw are not bearings, but rather adjustable blocks. Cheap, but the saw probably isn't worth upgrading and it works for my intermittant use. I can see no way to modify the blade guide to use a standard roller bearing behind the blade...it has to be a thrust bearing on a shaft.

The problem with the bearings the local shop had is the same as the replacement Delta offers: One the face where the blade rides isn't hard enough so the back of the blade chews it up, overheating it and it siezes, and two, they were unable to make a mounting shaft to press into it.

Someday I'm gonna have room for a real shop...:rolleyes:
 
Mine is the very similar 28-290, and I got some bearings in as guides...

Pretty sure my thrust bearing is stock...
 
Iturra sells roller bearings mounted in blocks that replace the side supports. They work OK above the table. Below the table they clog with sawdust and stall and the blade wears a flat spot on the bearing. Carter sells whole replacement blade guide assemblies that are superior to what most saws come with. Laguna has some ceramic aftermarket bandsaw blade guides that are quite nice too, but probably too big for your 10" saw. Given the amount of resawing you have to do, it might be time for an upgrade to either the guides, or the whole saw.

DIY options to get the blade running on the OD of the bearing: If the shaft is directly behind the blade, you could mill(file) a slot in the end of a bit of appropriate diameter round stock and put a small bearing on a shaft in the slot, if the shaft is to one side, a flat milled on one side of the round stock and a bearing mounted on a shoulder screw threaded into a tapped hole in the flat should work
 
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