Band saw problems ... Solved thanks to "Weldingrod-1"

T Bredehoft

T Bredehoft

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I never realized how much I use the band saw in my wood shop.

It's a Fern, FLZ 360, European, I think it was called a WEN in the States. Three wheels, compact sort of thing.

Its a nice little saw, takes a 70 1/2 in blade. Mine was driven by a 6mm by 620 mm "O" ring belt, (I'm in Europe, remember? Belt broke, can't find another. I found an O ring that is that dimension, but I have to buy 50 of them or "No Sale."

So, I go on-line find a local (couple of cities away, in Gouda) manufacturer/seller who offers a standard bandsaw using the same sized blade, 1790 mm, 70 1/2 inches. 300 plus Euros. OK, I order one. Sorry, can't deliver in it three days, it'll be 10 to 15 business days, that's passed, now I'm told it will be "drop shipped" by the manufacturer (Drop shipped means no guesses when....), Sheppach, in Germany. I'm now advised that the manufacturer will ship it on or about May 9th.

While there are a number of small/hobby sized band saws "available" the size blade I have limits my choice to one of three, none of which are "in stock" anywhere. Over the past two years I've stocked up on blades so that I now have what amounts to $180 worth of blades, so I'm taking that as an investment in the future that I have to honor, and needs must buy a saw to fit those blades.

I can't even find an O ring to drive my nice little three wheel saw...

Just ranting, I suspect others have similar problems, thanks for listening.

I never realized how much I use the band saw in my wood shop.
 
Or reweld the old belt. You just need a flat tip soldering iron and hold the two ends on both sides of the flat tip until melting. Slip the soldering iron out of the way and smash to two melted ends together until cooled. Then take some nail clippers and trim off the roll of squeezed out belt and you’re back in business.
 
I have used super glue to glue o-rings together. Yours probably broke because of age and gluing back together may not work. can you get a longer o-ring that diameter and cut it down?
 
"Convert to a V Belt" never thought of that. The grooves both driving and driven (three speed ranges) ar radiused. I don't remember seeing any adjustment, I'll check... It has about 1/8 shorter and 3/8 longer possability. That would result in 1/4 shorter and 3/4 longer belts.

Re: using old belt, it's not black rubber but an orange plastic. The saw dates to the 1970's - '80s. Dunno how it would react, don't have said soldering iron, either. Good idea, though.

Remember, I have a NEW band saw coming, I just have to have patience to wait until 9 May, or thereabouts. I did try gluing the orange drive belt, no joy, didn't even start to stick.
 
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T Bredehoft said:
Re: using old belt, it's not black rubber but an orange plastic. The saw dates to the 1970's - '80s. Dunno how it would react, don't have said soldering iron, either. Good idea, though.
Click to expand...
That is the perfect stuff we used to use. ill bet it broke at the old weld. We used it extensively in the packing house to drive rollers and sorting belts. The perfect kit for that is the cheap HFT plastic welding kit. It has the flat tip in it and is the right temp. Our repair kit was basically that with a modified clamp to hold the ends and soft clamp them to the soldering tip and once melted pull the soldering iron then close the clamp mashing the ends together and holding them until set.
 
T Bredehoft said:
"Convert to a V Belt" never thought of that. The grooves both driving and driven (three speed ranges) ar radiused. I don't remember seeing any adjustment, I'll check... It has about 1/8 shorter and 3/8 longer possability. That would result in 1/4 shorter and 3/4 longer belts.
Click to expand...
Add an idler or tensioner and cancel the order?
 
just take the old belt and take like a mm off each end and make sure you don’t twist it, then weld it. This will probably make up for the stretch over the years. 99% of the time the belts never wore out they just broke because somebody twisted the belt. When you weld the belt you need to install it like it was welded. If you twist or install it opposite of how it was welded the weld will separate over time.
 
Make-your-own round orange belting used to be available in small rolls from tool vendors in the eighties.
Aren't there any suppliers of this anymore?
 
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