Restoring my grandpa's band saw

500 Views 11 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Horseapple Man, 2 mo ago

Horseapple Man

Discussion Starter · 2 mo ago

This has been sitting right here in the middle of this room in the old barn since shortly after my grandpa passed in 1999.

Wood Gas Machine tool Machine Composite material

My dad and I knew nothing about this equipment when we hauled it all home from Tennessee in two pickup trucks.

It was obvious that the fences & stuff were removable on all of the machines But we missed the fact that the center plate was removable and in fact I didn't even know something was missing when I was cutting something with it shortly after we got it home. A little scrap of wood fell down & got between the blade and the lower tire and destroyed the tire. It hasn't been used since. I assume that center piece bounced out on a bump in the road and the wind caught it and it's long gone.

In my research yesterday and today, I found a forum post somewhere where someone said this brand of band saw is a Taiwanese clone of a Delta.

But most of what I'm finding is that Tool Shop was also a brand of copycat Shopsmiths.

When I image search for "Total Shop TS919" I get nothing but pictures of the multi-unit machines and actual Shopsmiths.

If I add "band saw" to the query I get pictures of all different brands of band saw.

Right now I'd just like to see if I can get a replacement center plate or if I'm going to have to get a machinist to make me a new one.

As far as the tires go, the wheel diameters are 13-5/8" so I'm assuming it'll use a 14" tire? I've never changed a band saw tire so I don't know how precise they are.

I figure I'll replace the tires with urethane ones, replace the center plate and go from there.

I don't know what the angle iron is about in this picture but I think maybe my grandpa was running a blade that was slightly too long for the adjustment range?

Any knowledge about this thing would be appreciated.

See less See more

Save

1 - 12 of 12 Posts

yomanbill

· #2 · 2 mo ago

The center plate is nothing special. It just needs to be of a relatively soft material so that it doesn't damange the saw blade teeth under use. You can make one out of aluminum, wood, or plastic.
The tires should also be pretty easy assuming they are a common size. You will find varying opinions about which is better, glue-on rubber or urethane.
You may be correct about the piece of angle iron. You need to remove it to be sure. Hopefully, it is not covering a break or crack in the casting where the tensioning bolt rests.

Save

Reactions: 1

Kenh3497

· #3 · 2 mo ago

I made a "zero clearance" one out of a piece of 1/8" light plywood for my Craftsman 10" saw.

Ken

Save

Reactions: 1

sunnybob

· #4 · 2 mo ago

It might help your search for a wheel tyre if you look for metric. 13 5/8" converts to 350mm. Apart from America, the rest of the world uses metric in this instance and all bandsaws are sold on wheel size. I own a 350 bandsaw.

Just checking here.... youre not running it with that bottom wheel exposed are you? A snapped blade in that situation will cut your manhood and maybe even your legs right off.

Save

Reactions: 1

Horseapple Man

Discussion Starter · #5 · 2 mo ago

sunnybob said:
Just checking here.... youre not running it with that bottom wheel exposed are you? A snapped blade in that situation will cut your manhood and maybe even your legs right off.

It hasn't been run in probably 20 years.

Save

Steve Neul

· #6 · 2 mo ago

Horseapple Man said:
This has been sitting right here in the middle of this room in the old barn since shortly after my grandpa passed in 1999.

View attachment 449916

View attachment 449917
View attachment 449918

My dad and I knew nothing about this equipment when we hauled it all home from Tennessee in two pickup trucks.

It was obvious that the fences & stuff were removable on all of the machines But we missed the fact that the center plate was removable and in fact I didn't even know something was missing when I was cutting something with it shortly after we got it home. A little scrap of wood fell down & got between the blade and the lower tire and destroyed the tire. It hasn't been used since. I assume that center piece bounced out on a bump in the road and the wind caught it and it's long gone.

In my research yesterday and today, I found a forum post somewhere where someone said this brand of band saw is a Taiwanese clone of a Delta.

But most of what I'm finding is that Tool Shop was also a brand of copycat Shopsmiths.

When I image search for "Total Shop TS919" I get nothing but pictures of the multi-unit machines and actual Shopsmiths.

If I add "band saw" to the query I get pictures of all different brands of band saw.

Right now I'd just like to see if I can get a replacement center plate or if I'm going to have to get a machinist to make me a new one.

As far as the tires go, the wheel diameters are 13-5/8" so I'm assuming it'll use a 14" tire? I've never changed a band saw tire so I don't know how precise they are.

I figure I'll replace the tires with urethane ones, replace the center plate and go from there.

I don't know what the angle iron is about in this picture but I think maybe my grandpa was running a blade that was slightly too long for the adjustment range?

View attachment 449919

Any knowledge about this thing would be appreciated.

The center piece you could fabricate. You could get some aluminum sheetmetal the thickness of the lip and cut one out. I have a shopsmith bandsaw which that piece got torn up. Aluminum would be better but I had some steel sheetmetal I made one from. Then another bandsaw I have uses one about 1/2" thick which I made an insert out of corian.

The tires I would recommend replacing with rubber tires. They will last. I replaced the tires on one bandsaw with urethane tires and have trouble with them coming off the wheel since they are not glued on. Soon I'm going to attempt to glue the urethane tires on and see if they will stay.

The saw may not have ever had a fence or miter gauge. The shopsmith bandsaw I have never came with these parts and personally I can't stand the miter gauge slot on the saw. I glued a strip of wood in the top to fill mine. The main purpose of a bandsaw is to cut radius's and when doing so the wood tends to hang on the miter slot.

You might see if you can take the saw apart and clean the mechanical parts with a wire wheel and lubricate them. They seem so rusted I think it would give you H to operate it.

See less See more

Save

Reactions: 1

sunnybob

· #7 · 2 mo ago

Horseapple Man said:
It hasn't been run in probably 20 years.

In the second paragraph he says he was cutting with when he realised the centre was missing.

Save

woodnthings

· #8 · 2 mo ago

Those bandsaws were probably made by Delta and the inserts are commonly available:

delta bandsaw blade insert for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for delta bandsaw blade insert at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

www.ebay.com

Ruler Office ruler Font Circle Rectangle

See less See more

Save

Reactions: 1

Dave McCann

· #9 · 2 mo ago

Horseapple Man said:
It was obvious that the fences & stuff were removable on all of the machines But we missed the fact that the center plate was removable and in fact in fact I didn't even know something was missing when I was cutting something with it shortly after we got it home. A little scrap of wood fell down & got between the blade and the lower tire and destroyed the tire. It hasn't been used since. I assume that center piece bounced out on a bump in the road and the wind caught it and it's long gone.

Horseapple Man said:
It hasn't been run in probably 20 years.

sunnybob said:
In the second paragraph he says he was cutting with when he realised the centre was missing.

sunnybob,
Did that not occur 20 years ago? Horseapple Man in his original post, said it hadn't been used since.

Save

Steve Neul

· #10 · 2 mo ago

woodnthings said:
Those bandsaws were probably made by Delta and the inserts are commonly available:

delta bandsaw blade insert for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for delta bandsaw blade insert at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

www.ebay.com

View attachment 449949

It would have been nice if they had put the ruler to where you could read it. The inserts for shopsmith are 2 1/2" diameter.

Save

woodnthings

· #11 · 2 mo ago

Past tense VS present tense:
It hadn't been run in 20 years
VS
My dad and I knew nothing about this equipment when we hauled it all home from Tennessee in two pickup trucks.
It was obvious that the fences & stuff were removable on all of the machines But we missed the fact that the center plate was removable and in fact I didn't even know something was missing when I was cutting something with it shortly after we got it home. A little scrap of wood fell down & got between the blade and the lower tire and destroyed the tire. It hasn't been used since.

.... since they brought it home.

Save

Horseapple Man

Discussion Starter · #12 · 2 mo ago

Yeah there seems to be some timeline confusion.

The saw was screwed up 23 years ago and hasn't been used since, except about a year ago I plugged it in and ran it briefly with the blade removed just to make sure the motor still works.

I have another band saw, but it's the cheaper of the two at Menards. But my grandpa's uses the square blade guides and I can see he left hardwood blocks in it. I don't like my little round steel ones.

Save

1 - 12 of 12 Posts

Top Contributors this Month