14" Delta Rockwell metal/wood bushing material?

S

Siggi

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Hey y'all,

I'm restoring what's probably a 70s Delta Rockwell bandsaw. She's clearly had use and abuse through the years, was pretty caked up with chips-in-cutting-oil, and the base was badly rusted and pitted. The upper wheel bearings were pretty ratty, the blade guide bearings were seized, and the guide blocks are way chewed up. There was even some dead tree carcass dust in there!
I've torn'er down for cleaning, priming and painting, sourced new bearings and blade guide blocks. The gearbox oil will need changing, I'll be turning a new taper pin for the table and the (wooden) left blade guard will need replacing. Some of the covers needed a bit of ... TLC ... to get the kinks out.
Mechanically she's in good shape, I think, the gearbox feels and sounds good, and the double clutch works just fine. However, the bushing on the wood-cutting pulley is quite worn, and so I'd like to make a new one. When in metal-cutting mode, the wood-cutting pulley effectively idles on the shaft on this bushing,
I'm not sure what the material would have been for the original - bronze or oilite, maybe? Anyone here know?

NB: Even if the part is available for mere $$$, I'd prefer to turn it myself, it's not about the time or the money, it's about the learnin'.

Siggi
 
I'm currently working on a slightly earlier one, 1963 vintage if I remember correctly. I believe that bushing is oilite. Mine is actually in good shape although I am replacing most of the ball bearings. I haven't measured the bushing but It would not surprise me if it isn't a standard size. Delta was typically good about using stock parts for things like that. Some of the ball bearings were a bit hard to find but not impossible. My double clutch had been mangled by some gorilla so the roll pins were sheared off. I think it will work fine but was a pain to get apart. I actually think my saw was used for wood most of it's life. I will also be making a tapered table pin, I already have a Delta wood only saw so I have a model for that. I'm in the process of painting and reassembly. The motor got new bearings, capacitor and paint and is reassembled and ready to go. The cast iron base is painted and cured and may actually get assembled tomorrow if nothing else comes up. I have some more painting to do including the lower and upper castings.
 
Well it appears to be a rather odd size 30mm bore, 1 3/8" OD and 1" long
 
CluelessNewB said:
I'm currently working on a slightly earlier one, 1963 vintage if I remember correctly.
Click to expand...

I couldn't find a serial number or date anywhere on mine - where might I look for this?
Mine has a welded steel base that fully encloses the motor, and a wooden left-hand blade guard.
 
You won’t go wrong with turning some 660 bronze bushings.
954 Aluminum bronze is nearly indestructible, if you really wanna step outside the box
 
Both of my Delta's have a serial number plate where the arrow is pointing. (Picture found on web.) BTW I checked the dates, my Wood/Metal is 1963 and my Wood Only is 1974. The 1963 is "Rockwell Manufacturing" the 1974 is "Rockwell International".

The 1963 has a wooden rear blade guard. The 1974 had a plastic rear blade guard but when I added the riser block it came with
a longer aluminum rear blade guard.



DeltaBandsaw.png
 
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I have an older Rockwell/Delta 14" Metal/Wood Band Saw as well.
but the Large Pulley with the Clutch assembly was lost by a previous owner .
The parts are NLA but I'm wondering if anyone could take some detailed pictures that would make it possible for me to make one?
 
CluelessNewB said:
Both of my Delta's have a serial number plate where the arrow is pointing.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that helps. There are two drilled holes on the casting where the tag would have been pinned on my saw. I guess it's forever lost...

yendor said:
I have an older Rockwell/Delta 14" Metal/Wood Band Saw as well.
but the Large Pulley with the Clutch assembly was lost by a previous owner .
The parts are NLA but I'm wondering if anyone could take some detailed pictures that would make it possible for me to make one?
Click to expand...

I found this restoration report with decent pictures of the mechanism. I can get some measurements of the pulley for you as well if you like. Basically there's a castle nut on the pulley to mate with the one on the shaft. The pulley is then bushed so that it can idle on the shaft when in metal cutting mode.
 
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I had decided just to change the oil, and not to open the gearbox. After reading through that restoration report however, I think I'll never sleep at night if I don't look inside the gearbox. Having gone to the trouble of popping it, redoing the gasket and such, I guess I might as well go ahead and paint the main castings as well.

On a tangent, where do you guys buy blades for cutting metal and what sort of blades do you use?
I figure I'll mostly be cutting aluminum from 1/8" through 1", some mild steel, primarily round stock and occasionally a bit of stainless and tool steel.
 
Thanks for the Link - BUT... Now you gave me a 1/2 years worth of work.
The restoration report is awesome but I may have to go and rebuild the whole thing. with my spare time that will be a 1/2 year :)
 
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