bandwheel covers

[sawdust]

I was given two

19" bandwheels. One has a yellow cover that the blade runs on the other does not. I suspect the drive side which does not have the cover is actually missing the cover. Any thoughts?

sawdust

[Tom]

You mean "tires".   Those wheels are a good start in making your own sawmill, or getting someone else started on building one.  If you don't want them, try the commerce section. 

If they aren't meant for V-belts and are flat bottomed, they may have been meant for Urethane tires that are molded to the wheel.  Cooksaw did this for awhile.

[sawdust]

Thanks Tom.

Both tires have a definite crown and 1/16 inch tall shoulders. The yellow is held true by the shoulders that is why I was suspecting that the drive side should also have a liner of some sort. I wonder if a ring of innertube would work.
The very small wheel sitting there came with the set it has a keyed hole, the v-belt groove is just a tiny bit taller and wider. The flat is too narrow for a blade. Have no idea how it figures into the equation.

I have my track built and the motor already. I need to get some steel to build the carriage.

[Tom]

It's the shape of the "trough" on the big wheels that would make a difference as to their being V-belt or molded urethane.   The sheaves attached to the wheel in the foreground are probably for V-belts to power that wheel.  The differences in sizes might be to change the speed of the big wheel.  I don't think that is necessary.

In the end, both wheels should probably be of the same tire design.

The yellow tired wheel appears to be what you would use for the idle wheel.  I don't know what the small sheaves in the background are for. It's hard to tell whether they are for v-belts or have flat bottoms.  I flat belt for something like that would be a mighty special thing.  Serpentine belts for some Autos ride on flat wheels, but I've never seen a sawmill with a belt of that type. (I'm not talking of the old commercial flat belt)

Flat bandwheel tires must be glued to the wheel or moulded into the groove.  The flat tires are used mostly on shop bandsaws, like the vertical ones found in a cabinet shop.

V-belts seat themselves and don't even have to be tight.  You can get urethane V belts, but they aren't that popular.  There is a following though.   

Cooksaw is the only one that I know of that moulded the tire into a groove.  They had their V-belt wheels poured with urethane and put split pins through the sides to help hold them. It was a one time shot.  When the urethane wore out, it needed to be sent back and remoulded.  Automotive style V-belts are replaceable on a moments notice, just by visiting the auto parts store.

I don't quite know where to go with this, not knowing how much you know.  More pictures of the wheels would be helpful, shoing the edges and the groove shapes.  Knowing whether the tires are removable or not.

Calling Cook's 800 number and talking with Tim would be a good idea if you wanted to try to go with the moulded tires.

[Brucer]

The dark tire looks to be sitting below the surface of the sheave so it doesn't really supply a crown. Don't know that it would work as is.

[Larry]

Those look like standard shop bandsaw wheels.  If you look closely the flat between the ribs is probably crowned.  If not its easy to crown the tires.  You can get tires at a dozen different places.  For a sawmill you will have to glue the tires on or the band will pull the tire off. 

[sawdust]

I took a couple more photos not loaded yet.
I looked close the yellow materiel is glued right on, the flat is crowned. The idle wheel with the yellow says it is the top. I am starting to think that Larry is right this is an upright shop saw, bigger than I have ever seen though!
I don't see any reason that it could not be used as a mill though. I will see about finding a covering equivalent to the yellow for the other wheel.

[backwoods sawyer]

It is always best to resurface the wheels in sets, so when you find a machine shop that carries the correct material it may not be a bad idea to just have new tires installed on both of them.