Trouble With Jet Band Saw Guide Bearings

[Mark Buchanan]

I have an 18 inch jet about 5 years old. It has the carter style guides that came on it. Ten bearings total. My problem is the bearing are not holding up well. I replaced them with factory replacements 2 years ago when they started locking up. Now the replacements are doing the same.
At 8 bucks a pop from Jet this is a very expensive band saw. Now for the questions.

Anyone else having this problem? Does anyone know of a source for a better bearing. Do the true Carter guides have this problem?

Any help greatly appreciated.Mark

[glenn bradley]

I did a search here on 'bearing' and 'source' and found this among others.

[Arnold E Schnitzer]

Check out the Laguna guides. The multiple ceramic pieces keep the blade from wandering way better than roller guides. They also don't pick up crud from the blade. This crud causes wobbling and difficult tracking when it gets on rollers. Another benefit is that there are no bearings to get noisy or seize up. The only strange thing is that they create a bit of sparking at times. My last bandsaw had Carter guides, and I am way happier with the Lagunas. However, I'd like to smack the idiot who placed the adjustment for the lower guide block where it is (behind the blade) on my Laguna 18.

[Brian Arnold]

I got a screaming deal (about $300) for a like new Jet 18" 3hp used about an hour a few months ago. Finally just got some good blades and started to use the saw and a bearing locked up. I saw the add on another forum for a great savings on the Laguna guides and ordered them last week. I should have them any day and hopefully that'll take care of the problem and make the bandsaw better.

[Curt Harms]

I haven't tried it. I did put smaller thrust bearings on my Rikon 10-325. I had trouble getting the lower rear thrust bearing back far enough to track a 3/4" blade in the center of the wheels without the bearings hitting the frame so I went a little smaller. That has worked out fine for me. I got the bearings at a local bearing and drive place. I think they cost me around $5/bearing and they're sealed, not shielded. I'm hoping they hold up better. So far so good but I haven't used the saw all that much yet.

Curt

[Don L Johnson]

My Jet 18" (about 2 years old) "spilled" greese on my wood about a year ago. It looks like the Jet bearings are low bid items. At a recent woodworker show, I watched the Carter demo with interest, because I figured that if I have to switch out the bearings anyway, I might as well "upgrade" to the Carter system. So, is what you are saying is that those are the same bearings the the Carter system has on theirs? Their retrofit system is about $250, as I remember.

[Mike Cutler]

Mark

Look for a Bearing Distributor in your local yellow pages. Bring the bearing to them, and let them size it. Tell them the problem and they can recommend an upgraded bearing.
Good bearings aren't cheap.

[Mark Buchanan]

Don

I think they are a cheap Chinese knock off of the carter guides. At least that is my hope. Maybe we can here from some Carter users.

Mark