Yet Another Band Saw Tire Replacement Question

[John McClanahan]

We have a special use band saw at work that was built in the early 1950's. The leather tires are in need of replacement. The current tires are 1/2" wide and fit in a slight recess. New tires are wider, as much as 1" wide. Any ideas on how I get the new tire trimmed to fit in the recess? Better yet, any ideas on how I could split a 1" tire? Then I could use both halves. The saw only uses 3/8" blades.

Thanks, John

[Ray Newman]

How 'bout mounting the new wider tire, then triming the excess overhanging the rim with an Xxacto or utility knife??....

[John McClanahan]

The wheel has shoulders, and a 1/2" recess in the center that the tire fits into. I think I will need to cut the tire before installing. But how?

John

[Joe Wiliams]

Have an idea... gonna try to explain...

Make a wheel (pulley) with shoulders like your bandsaw but the width of the new tire. Diameter probable doesn't matter. Maybe out of MDF.
Cut a slit in the center, between the shoulders, wide enough for a razor blade in a utility knife.
Lay the belt between the shoulders, press the blade into the slit.
Pull the belt through the blade.
Probably need to mount the pulley some how.

This just popped in my head so no guarantees

[Cody Colston]

I'd lay the new tire down flat on a sacrificial surface with the edges aligned, press or clamp a straightedge down at 1/2" width and make the cut with a utility knife.

[Myk Rian]

I used my spindle sander to trim my tires down.
Clamp a block to the table 1/2" away from the spindle.
Run the tires between the block and spindle, after trimming them to a close size..

[Joe Wiliams]

I don't have a bandsaw and was wondering if the profile of the tires is square or if they have a bit of crown to them? If there is a crown cutting them in half may not work.

[John McClanahan]

I need to investigate the crown issue. If the new tires are crowned, I would need to cut both edges to keep the crown centered. What a pain!

John