My new bandsaw, I hope...

[Zachary Hoyt]

I had the high bid tonight on this Rockwell/Delta 28-350. I've been looking for and bidding on these for the last few years, and I was the back bidder a few times, but this one went for a very good price. My reserve bid was $600. It's possible that there's something terribly wrong with it, but at worst I could part it out. I just have to wait to see now if the National Guard approves the bid. It's about 2-1/2 hours away, or 3 hours if I go around Lake Champlain to save the ferry fare. I'll have questions once I get it home, assuming it's working or repairable, about the relative merits of a VFD or a single phase motor, and probably about tires and such. I just wanted to post tonight because I'm excited to finally have one of these almost lined up.

https://www.auctionsinternational.co...350-794-228675

[Robert Hayward]

Congratulations on the bid. Fill me in on why you find this bandsaw desirable please. Do not take this in a negative way. I know nothing about the machine and am just curious why you want one.

[Bill Dufour]

Remove the table before moving. Broken trunnions will turn it into scrap. I would buy a VFD, cheaper then. 1.5hp single phase motor. A VFD also gives slow start and power brakes.
BilL D.
https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....28-350-bandsaw
https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....28-350-bandsaw
http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=17085

[Zachary Hoyt]

Robert, thanks. I've been looking for a Delta or Rockwell 28-3xx or a Powermatic 81 or possibly 80, but there are a lot more of the Delta/Rockwell saws around here anyway. I build banjos and guitars and such, so the 13-1/2" resaw height will be nice. I don't resaw a lot of wood, but now and then. These saws have a reputation, at least among some folks, for being solid and smooth running and dependable. The table is big and has a trunnion both in front of the blade and behind it. I figure if I fix this saw up a bit it should be the last big bandsaw I will need for the rest of my foreseeable life(I'm 38 now), and I think it should be an improvement in several respects on the 18" Parks that I have now.

Bill, thank you. I will indeed remove the table for the reason you mentioned, and also to save weight. I've moved a couple of 18" bandsaws that I have owned, and always took off the table. While this one is bigger and heavier I think it should be movable by myself, since I have a trailer with a ramp-tailgate thing and a hand truck. I'll lay it down in the trailer to come home. I may also end up removing the motor to save weight if I have to. I've been thinking about the VFD question a bit. I have one on my Clausing drill press with a 3 phase motor, and it was not too hard to wire. On the drill press the variable speed was handy for when I want to slow down below 500 RPM on occasion, but I use the bandsaw a lot more, probably 10 to 20 times as much, so I don't know how long a VFD would last under heavier use. Thank you for the links.

[Bill Dufour]

I have a photo saved of someone using a purpose built cart to tilt a oliver? bandsaw for moving. Not worth trying to search my photos when I can only see three at a time by scrolling around.
BilL D

[Marc Fenneuff]

You practically stole it at that price. You should be prepared to replace all the bearings. The previous owner spun one of the bearings on the lower shaft on mine and I needed the services of a machinist to make it right.
I love mine and it resaws well. Just think twice before going much bigger than a 1/2" blade. The frame really isn't up to the job of tensioning really wide blades. The big table and near infinite adjustability is really nice. I left mine 3PH and added a VFD.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Zachary, many VFD’s run 24/7 for very many years in industrial and commercial applications, you’re going to fine with much lighter use on your saw.

Good luck with your saw, I bought a Powermatic 81 and put a FD on it.

Regards, Rod

[Zachary Hoyt]

Thank you both very much. I'll certainly check the bearings and will be happy to replace them if needed. My current Parks saw has a journal on the main shaft that is damaged from a spun bearing, and I am hoping to get that fixed once I have this new saw up and running and before I sell the old saw. I have kept 1/2" 3 TPI blades on my last two 18" saws, and expect to do the same with the new one. That's good to know about the VFD. When I did the drill press I got one from FactoryMation, and can do that again, or if there is a better choice now I'd be interested to hear about it. The bid got approved already this morning, so now I just have to wait for the invoice from the auction company and for the weather to get a little nicer.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Neat-O! it looks heavy duty. We took the Lake Champlain ferry once. It was a highlight.

[Marc Fenneuff]

Mike Farrington on YouTube has a video where he refurbishes one of these saws. A good watch to see the disassembly and the various components, though I would personally have made different choices with the changes he made to his saw. To each his own.

[Zachary Hoyt]

Maurice, I'm glad to hear that the ferry was nice. I've not been on one before.

Marc, thanks for the recommendation. I'll look it up.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

the ferry was nice.

The day before the ferry ride we had visited the workshop of a charming 80+ year old man who was still building traditional guide boats. You are in a lovely area!

[Zachary Hoyt]

Yes, I am very lucky to get to live up here for sure. It was a dream for 10 years or so, and then gradually things came together. The guide boats are very interesting, and there are a lot of skilled makers still. It would be fun to try to make one someday, but not till I have a bit more room than at my current location.

[Bill Dufour]

Oliver bandsaw move picture stolen from somewhere. I believe it was too tall to go in the door upright anyway.
Bill D

[Tom Trees]

For something sub 300kg, not that heavy if you stick a chok of the correct thickness, (not shown) under the guidepost side, to make tipping easier.
Table removed obviously, could even remove the wheels, though unnecessary.
Just remember the base should stay on the ground throughout, and not given the chance to lift/see-saw by having another chok anywhere but the very top end of the column when laid down.
See-sawing can cause a roll, though doesn't look as likely with that machine, just saying.

Screenshot-2022-2-26 Lugging a large bandsaw about.jpg