Band saw finished...FINALLY!

[Mike Cruz]

Okay, with all the upgrades I did, I (think) I am finally finished. Started out with a stock 5 year old Ridgid 14" band saw. Added: custom base, Carter guides, riser block (Grizzly), fence guides with small table extension (homemade), 1.5 HP Leeson motor, and powertwist belt.

The base, admittedly, is very basic. I made it to be functional, not pretty. To be honest, it is amazing that I even took the time to paint it. Right now, the shop needs to be DONE. I have too many projects on the honey do list that require the shop to be making bases out of hardwoods with beautiful finishes. (While I do appreciate the "pretty" bases that some of you have posted pictures of...) I put a set of wheels from HD on it originally. It wobbled a bit, so I added the the extentions underneath and bought better quality ones from Grizzly...you know, the red ones, 4". It STILL wobbled. I took a close look and realized it was the wheels! There is play in them...huh. So I just took them off. No more wobbling! If I need to move it, it slides easily enough on the hickory floor.

The table extension was originally going to be much longer, but space wouldn't allow for it. My shop is bigger in my head than in reality.

[Michael Weber]

WOW! 1 1/2 HP! You should be able to cut the bejeesers out of anything. Congratulations.

[Paul Ryan]

Mike,

Sounds like you got the band saw you wanted now. But after all of the fussing around why not just by a 17" and be done? It may have cost a few more bucks but you must have a fair amount of them into that "ridgid" now.

[Brian Lindenlaub]

Nice upgrades. Sounds like you got the ol' hot rod spirit - taking a (vehicle, tool, or add other noun here) and making it the way you want it.

[Chip Lindley]

Good Job Mike! .....but will it resaw???.....

[Mike Cruz]

Paul, 'cause it wouldn't have been 1/2 as fun! About $550 in...

Brian, it is a Chevy s-10, witha 350, jacked up with mudders! Oh, and chrome vertical exhaust.

Chip, believe it or not...I haven't tried yet. I don't want to get it dirty. Actually, I am tinkering with the dust collection aspect. I bought a used 3/4 HP dust collector exclusively for it, but there just isn't enough "pull" to it for a band saw, so I decided to route pipe from my 2 HP Grizzly. Really didn't want pipe all over my shop, but I gave in and bought the pipe today. As soon as that is all set up, I'm gonna resaw for 24 hours straight!

[lowell holmes]

Nice job! The only thing missing that I see is a zero clearance disc. I bought some from either Lee Valley or Highland Hardware. I don't remember which. I don't have to worry about chips falling into the blade at he bottom wheel.

[Dave Mura]

Congrats!!

[Lance Norris]

Mike... tell us a little more about the motor and some detailed pics of it. The motor seems to be the biggest upgrade complaint people have with the Ridgid. I think building your own base solves the motor frame issue, just drill holes and mount it where the frame allows. I like the table extension.

[Mike Cruz]

The motor? Simple really. Plug-n-play. I'm not positive, but I think the holes would have lined up anyway regardless of whether I made my own base or not. But, yes, I took that issue right out of the equation. I took the pully off the old motor and put it one the new one. Lined them up with a straight edge. It was pretty easy...and I am not a "tool tinkerer". Tell me to put a .004 inch shim on the arfor and I would have a heart attack!

Two points on this: I made the base out of MDF. After mounting the BS and letting it sit for a while, I had to take the BS back off. It made obvious indentions in the MDF. So I put a piece of 1/4 really hard stuff (I think it is like a hard MDF...wouldn't that make it HDF?) That solved that problem.

Secondly, the original motor had large rubber gaskets between the motor and the base. Afraid I would hear some ungodly vibration, I put a sheet of, well, 1/4 inch rubber mat left over from our barn. I don't know if I needed it, but it is smoooooooooooth. I had my electrician neighbor come over and wire the motor for 220 for me. When we fired up the band saw, he was impressed. He said, "Wow, that sounds powerful!" It is quiet, but you can tell it ain't the 3/4 HP that came with the saw. Honestly, I think it is quieter than the original motor.

[Stephen Edwards]

Great job! I'm sure that you'll enjoy that saw even more than a new one since you've put your heart into the restoration.

I'd like to see some close up pics of your under the table DC when you get a chance, please.

Again, Great Job. I bet it will re-saw just fine, too.

[Jason White]

Mike,

First of all... NICE!!

Secondly (and I hate to ask), but could you please post a close-up picture from behind the saw so I can see how you mounted the motor to your shop-built base?

I have an old JET 14" bandsaw that I fished out of a dumpster and am about to trick it out in a similar fashion. I really like the idea of a "cabinet" type base underneath similar to yours. I need all the storage I can get in my tiny little shop.

Thanks!

Jason

Originally Posted by Mike Cruz

Okay, with all the upgrades I did, I (think) I am finally finished. Started out with a stock 5 year old Ridgid 14" band saw. Added: custom base, Carter guides, riser block (Grizzly), fence guides with small table extension (homemade), 1.5 HP Leeson motor, and powertwist belt.

The base, admittedly, is very basic. I made it to be functional, not pretty. To be honest, it is amazing that I even took the time to paint it. Right now, the shop needs to be DONE. I have too many projects on the honey do list that require the shop to be making bases out of hardwoods with beautiful finishes. (While I do appreciate the "pretty" bases that some of you have posted pictures of...) I put a set of wheels from HD on it originally. It wobbled a bit, so I added the the extentions underneath and bought better quality ones from Grizzly...you know, the red ones, 4". It STILL wobbled. I took a close look and realized it was the wheels! There is play in them...huh. So I just took them off. No more wobbling! If I need to move it, it slides easily enough on the hickory floor.

The table extension was originally going to be much longer, but space wouldn't allow for it. My shop is bigger in my head than in reality.

[Mike Cruz]

Oh, you guys...Ok, Ok, I'll draaaaaaaaaaag it away from the wall, and take more pix. I'll have to do it later today or tomorrow. I'm hell bent on gettin 4" pvc pipe run throughout the shop. I had originally thought I would have my 2HP Grizzly in the middle of the shop for the planer, jointer and table saw, with a couple little ones around the shop for "other" machinery, but my recent purchase of a 3/4 HP Jet proved that the little ones just don't have enough power for, say, a band saw. So while I REALLY didn't want pipe all over the place...pipe all over the place is what I'm getting.

As for the way the dust pipe is hooked up now, I'll take pix and post them, but I have to be honest, with the 3/4 HP DC, it wasn't enough air flow to keep dust from flying up out of the bottom cover at table height...hope that makes sense. If, hooked up to the 2 HP Grizzly, I get enough flow, I will keep the pipe where it is. If not, I'll be drilling a hole into the front cover...

I'll try to get those pics up today...

[Jeff Willard]

And this winter, when the boredom and cabin fever really starts to set in, you could spring for a set of Laguna guides and a Driftmaster for it.

[Mike Cruz]

Laguna guides? Does that mean I have to get rid of my Carters?

Is the Driftmaster for resawing?