If you are a woodworker by trade, then a band saw, no doubt, is a tool you use almost every day. For a great deal of straight cutting or resawing, you’ll want to choose at least a 14-inch band saw for your cutting needs. Band saws are versatile saws so they are highly prized for anyone who enjoys woodworking as a hobby or has made it their profession. In professional shops, woodworkers particularly like 17” size band saws as they are usually the most economical, although the saws also come in 19”, 21” and 24” sizes. The 17-inch band saws are particularly good for resawing and curve cutting.

Therefore, choosing the right band saw tires is key to achieving good results when you’re woodworking. It doesn’t matter then if your band saw is aligned properly. If your tires go bad, your machine will not cut wood with optimum efficiency.

Consequently, if you have an older band saw that vibrates and isn’t performing smoothly, tire replacement is a must. Every band saw has varying features; therefore, some wheels on band saws require installation that is specific for the type of tire. If you must replace your tires, you’ll need to:

• Remove the tires currently in place;
• Clean the rims on the band saw
• Stretch the new tires over the rim
• Glue the tires in place
• Equalize the new tires, then trim and crown them
• Rebalance the wheels

The Internet offers various brands of band saw tires, including Delta band saw tires and Harbor Freight tires. For example, you can replace an old band saw tire with model number 426020940003 from Delta. This model tire fits all Delta 14-inch band saws. The manufacturer suggests that you use weatherstrip adhesive by 3M to affix the tire to the wheel. Place the tire in hot water to make it easier to install. The tire is 1 inch across and is 1/8 inch in thickness.

A band saw tire is a vital piece of equipment on a band saw as it keeps the blade from making contact with the wheel and causing damage. The aforementioned brands offer band saw tires made of rubber or urethane. For the money, urethane is probably a better choice as it doesn’t require glue to keep the tire in place and generally lasts longer than a rubber tire. Make sure that the tires you select are sized a couple inches smaller than the wheel for a good and reliable fit. Most tires, like the products mentioned, cost from around $39.00 on average at local retail outlets and on the Internet.

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Making the Choice for Urethane

When your band saw wheels need new tires then, you have to make a decision between either installing rubber tires or tires made of urethane.  Many band saw users like the urethane variety as they generally last longer than rubber tires and do not need any type of epoxy to be held into place. Although you’ll probably have to fork out a little bit more money for urethane band saw tires, you’ll probably pay less in the long run as the tires, as stated, typically last longer.

Removing Old Tires

To effectively take off old tires, use some lacquer thinner to reduce the amount of cleanup you’ll need to do later. Pour in a bit of thinner between the wheel and tire after separating them with a razor knife. After waiting a short time, use a screwdriver to open up the space farther and insert a small wedge of wood. Pour in a little more thinner and continue the operation until you’ve removed the tire from the metal wheel. After you’ve removed the tire, make sure you do a thorough job of cleaning the wheel on your band saw. Cleaning will help guarantee that your tire will fit well and your saw, in turn, will perform at optimum efficiency.

Cleaning the Metal Wheel

To clean the wheel, you’ll need to make sure you get all the old contact cement off the metal. Don’t even think about installing the new tire until this part of the process is complete. Otherwise, the new tire can’t possibly bond well to the wheel, what with the amount of debris and residue remaining from the old epoxy. Therefore, remove the old glue and debris with a stiff wire or steel brush. Make sure not to use water or any kind of solvent used for cleaning. Doing so may cause harm to your saw. As soon as you’ve cleaned each wheel and made a thorough inspection, you are ready to stretch on the new tires and remount them.

One Final Note

Once the new tires are installed on your band saw, you may want to attach a brush on your saw’s lower wheel to safeguard your new tire installation. Such a brush can aid in removing any saw dust or debris that can contribute to altering the crown of your tire over time. If you’re serious about your craft, checking and maintaining the wheels and tires should be a regular part of routine maintenance. To keep your maintenance costs low, choose tires made of urethane for your band saw.

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Sizes of Tires

For instance, you can obtain Home Depot tires, in a number of sizes, such as 6 inch band saw tires, and 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20-inch tires. Therefore, make sure, as stated, that your tire is sized a couple inches smaller than the measurement of your wheel. If glue was used on the old tire to secure it, then removal can be quite a time-consuming process. To effectively remove the tire and reduce cleanup, it’s best to use lacquer thinner when removing the tire from the metal wheel.

Removing the Tire

Pull the old tire away from the wheel using a razor knife and pour a small amount of lacquer thinner into the crevice. Wait about half a minute before proceeding. Use a screw driver to separate the tire from the wheel and place a wedge made of wood in the opening. Again, use some thinner to dissolve the epoxy on the old tire. Repeat this process until you’ve completely removed the tire.

Clean the Wheel

Once the tire is removed, make sure you clean the wheel so no residue remains. This will help in bonding the new tire to the wheel and help in further safeguarding the blade. Clean the wheel off by using a stiff or steel brush and a dry towel. Don’t use any water or cleaning solvents as they can harm the saw. Thereafter, the tire will need to be equalized, trimmed and crowned and the wheels rebalanced.

Always Rebalance your Wheels after you Replace the Tires

Rebalancing is important, so each wheel should be balanced each time the tires are replaced, especially on bigger band saws or high-speed models. Also, once you have the wheels balanced, you may want to insert a kind of brush on the saw’s lower wheel to preserve the tires you’ve just installed. A brush that touches the lower wheel is helpful in getting rid of saw dust and other debris, and therefore will keep the tire in good condition for a longer period of time.

A band saw can give you many years of use. Because worn tires are the primary reason for poor saw performance, make it a priority to inspect the tires on your band saw on a regular basis.

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If you want to avoid using the messy epoxies that are used with rubber tires, then your best bet is to purchase the urethane variety. Urethane band saw tires often last longer than rubber tires and they don’t require the glue that rubber tires do for installation.

Keep Your Saw in Working Order

Generally, tires that are worn will be crumbly and inelastic. Look for cracks and grooves as well. It’s important to replace the tires to keep the saw in optimum working order. If your saw vibrates too much or does not run with smooth precision, then replacing the tires will often cure the problem.

Carter Tires

Should you find you need to replace your saw’s tires, you’ll need to measure the wheels. Once you’ve obtained a measurement, you can go from there. In order to obtain a good fit, the tires you choose should be a couple inches smaller than the wheel, which is approximately 20% shorter than the circumference of the wheel.  If you opt for urethane tires, then a good brand to pick would be Carter band saw tires as they offer many sizes of tires made from urethane. Choose from 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20-inch tires for your band saw.

Tire Removal – What You’ll Need

You can remove the tires yourself by using:

• Lacquer thinner
• A razor knife
• A screwdriver
• Wedge of wood

The Removal Process

In most instances, you’ll need to remove tires that have been glued into place. Therefore, you’ll need a tool, such as a razor knife, to pull the tire apart from the metal wheel. Once you pull a portion of the tire away with the knife, pour some lacquer thinner into the opening. Wait a half a minute and then proceed to pull the tire away from the wheel with a screwdriver. Use a wedge of wood to widen the gap and pour more thinner into the opening. Continue in this way until you’ve removed the tire from the wheel completely.

Clean the Tire

Once you’ve removed the tire, you’ll need to thoroughly clean the epoxy off the wheel’s rim. Use a stiff wire brush for this purpose. Make sure you eliminate all the debris so your new urethane tire will fit flawlessly. Before installing the new tire, place it in some hot, soapy water to make it more pliable and easier stretch over the wheel.  The wheels that need tires should be removed from the band saw and, as stated, clean, without residue or debris.

Look Online

You can find a number of tires advertised over the Internet. As indicated, if you want to purchase urethane tires, then you can’t go wrong by choosing Carter tires for your band saw. They are quality tires that will help keep your band saw working for you at maximum efficiency.

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If your band saw is not running smoothly and operating at precision efficiency, it could be that your band saw tires are worn. Therefore, checking the tires is usually a good first step in eradicating any difficulties along these lines.

The Choice for Urethane

Worn tires are often brittle and show a number of grooves or cracks. If you’ve determined that this is a problem with your machine, then you’ll need to take the wheel measurement for your blade. The tire your purchase should be 2 inches smaller than the size of the wheel so it will fit correctly. Once you have the measurement, you’ll need to decide on the type of tire you want to buy. If you have a larger, higher-speed machine, it’s probably best to pick urethane tires versus rubber band saw tires. Even if your machine is smaller, urethane tires may still be better in the long run than rubber tires.

A Durable, More Reliable Choice

Rubber tires require epoxy or glue for installation while urethane tires do not need any type of glue in order to be installed. Urethane tires are often recommended over rubber tires too as they generally last longer. Although, on average, urethane tires are more expensive, you probably will be saving more over time as the tires are proven to be, as stated, more durable.

A Safe Color

Tires come in a number of styles for use on various band saws. For instance, 3 wheel band saw tires fit Inca 710 band saws or you can find urethane tires that fit the 14” wheels of band saw blades. One thing that’s nice about urethane tires is that they do not become brittle like rubber tires. In addition, installation is much easier as it only takes a few minutes as you don’t need, as mentioned, any kind of glue. If you want to achieve better tracking and a smoother running machine, then choosing a band saw tire made of urethane is a preferred way to go. Pick the orange tires for safety and to aid you whenever you inspect the blades.

The Urethane Advantage

Of course, another advantage about a urethane tire is that when it does need replacement, it won’t be as hard to remove as a tire made of rubber. It can be a long, laborious process taking off an old rubber tire versus one made from urethane. You have to make sure that all the glue and residue is removed so the new tire fits well. Therefore, removing an old rubber tire involves a lot of scraping and brushing of debris. In addition, water and cleaning solvents aren’t recommended as they can damage the machine. Consequently, choosing to buy a urethane tire is a suggested choice if you want to save yourself future hassles and you want your machine to perform with maximum efficiency.

Take a look at the Internet. They offer a variety of tires, one of which is sure to fit your particular machine.

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