Old Bandsaw Restoration

One of my gifts for Christmas was an old bandsaw that belonged to wife's dad and, before that, his dad. So it was an honor to receive the dusty, cob web ridden saw that hadn't been used in years.

It wasn't antique-old, but it was before my time and most importantly had a history. I love tools with a history, I feel like they have a soul and the ones who used them before sort of guide and coach me when I use them.

Anyways, first was to get the thing apart and clean it up. A trip to the sand blaster and parts washer and all the dust, webs, and nests were gone. After a quick paint job and lube job it was ready for reassembly.

The only new parts I had to get (besides a few missing bolts), were new tires for the wheels and a sharp blade. This is going to be used strictly for wood projects so I opted for a smaller, more aggressive blade for cutting tight circles in wood.

The urethane tires (in orange) went on great after soaking in hot water. The saw was coming together and looking great! But the real test game with a test cut...

Like butta! Cut smooth and ran smooth. Can't wait to use this on a project; which I think will be a motorcycle seat for a bike I'm building...stay tuned!