From: none@none.com99   
      
   On 1/11/2026 11:58 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:   
   > "Bob La Londe"  wrote in message news:10k0mg0$2k4a$1@dont-email.me...   
   >   
   > On 1/11/2026 7:48 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:   
   >> What are you using for the wheels? They were the critical components   
   >> of mine, the only parts I couldn't make. Motorcycle wheels and tires   
   >> worked pretty well for me except that they aren't load rated for   
   >> nearly the recommended blade tension, which keeps the blade straight   
   >> in wide cuts. 24" diameter is large enough to avoid the gullet   
   >> cracking my previous 10" wheel sawmill suffered with 3/4" wide coarse   
   >> blades. These are 1-1/4" wide, 3/4" pitch as Timberwolf suggested.   
   >> They can be lightly sharpened a few times with a guided file without   
   >> complaints from the regrinding service.   
   >   
   > I would think ring rolling flat bar, and welding in spokes would be an   
   > answer.  Note: that meat saws, and horizontal band saws do not use a   
   > tire.  Instead they use an all metal wheel with a lip, and they   
   > typically only use one width of blade.   
   >   
   > Turning a 24" wheel concentric might not be so practical unless you have   
   > a really large lathe or a modestly large lathe with a gap bed.  There   
   > are ways to get "pretty close" on a mill though.  Mounted to a rotary   
   > table offset to one side you can skim a wheel round.  Concentricity is a   
   > bit more involved, but if you can center the bore on the rotab maybe not   
   > so much.  A close fit stub in the bore of the rotab if you don't have a   
   > mill with 12+ inches of column clearance.  It sounds ridiculous at   
   > first, but a 24 inch wheel needs to only have a little over 12 inches   
   > offset from the spindle and the same clearance to the column.  Depending   
   > on the setup your rotab bore doesn't even have to be within the envelope   
   > of the machine.   
   >   
   > You know how to balance a wheel I am sure.  Just drill out or add   
   > material until doesn't stop at any particular point when setup on on a   
   > simple axle, or on an axle across a couple "parallels."  However, is it   
   > spinning fast enough that balance is even really an issue?  I haven't   
   > seen any signs of balancing on any of my smaller bandsaws.   
   > Bob La Londe   
   > -------------------------------   
   > I sufficiently restored a second SB Heavy 10 headstock that could be   
   > mounted on a heavy wood beam frame with an X-Y table for the tool rest   
   > as a large wheel lathe. I bought an HF linked belt to drive it through   
   > the flat cone pulley and back gears, and a variable speed DC motor. The   
   > bigger problem is making the rim strong enough to hold a safe multiple   
   > of 1500 Lbs. Usually the rubber rim is a row of vee belts which require   
   > fairly deep turned grooves.   
   >   
   > The saw needs some welding repair from the last session, it wasn't built   
   > much stronger than necessary for the original 5.5HP design and modifying   
   > it for larger logs and higher blade tension cut into the margin.   
   >   
   > I removed the drive wheel tire to smooth a rim corrosion leak and it's   
   > now noticeably out of balance when running at some speeds, fortunately   
   > not the cutting speed. The 3" channel uprights that support the saw head   
   > can't have cross bracing except at the top end and are somewhat wobbly.   
   > They were weakened by notches nearer one end and cost me only $5 per 8'   
   > length so I can't complain too hard. The shorter cutoffs became their   
   > bases.   
   >   
      
   A t-joint wheel is going to be quite rigid.  Cut a round ring for the   
   bottom leg of the T.  Ring roll the blade surface of the wheel.  Add   
   spokes from your ring to your hub.   
      
   When I mentioned turning the ring I was not implying a huge amount of   
   material removal.  Just enough to make the surface acceptable and   
   concentric with the hub bore.  You should take the effort to get "pretty   
   close" in fabrication so that is all you need to do.  If you have enough   
   material you "could" turn a slight crown, but I don't think other lipped   
   wheels have a crown.  They are just adjusted so the blade runs true   
   without it.  Balance can be achieved by drilling holes in the spokes.  I   
   am thinking flat bar for spokes.  Of course adjust as your own mind   
   works on such problems.   
      
      
      
      
   --   
   Bob La Londe   
   CNC Molds N Stuff   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
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