The lower bearing is a different size and a different design. Just to be able to better answer you, I found one in the discard bin where we repair and refurbish machines. I tried to press the bearing off the shaft with a 20-ton press to see how it was made -- and no joy! Would not budge. The factory folks tell me this bearing is very similar to one used in high-end submersible pumps and that the shaft and the bearing are an integral unit. The shaft, in fact, is machined and polished to serve as a race for the bearings and you cannot replace one without replacing the other. Taking them apart -- say with a 100-ton press -- destroys both the bearing and the shaft. Cool, huh? Soon as I can borrow a 100-ton press and a bomb suit, I'll let you know what happens.
With all good wishes,
I appreciate Nick's advice here. ...but if you have one of the early Magna band saws try a simple 3 arm puller to get the pulley off the shaft. It is the exact same saw, prior to all the upgrades over the decades. They did not attach the lower shaft to the lower wheel permanently and the puller does the job easily. Very easily. Mark the shaft so that you can reinstall pulley to the same position. (by tapping back on) There are other threads here on this forum regarding this bearing.
My Magna band saw number is T 36841 which is 1959. (Keep in mind that they restarted the number sequence in 1978, See chart at this link.)
John ~S.F. Bay area
10ER #39030 (+ 3 more), [1980 Mark V], 4E Jointer, rebuilt A-34 Jigsaw I'm testing, Speed Changers, Mortiser, Shaper/Jointer Fence, Flex Shaft, 10ER SPT mount for Magna Band Saw, Belt Sander & the current model SS Scroll Saw.
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Call me gullible but if Nick says that some bearings "can not" be removed from the bandsaw shaft without doing damage to it - I believe.
Now, having said that, I would not be surprised if this is NOT a universally true statement. Nick may have been incorrect when he said (implied) that all of the bandsaw bearings (lower shaft) are unable to be replaced. Earlier editions of this bearing/shaft assembly may be customer reparable.
"Making Sawdust Safely" Dusty
Sent from my Dell XPS using Firefox.
the bearing on the lower bandsaw wheel is just like the idler shaft bearing. nick did not say you can not get the wheel off the shaft. he said the bearing will not come off the shaft and that the shaft is part of the bearing itself. the same guy that is selling his "new" style spt couplers is also selling his own idler shaft bearing assemblies (also at a ridiculous price). apparently he has found a water pump shaft bearing that he machines so that it will fit. imo he is too late as shopsmith has redesigned it already and i am reasonably sure that with their new style idler shaft assembly you would be able to replce the bearings.
Bob
1954 greenie, 1963 anniversary edition now a mini,
1984 500, 1985 510, 1987 510, pro-planer, bandsaw, dust collector
Hand saw has not complexities and easily can be repaired. Whereas, band saw has bearings issue but can done work much faster and its complexity can be compensate with its efficiency.
