Inca Bandsaw service

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The upper / lower blade guide thrust bearings are marked 608Z, but actually they’re 608ZZ or 2Z indicating seals on both sides. The replacements are SKF.

The shaft can be drifted out easily, these are just a light interference fit. Sorry, only have 2 hands and couldn’t be bothered finding a tripod so use your imagination

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When fitting the new bearings take care only to press against the inner race - I used a plastic rod to start it

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Then found a socket larger than the shaft and smaller than the inner race to finish it off

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New tyres.

After removing the old ones (no tools needed, just peel them off) the adhesive came off easily with petrol.

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Make sure they’re spotless.

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Chuck the new ones in a bucket of hot water. It won’t do anything, but it will make you feel like you tried.

Clamp tyre to wheel with something to protect it from damage (as the clamp needs to be tight) then clamp the whole lot to the bench and stretch the new tyre into place. It’s not easy, I’ve had motorcycle tyres go on easier than this - I used the special tool (bit of dowel with a nail in one end through a plastic tube) for one, and the other was brute force.

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Fixed the blade marks in the fence.

Had some of this stuff in the cupboard

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must have bought it ages ago as when I opened it up the glue was hard. The powders were still ok so gave it a go with medium viscosity superglue

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Wish I hadn’t bothered to be honest, can’t really blame the product as I wasn’t using the right glue but the powder was quite coarse and it ended up very grainy. When I’ve used baking soda and superglue in the past I’ve had much better results. Must work out a way to colour baking powder...or just buy some powdered dyes.

Cleaned it up and gave it the scotchbrite treatment.

Looks no different but you can no longer feel the marks. Epoxy would have been just as good.

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I have no idea how it did the job as the blade guides were all to cock and the blade itself was way off centre on the wheels.
you do know that the only blade that is supposed to run in the Center of the wheel is the fretsaw blade?

All others should be adjusted so the teeth should hang off the edge of the wheel. Like this.

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the Elu bandsaw tyres are not crowned so the tracking is different from almost all other bandsaw but similar to the big industrial ones.
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Hi Sometime',

There are many differing opinions based upon whether you have a large bandsaw with wide wheels or a small hobbyists where a 1/2" blade covers the entire tire. Or if you have crown wheels or flat.

I have always followed the Snodgrass method which a lot of people seem to respect.

I am however always willing to learn 😀 thanks for your response.
 
Hi Sometime',

There are many differing opinions based upon whether you have a large bandsaw with wide wheels or a small hobbyists where a 1/2" blade covers the entire tire. Or if you have crown wheels or flat.

I have always followed the Snodgrass method which a lot of people seem to respect.

I am however always willing to learn 😀 thanks for your response.
The Snodgrass method is excellent for the majority of home workshop bandsaws as they almost exclusively have crowned tyres. The significant exception is the Inca as you can see from its instructions.
I have no opinion on smaller saws than the Inca as I’ve never had one. I also don’t know anything about the rash of really cheap ones. Peter Millard would know more about them as I think he may have, or have, had all of them.

I don’t know where your idea of many different opinions comes from. AFIK it’s Inca as posted above or central on the crown. If you know of more please enlighten me.

With Inca you adjust your rip fence to the blade drift (it is designed for this). With a crowned tyre you adjust the blade tracking to the mitre slot. I guess the Inca tracking is to reduce tyre wear, mine have lasted 40+ years so it works!

There is at least I member or former member who will vehemently even violently disagree with the Inca manual and claim that the crowned method is only correct way and all others are heresy, fortunately he hasn’t posted on this thread.
 
Dealt with the few bits with surface rust.

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Had this chemical blacking kit I’ve been meaning to try for a while.

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Made up a few trays with scraps of wood and a double layer of thick plastic sheet.

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It worked well.

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Hi Torx,
This all looks more and more amazing with each post. Can't wait to see it in all its shiny new glory.
Can I ask when you are down this way so that I can keep that time free in my diary.
I am very grateful for your remarkable attention to detail in restoring this machine.
Kind regards
Mike
 
Hi Torx,
This all looks more and more amazing with each post. Can't wait to see it in all its shiny new glory.
Can I ask when you are down this way so that I can keep that time free in my diary.
I am very grateful for your remarkable attention to detail in restoring this machine.
Kind regards
Mike

Sent you a PM.
 
It’s going back together now. I’ve heard a couple of mentions of the table tilt being stiff and awkward, so when this went back together I checked carefully for any signs of the aluminium castings galling. Sure enough it was dragging a bit so took it apart and scraped out any lumps and bumps and gave it all a polish. Fairly smooth now but I think some dry lube will help.

I was puzzled that only one blade guide has a locking nut, and the only exploded parts diagram I could find is horribly grainy. Found this excellent thread while looking for information Inca bandsaw
which was good to read through. Eventually decided there should be one there so I’ve either lost it or it’s gone missing in the past. Made a new one on the lathe. Couldn’t find the right knurling pattern though I know I’ve got one somewhere, but hardly important.

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Will have to get the blacking kit out again now, but I’ve got a few other bits to do anyway.
 
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It’s going back together now. I’ve heard a couple of mentions of the table tilt being stiff and awkward, so when this went back together I checked carefully for any signs of the aluminium castings galling. Sure enough it was dragging a bit so took it apart and scraped out any lumps and bumps and gave it all a polish. Fairly smooth now but I think some dry lube will help.

I was puzzled that only one blade guide has a locking nut, and the only exploded parts diagram I could find is horribly grainy. Found this excellent thread while looking for information Inca bandsaw
which was good to read through. Eventually decided there should be one there so I’ve either lost it or it’s gone missing in the past. Made a new one on the lathe. Couldn’t find the right knurling pattern though I know I’ve got one somewhere, but hardly important.

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Will have to get the blacking kit out again now, but I’ve got a few other bits to do anyway.
I’m confident that my saw is complete and in original condition, so if you need any parts photographed I can do that for you.
 
New brush for the lower wheel, just used a bit of draft excluder brush, handy stuff to have lying about. I imagine the genuine part is a small fortune but it’s the same stuff.

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New blade fitted. It’s a 3/8” 4 skip, probably best you invest in a few different blades Mike. They’re 73”.

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All done and set up, cuts perfectly. I realised that what I thought was a circle cutting attachment of some sort is actually a depth stop, probably more useful.

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As a footnote to all the above Alasdair [Torx ] delivered the Inca bandsaw to my door a couple of weeks ago and I am absolutely delighted with it. It looks as good as new and performs beautifully. Thank you Alasdair, you have done an amazing job. Sorry for the delay in posting a photo but I seem to have been very busy recently.
 

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