Author Topic: Find, or make a new bandsaw blade tensioner?  (Read 1536 times)

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Offline Twilight Fenrir

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Find, or make a new bandsaw blade tensioner?
« on: June 06, 2015, 08:21:06 PM »
Today I picked up a horizontal band saw for $20 off Craigslist. It's a cheap Chinese affair, labeled Illinois Industrial Tool, model gfw5012. It's missing a few parts, but for $20 I couldn't lose :P

Despite sitting out in the elements for 2 years, once I bypassed the fisher price switch, the motor whirred to life and it runs smoothly, just needs a little grease and love.

It also needs the blade tensioner. The entire assembly is missing, as you can probably see in the picture, though it DOES have the wheel. Any idea where I might go to find parts?  I'm reasonably certain I can fabricate a new adjuster if necessary, but getting the wheel shaft perfect may be tricky. So I'd prefer to just buy one if at all possible...

Thanks.

Offline stillfishin

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Re: Find, or make a new bandsaw blade tensioner?
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2015, 12:34:54 PM »
I would think any of the china models would work. Perhaps tool shop at menards would have a parts listing? Or the harbor freight model. I've seen a few of those listed for parts on CL in the past but nothing right now. I assume they don't last long if tensioned too high.

Offline Twilight Fenrir

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Re: Find, or make a new bandsaw blade tensioner?
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2015, 03:53:38 PM »
I would think any of the china models would work. Perhaps tool shop at menards would have a parts listing? Or the harbor freight model. I've seen a few of those listed for parts on CL in the past but nothing right now. I assume they don't last long if tensioned too high.

That's kind of what I was wondering... it looks almost identical to this one on HR. It even has the same arrow pointed at the guide knob in the casting. It claims to have a 1HP motor, though, versus mine that claims to have a 3/4 horse. So I'm not sure if it's the same size...

http://www.harborfreight.com/horizontal-vertical-metal-cutting-bandsaw-93762.html