The wheels of most woodworking bandsaws are covered with a band of rubber or urethane called a tyre. It cushions the blade, grips it so the wheel can drive it, and protects the teeth and their set from the metal wheel. When the blade won’t track, vibrates or keeps coming off, worn tyres are often the reason, and they are one of the cheapest parts to renew.
Signs a tyre needs attention.
- Cracks or hardening. Old rubber dries out, goes hard and cracks. A hard tyre grips poorly and the blade slips or wanders.
- Grooves and cuts. A blade that has run in one place for years wears a groove; a blade that came off can cut the tyre. Either affects tracking.
- Loose or lifting sections. A tyre that has come away from the wheel, even in one place, makes the blade jump at every turn.
- Caked sawdust. Resin and fine dust pressed into the tyre make a hard, uneven layer. Often cleaning is enough: with the saw unplugged, turn the wheel by hand and clean the tyre with a stiff brush.
Rubber or urethane.
Replacement tyres come in two common types. Rubber tyres are the traditional kind and are usually glued to the wheel. Urethane tyres are usually stretched onto the wheel without glue, often after warming them in hot water so they stretch more easily. Urethane is popular because it is easier to fit and lasts well, but follow the instructions that come with the tyres you buy, and your saw’s manual, rather than a general method.
Tyres are sold by wheel diameter and rim width, sometimes by saw model. Check your manual’s parts list, or measure the wheel, before ordering, and replace both wheels’ tyres at the same time so they match.
Crowned or flat.
Many bandsaws have tyres with a slight crown, a gently rounded surface that helps the blade find the centre of the wheel. Some wheels are crowned themselves and the tyre follows the shape; on others the tyre provides the crown. Others run flat tyres and rely on the tracking adjustment alone. Replace like with like, and if you are unsure, ask the saw’s manufacturer or the tyre supplier.
After fitting new tyres.
- Check them for twists, bumps or gaps, turning each wheel slowly by hand.
- Fit and tension the blade as your manual says.
- Re-track the blade. New tyres change where it runs; see setting tension and tracking.
- Reset the guides and make a test cut.