Keggers Posted December 19, 2017 Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 I have to replace the guide bearings in my Grizzly bandsaw. It's a Grizzly 17" model G0513X in case it matters. Before I hit the order button for the Carter guide kit I was wondering if anyone has a suggestion for better guides? If I had the choice, I'd replace the bandsaw with a powermatic but that isn't an option right now. Any help is greatly appreciated. I will order something today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted December 19, 2017 Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 I've never heard anything bad about the Carter guides, in fact, everything I have heard has been quite good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted December 19, 2017 Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 I use sealed bearings from VXB on my 17" Griz. Inexpensive and long lasting. I bought a roll of 10 (and a couple of single thrust sized) years ago and have replaced the replacements only once just recently. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted December 19, 2017 Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 It would seem hard to go wrong with the Carters. They seem to be the "go to" with replacement and like Rick said I haven't heard an bad things about the Carters. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keggers Posted December 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 Thank you for responding. I've ordered the Carters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted December 19, 2017 Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 I have been happy with Carter guides on my 14" Delta/Rockwell saw for many years. Easy to adjust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keggers Posted December 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 22 minutes ago, wdwerker said: I have been happy with Carter guides on my 14" Delta/Rockwell saw for many years. Easy to adjust. Thanks! That's good to hear. I did order a set today. I've already started taking the old pieces off the bandsaw. I also ordered some new tires since the bottom tire kept slipping off. I hope everything gets here fairly quick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted December 19, 2017 Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 A new long crank handle & Ittura spring helped on my saw. The saw already had a riser block kit on it. Take plenty of pictures of how the old guides went in place. Keep track of where bolts go etc. The lower guide was harder than the upper. I think I pulled the table off to do it, but I bought my kit a few years after they came out maybe 15-20 years ago. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted December 20, 2017 Report Share Posted December 20, 2017 Sorry, maybe I misunderstood. You have to replace them for some reason other than just the bearings . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keggers Posted December 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2017 50 minutes ago, gee-dub said: Sorry, maybe I misunderstood. You have to replace them for some reason other than just the bearings . . . No, you understood. I've never liked the guides that came with the saw and decided to just upgrade instead of just replacing the bearings. I hopefully haven't wasted some money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted December 20, 2017 Report Share Posted December 20, 2017 12 hours ago, Keggers said: No, you understood. I've never liked the guides that came with the saw and decided to just upgrade instead of just replacing the bearings. I hopefully haven't wasted some money. Dad and I both have a version of Grizzly's 17" bandsaw. The guides have never been an issue except for the original bearings which crapped out within about a year. I did add "L" knobs for a semi tool-less adjustment. Dad upgraded to Carter guides for his 1940's Delta 14" cast iron machine. Now that was an upgrade. I'm sure you'll be happy with the Carters. They do have some products that seem a bit over the top for their function but, I don't recall ever hearing anyone say they were unhappy with their Carter guides. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted December 20, 2017 Report Share Posted December 20, 2017 I just keep a Tee handled Allen wrench for adjustments stuck to the bandsaw with a magnet . Remember to adjust the lower guides when you change to a wider or narrower blade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keggers Posted December 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2017 39 minutes ago, wdwerker said: I just keep a Tee handled Allen wrench for adjustments stuck to the bandsaw with a magnet . Remember to adjust the lower guides when you change to a wider or narrower blade. Will do. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted December 20, 2017 Report Share Posted December 20, 2017 I have gotten in the habit of buying wrenchs, screwdrivers etc that go with tools then storing them on the machine with magnets or inside the case for portable tools. A wrench rides on my sliding crosscut table, there are metric Tee handle Allen wrenches in every Festool box. If there are more than one wrench I write a note of what goes to what. It's right there when you need to adjust the tool and no need to go put it back up either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted December 20, 2017 Report Share Posted December 20, 2017 Absolutely. Any tool that needs a wrench, or some special tool, has one hanging on it, or in the toolbox with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keggers Posted December 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2017 38 minutes ago, wdwerker said: I have gotten in the habit of buying wrenchs, screwdrivers etc that go with tools then storing them on the machine with magnets or inside the case for portable tools. A wrench rides on my sliding crosscut table, there are metric Tee handle Allen wrenches in every Festool box. If there are more than one wrench I write a note of what goes to what. It's right there when you need to adjust the tool and no need to go put it back up either. I have a little toolbox that holds all my wrenches and I have notes attached to each one marked with the machine they go to. Sure comes in handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keggers Posted December 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2017 The new guides are suppose to be here tomorrow. Not sure when the new tires will make it. I guess I'll slide the new guides into the bandsaw and stand back and look at them if the tires don't show up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted December 22, 2017 Report Share Posted December 22, 2017 Are you putting Christmas off until you get the tires and the reindeer made! Good luck on your rebuild bud! Let us know how you like the Carters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keggers Posted December 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2017 16 hours ago, K Cooper said: Are you putting Christmas off until you get the tires and the reindeer made! Good luck on your rebuild bud! Let us know how you like the Carters. Thanks Ken. I don't think I'll be allowed to postpone Christmas until the bandsaw is working again. I have it in parts now and it might take me until next Christmas to put it back together again. I'll certainly report on the Carters once I have everything up and running. The new tires just arrived so progress is being made! Update - The Carter guide kit just arrived. Now I have to find the time to work on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted December 22, 2017 Report Share Posted December 22, 2017 Here’s my little bandsaw help her but hold my wrenches gloves and fence. Like almost everything along that wall that simply mounts to the appropriate cleat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collinb Posted December 22, 2017 Report Share Posted December 22, 2017 On 12/20/2017 at 6:27 PM, Tom King said: Absolutely. Any tool that needs a wrench, or some special tool, has one hanging on it, or in the toolbox with it. I see I'm not the only one here with an old DW708. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keggers Posted December 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2017 43 minutes ago, gee-dub said: Here’s my little bandsaw help her but hold my wrenches gloves and fence. Like almost everything along that wall that simply mounts to the appropriate cleat. I certainly need to do something along this line. I seldom use the fence and hanging it on the wall beats leaning it up against the wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted December 22, 2017 Report Share Posted December 22, 2017 59 minutes ago, collinb said: I see I'm not the only one here with an old DW708. I wouldn't trade it for any make new one. I've never touched it for any adjustment, and it still cuts dead on, perfectly. The only thing I've ever done to it, other than change blades, is to lube the rails. No one has ever used it other than me though, and I can't say how many million dollars worth of work it's participated in since I bought it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted December 22, 2017 Report Share Posted December 22, 2017 I've got DW708 too. Must be 20-25 years old. It might need a few adjustments every 4-5 years but it stays accurate for a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collinb Posted December 23, 2017 Report Share Posted December 23, 2017 17 hours ago, Tom King said: I wouldn't trade it for any make new one. I've never touched it for any adjustment, and it still cuts dead on, perfectly. The only thing I've ever done to it, other than change blades, is to lube the rails. No one has ever used it other than me though, and I can't say how many million dollars worth of work it's participated in since I bought it. I bought mine broken. That cast aluminum motor frame is impossible to find -- obsoleted. Had to buy another broken one and swap parts around. Now it's a hybrid of Type III & Type IV, which really means nothing. But after all that work I did have to adjust it square to 90 degrees. At least with this saw it can be done by loosing the bolts on the angle register. Most aren't adjustable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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