Yeah, the belt has definitely made this saw a winner. I was ready to return the saw as a whole out of the box. Amazing what a difference something as simple as a belt can make.
Thank for the tips - I MDF'd mine as well under the saw on top of the stand ,used locking castors also, for the belt a DAYCO top cog 15395 works BEAUTIFULLY on this saw ZERO vibration after putting one on my Rigid saw , bought it a advanced auto parts online and picked it up at my local store for $16
Helpful info. Couldn't agree more with your PowerTwist belt comments. I rehab'ed an old Craftsman spindle lathe (circa 1950s) and replaced the ancient OEM belt with one and the lathe spins like a top ...
Thank you! I'll probably be making a circle cutting jig for it soon. So far, the mods have been working out great! The wheels are a must have! Thats one heavy saw to push around a small shop.
I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 14 INCH rIDGID AT THE LOCAL PAWN SHOP. YOUR VIDEO WAS AWESOME APPLIED YOUR ADVICE WORKED GREAT, ONLY DIFF.. I USED 1 INCH MDF INSTEAD OF THE 3/4
Thanks..Best advice I can give you is snatch up any parts you can find that wear on this saw because they’re becoming scarce since ridgid doesn’t manufacture it anymore
1 year later and the belt is still holding up great. I use the saw a few times per week every week. I agree - suporting a product that works is something I also believe in! Too much garbage out there that people complain about but rarely praise the stuff that actually works.
For my Ridgid Band Saw, I purchased a mobile base at Harbor Freight for about $39+tax. It works pretty good. To solve the vibration problem, I balanced both pulleys by adding small weights opposite the heavy side of each pulley. In essence, I balanced like an automobile wire would be balanced. This eliminates the need of using a drill bit to remove metal from the heavy side of the pulley and compromising the integrity of the part. Then I bought the segmented belt like in the video at Harbor Freight for about $21. It works well. And finally, I put on some urethane tires that I got off eBay. If you purchase urethane tires, it is much easier to install them if you remove pulleys from saw and follow instructions that can be found on TH-cam. All in all, these minor modifications have turned my Ridgid Band Saw into a nicely working saw that has little if no vibration to speak of. It passes the nickel test and glass of water on the table vibration tests with flying colors. And a good saw blade is a must to have. There were other saws on the market that are under different brand names that are basically the same thing as the Ridgid saw. Folks don't seem to have problems with them like the Ridgid and I wonder if there is some bias built into some comments that are just anti the Ridgid brand? Who knows?????? My saw works fine now and is the best $150 I spent on the saw and parts. Thanks for the informative video!!!! You provided a good educational tool for folks who have these saws.
Thanks so much. This helps. I did not consider that the belt could cause vibration. I am thinking about reinforcing the "neck" of the saw that holds up the top wheel so that it does not flex. I thought about a steel reinforcement of some sort.
Well I finally got time to do this mod. Works great. I used a slightly larger piece of ply to give me a small ledge to rest pieces when sawing lots of small stuff.
Great job, I have the same saw with the same problems. I plan on making the same modifcations as well as adding the riser block. Please post any other mods, this was a great help.
those belts are are great they have no memory like standard belts and they last! I have one on my big table saw and the belt guard jumped and was running on the belt still no problem I fixed the guard problem and it's still going strong and smooth.
I agree. I was all set to box this up and return it before I found out I was on the hook for return freight shipping. I'm glad that was the case because I changed my mind and made these changes to the saw and couldn't be happier with it now. Thanks for watching
I really appreciate your video...I somehow ended up with two of these. I use one with an 1/8" blade, and one with a 5/8" blade, so I don't have to swap blades out...that's not why I have two, but anyways, thanks for sharing because the wobble at start up is VERY annoying. I am going to try adding the MDF this weekend and getting rid of the rubber feet. One would think those MUST help, but I can verify that they DO NOT HELP! Hopefully, with your video, I will have a good saw thanks to your tips!
Yes, thanks for this. I just bought one of these used for $140. Its in pretty good shape. I was apprehensive at first because of all the negative reviews on some sites. But as I kept researching what I found was that the guys who took the time to make some minor modifications and tuning, just like in this video, were very happy with it. No, its not meant to be an industrial shop tool. But as a home or lite duty shop tool it works great. I have ordered some of the upgrade items, i.e. cool blocks, Timber Wolfe blades and urethane tires. I need to find where to get the better belt. Somewhere I read on one of the blogs you can get the link belt like in this video at Harbor Freight. I am also going to add the wood to the base. Everyone has recommended that as a first upgrade to strengthen the base. I also noticed the blade guide bearings are not where they are supposed to be. Someone has placed them along side the blade rather than behind it 1/8" like the set up shows. Something I have to correct.
David Croft Thanks for the comment. It's an ok saw. Problem is that it's now been discontinued for several years and parts are becoming scarce. The table trunnions shoes have cracked on me several times. Luckily I ordered a whole bunch a while back. Good luck with yours!
I had a recent problem with my Ridgid bs14000. The shaft/hinge upper wheel #824283($60.57) was so distorted and bent I could not believe what I was seeing in comparison to the new replacement part. IF you are seeing trouble centering the blades on the wheels and are getting close to the end of tilt adjustment to the upper tracking(knob turned all the way in) this is the part to replace! I never would have believed that cheap casting could bend this much with out breaking all together! I was ready to dump this saw I was so bummed out. NOW? Its like a new saw.
Thanks for the info. All in all, if I was to do it all over again, I would never again buy this saw. Quality is really lacking. I've replaced numerous parts over the past few years. Parts that should not break (table mounts, tensioner, sheared off bolt, etc). As you have noted, the casted parts are of poor quality. For a saw that gets light use as in my case, these things shouldn't be breaking.
1 1/2" - 2" long (somwhere in that range) 1/4 20's for the motor and saw. The belt cover was just some misc. screws I had laying around. It has worked out great and I would definitely recommend to anyone owning this saw.
Thanks buddy. I agree, with a little more engineering Ridgid could have a great product out of the box. The internet is litered with the same compliants regarding this saw. Interesting idea with the shop vac under the table. I will definitely be putting that area to use somehow. Right now, its wasted space.
You can always add some weight on the bottom plate to help stabilize the saw. Additional weight dampens vibration. Concrete block work great for that. Just an idea.
Wow, you've done a smashing job :-) Love the mods, that segmented drive belt is really interesting, you have done what the manufacturers should have done in the first place, well done :-) Are you going to fit a cheap vaccume cleaner in the lower frame to plug into that front mounted fitting, it would keep the sawdust under control. Its a shame that they make a good machine nasty by using cheap blades/belts and stand design :-(
Thanks for the video , I have had vibration since I have had this about 3 years. Dont use it a whole lot . Since your video I have removed the belt guard and did a belt deflection and noticed that by squeezing the belt top and bottom between my fingers the actual saw would deflect slightly. Go figure ! anyway Im on my way to the mod. Thanks Again
Your post is 5yrs old at this point, but you made a point that's worth commenting on. You wrote "Don't use it a whole lot", and also talked about a vibration issue. What I've learned in my research tonight points out that long periods of non-use are probably as much to blame as anything else. Especially with the original V-belt. It will take a "set" in the tight curve of the small motor pulley that leads to almost like a flat spot on the belt that is NOT a problem with the segmented belts he shows here. Non-use can also cause flat spots on the rubber wheel tires, especially if the tension is not loosened for longer periods between projects.
2 is better than 1! Changing blades is a PITA so having 2 is a great idea. The rubber feet are a terrible attempt to fix a problem. You would think a big company like Ridgid would have picked up on this already. Thanks for watching.
Thanks a lot for the video. I just picked up this saw last night. Definitely going to sandwich a piece of MDF between the base and saw, and also get a piece to make a rolling base. I plan on changing out the belt, getting a riser block from Grizzly, graphite guide blocks, urethane wheels, and a timberwolf blade. Then the saw should be perfect. You know anything about the urethane wheels and graphite guide blocks?
These belts are the new thing with motors that use V-Belts. The fact that they can be adjusted lengthwise means the user only has to know the width of their belt. The belts last longer than the standard V-groove belt, and they are stronger than originals. You should not see any sign of wear for years...unless you use it daily. I do not work for any of the belt companies...just believe in supporting a product when they're this good!
Its actually not that bad of a saw - perfectly fine for how I use it. If I was a professional woodworker using it daily, I'm sure I'd notice a bunch more problems with it. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Sorry for the long delay. Mine are actually balanced well from the factory. I would opt towards drilling the heavier part rather then adding weights. I've seen this methold done successfully several times. There are some videos on youtube about it
Have you had any luck balancing the wheels? With the blades and tires off, I spin mine and they always end up stopping at the same spot, which means the heaviest part of the wheel is at the bottom. I wonder if I should either add weights to the top, or drill out some material on the bottom to balance them? Maybe add or subtract weight on the spoke itself? What do you think?
the vibration is because the wheels are out of balance...and your blocks are touching the blade, that is why you hear that grinding noise you can use a piece of paper to gauge the space between the blocks and the blade...
supurbian Thanks. This was an older video when I first got the saw. I have since upgraded to a better one. This one strictly used for light metal work now
No, don't use them. I mentioned this in the video. They serve no purpose and make the vibration worse. Hard mount to the base with nuts and bolts and get a better belt.
Good video, nice of you to share. I bought this saw about five years ago and think I will just sell it. I don't want to spend the time and money on it. Vibrates horrible and it never has cut a square line, my guess is the wheels either aren't true or the tires need to be replaced. Don't buy one! Piece of crap
It's a piece of crap saw. I would not buy again. Too many problems with it. Table trunnions recently broke on mine too. Had to replace both. Worst part is Ridgid discontinued many of the replacement for this model. I'll use it until it dies and I can't find parts anymore. Thanks for watching.
What if you want thin boards and they aren't available? You gonna plane down thick ones and leave half the wood as shavings on the shop floor? What if you want bookmatched boards? There's no other way to get them. Idiocy is not using every trick at your disposal.
Don't bother with "Cool Blocks". They are a marketing gimmick. Use the original solid steel. If you want to have the guides contacting the blade, you can use tight grain hardwood (maple, etc.).
You could also achieve vibration reduction while still maintaining the same belt "coefficient of friction" by buying a premium automotive notched belt at a good parts store. (Gates is a very good brand. Think of how long an automotive belt typically lasts while under much harsher conditions )......30-50,000 miles???? PS.....when Delta used to sell only top notch American made band saws....they came with notched belts. The hum you hear on the Rigid is probably coming from the motor armature being out of balance....you don't really think the Asian manufacturers care about quality machining ....do you?
Steven Hardy, do you think a notched belt would out perform a power twist belt? Not so much longevity but performance. I'm rebuilding one of these saws right now.
To that I can only say that they perform excellent in harsh automotive and truck environments with out slipping and are turning some fairly heavy loads. I have one on a 5hp 20 inch planer that would probably tear up a linked belt in an hour.
the blocks are loud because thay are not suposta touch the blade set them with a dollar bill between thay are their for when it moves i have the same ridged piece of shit and its quiet and i resaw almost 5 inch wide stock with my fence set up for drift i cut vernier for guitars on it
Yeah, the belt has definitely made this saw a winner. I was ready to return the saw as a whole out of the box. Amazing what a difference something as simple as a belt can make.
Thank for the tips - I MDF'd mine as well under the saw on top of the stand ,used locking castors also, for the belt a DAYCO top cog 15395 works BEAUTIFULLY on this saw ZERO vibration after putting one on my Rigid saw , bought it a advanced auto parts online and picked it up at my local store for $16
Helpful info. Couldn't agree more with your PowerTwist belt comments. I rehab'ed an old Craftsman spindle lathe (circa 1950s) and replaced the ancient OEM belt with one and the lathe spins like a top ...
Thank you! I'll probably be making a circle cutting jig for it soon. So far, the mods have been working out great! The wheels are a must have! Thats one heavy saw to push around a small shop.
Good job. I like the casters on the bottom. Appreciate your honesty about your work spot. I think most people are in the same boat so to say.
I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 14 INCH rIDGID AT THE LOCAL PAWN SHOP. YOUR VIDEO WAS AWESOME APPLIED YOUR ADVICE WORKED GREAT, ONLY DIFF.. I USED 1 INCH MDF INSTEAD OF THE 3/4
Just picked this up used for 200 bucks today. This vid is perfect. And yes, the saw has that vibration as well.. Great vid!!!
Thanks..Best advice I can give you is snatch up any parts you can find that wear on this saw because they’re becoming scarce since ridgid doesn’t manufacture it anymore
@@fixitwithzim awesome advice. I will likely flip it pretty soon for something more.
1 year later and the belt is still holding up great. I use the saw a few times per week every week. I agree - suporting a product that works is something I also believe in! Too much garbage out there that people complain about but rarely praise the stuff that actually works.
For my Ridgid Band Saw, I purchased a mobile base at Harbor Freight for about $39+tax. It works pretty good. To solve the vibration problem, I balanced both pulleys by adding small weights opposite the heavy side of each pulley. In essence, I balanced like an automobile wire would be balanced. This eliminates the need of using a drill bit to remove metal from the heavy side of the pulley and compromising the integrity of the part. Then I bought the segmented belt like in the video at Harbor Freight for about $21. It works well. And finally, I put on some urethane tires that I got off eBay. If you purchase urethane tires, it is much easier to install them if you remove pulleys from saw and follow instructions that can be found on TH-cam.
All in all, these minor modifications have turned my Ridgid Band Saw into a nicely working saw that has little if no vibration to speak of. It passes the nickel test and glass of water on the table vibration tests with flying colors. And a good saw blade is a must to have.
There were other saws on the market that are under different brand names that are basically the same thing as the Ridgid saw. Folks don't seem to have problems with them like the Ridgid and I wonder if there is some bias built into some comments that are just anti the Ridgid brand? Who knows?????? My saw works fine now and is the best $150 I spent on the saw and parts.
Thanks for the informative video!!!! You provided a good educational tool for folks who have these saws.
Excellent video, very very informative……… thanks
Just bought one of these myself, thanks for sharing, i was also wondering about the rubber grommets; your video confirms what I was thinking. Thanks!
Thanks so much. This helps. I did not consider that the belt could cause vibration. I am thinking about reinforcing the "neck" of the saw that holds up the top wheel so that it does not flex. I thought about a steel reinforcement of some sort.
They do work great. Perfect design in my opinion
Well I finally got time to do this mod. Works great. I used a slightly larger piece of ply to give me a small ledge to rest pieces when sawing lots of small stuff.
Great job, I have the same saw with the same problems. I plan on making the same modifcations as well as adding the riser block. Please post any other mods, this was a great help.
Thanks for the video. Going to make the modifications before next project.
Thanks for the part number. I plan on doing the exact same thing!
those belts are are great they have no memory like standard belts and they last! I have one on my big table saw and the belt guard jumped and was running on the belt still no problem I fixed the guard problem and it's still going strong and smooth.
good video thanks, I'm going to make an MDF base for my Delta 28-206. I'm hoping to takes the last bit of vibration out. thanks again.
Haven't noticed any wear with it, I've used it consistantly and checked it tonight. Still looks brand new.
Glad I could help. Thanks for watching
I agree. I was all set to box this up and return it before I found out I was on the hook for return freight shipping. I'm glad that was the case because I changed my mind and made these changes to the saw and couldn't be happier with it now. Thanks for watching
I really appreciate your video...I somehow ended up with two of these. I use one with an 1/8" blade, and one with a 5/8" blade, so I don't have to swap blades out...that's not why I have two, but anyways, thanks for sharing because the wobble at start up is VERY annoying. I am going to try adding the MDF this weekend and getting rid of the rubber feet. One would think those MUST help, but I can verify that they DO NOT HELP! Hopefully, with your video, I will have a good saw thanks to your tips!
Those are good belts, worth the money. Caution though, they must be put on so the drive tightens the tabs. Wrong way round they will come apart.
Yes, thanks for this. I just bought one of these used for $140. Its in pretty good shape. I was apprehensive at first because of all the negative reviews on some sites. But as I kept researching what I found was that the guys who took the time to make some minor modifications and tuning, just like in this video, were very happy with it. No, its not meant to be an industrial shop tool. But as a home or lite duty shop tool it works great. I have ordered some of the upgrade items, i.e. cool blocks, Timber Wolfe blades and urethane tires. I need to find where to get the better belt. Somewhere I read on one of the blogs you can get the link belt like in this video at Harbor Freight. I am also going to add the wood to the base. Everyone has recommended that as a first upgrade to strengthen the base. I also noticed the blade guide bearings are not where they are supposed to be. Someone has placed them along side the blade rather than behind it 1/8" like the set up shows. Something I have to correct.
David Croft Thanks for the comment. It's an ok saw. Problem is that it's now been discontinued for several years and parts are becoming scarce. The table trunnions shoes have cracked on me several times. Luckily I ordered a whole bunch a while back. Good luck with yours!
I learned something new. Great video man keep up the good videos!
I tought about doing that too but space is at a premium in my shop and I need to be able to tuck the saw into a tight corner. Thanks for watching
I had a recent problem with my Ridgid bs14000. The shaft/hinge upper wheel #824283($60.57) was so distorted and bent I could not believe what I was seeing in comparison to the new replacement part. IF you are seeing trouble centering the blades on the wheels and are getting close to the end of tilt adjustment to the upper tracking(knob turned all the way in) this is the part to replace! I never would have believed that cheap casting could bend this much with out breaking all together! I was ready to dump this saw I was so bummed out. NOW? Its like a new saw.
Thanks for the info. All in all, if I was to do it all over again, I would never again buy this saw. Quality is really lacking. I've replaced numerous parts over the past few years. Parts that should not break (table mounts, tensioner, sheared off bolt, etc). As you have noted, the casted parts are of poor quality. For a saw that gets light use as in my case, these things shouldn't be breaking.
1 1/2" - 2" long (somwhere in that range) 1/4 20's for the motor and saw. The belt cover was just some misc. screws I had laying around. It has worked out great and I would definitely recommend to anyone owning this saw.
Thanks buddy. I agree, with a little more engineering Ridgid could have a great product out of the box. The internet is litered with the same compliants regarding this saw.
Interesting idea with the shop vac under the table. I will definitely be putting that area to use somehow. Right now, its wasted space.
Thanks for the advice!
Very nice
You can always add some weight on the bottom plate to help stabilize the saw. Additional weight dampens vibration. Concrete block work great for that. Just an idea.
Gary Mucher Thank you for the suggestion.
Tanks for the video. Really helpful.
Sergio Soto Glad you found it helpful! Thanks for watching.
Wow, you've done a smashing job :-)
Love the mods, that segmented drive belt is really interesting, you have done what the manufacturers should have done in the first place, well done :-)
Are you going to fit a cheap vaccume cleaner in the lower frame to plug into that front mounted fitting, it would keep the sawdust under control.
Its a shame that they make a good machine nasty by using cheap blades/belts and stand design :-(
Thanks for the video , I have had vibration since I have had this about 3 years. Dont use it a whole lot . Since your video I have removed the belt guard and did a belt deflection and noticed that by squeezing the belt top and bottom between my fingers the actual saw would deflect slightly. Go figure ! anyway Im on my way to the mod. Thanks Again
Your post is 5yrs old at this point, but you made a point that's worth commenting on. You wrote "Don't use it a whole lot", and also talked about a vibration issue. What I've learned in my research tonight points out that long periods of non-use are probably as much to blame as anything else. Especially with the original V-belt. It will take a "set" in the tight curve of the small motor pulley that leads to almost like a flat spot on the belt that is NOT a problem with the segmented belts he shows here. Non-use can also cause flat spots on the rubber wheel tires, especially if the tension is not loosened for longer periods between projects.
Thanks I
2 is better than 1! Changing blades is a PITA so having 2 is a great idea. The rubber feet are a terrible attempt to fix a problem. You would think a big company like Ridgid would have picked up on this already. Thanks for watching.
You're welcome. Thanks for watching
Nice..shoot a video of it if you do...I would like to see how you did it.
Thanks a lot for the video. I just picked up this saw last night. Definitely going to sandwich a piece of MDF between the base and saw, and also get a piece to make a rolling base. I plan on changing out the belt, getting a riser block from Grizzly, graphite guide blocks, urethane wheels, and a timberwolf blade. Then the saw should be perfect. You know anything about the urethane wheels and graphite guide blocks?
These belts are the new thing with motors that use V-Belts. The fact that they can be adjusted lengthwise means the user only has to know the width of their belt. The belts last longer than the standard V-groove belt, and they are stronger than originals. You should not see any sign of wear for years...unless you use it daily. I do not work for any of the belt companies...just believe in supporting a product when they're this good!
Its actually not that bad of a saw - perfectly fine for how I use it. If I was a professional woodworker using it daily, I'm sure I'd notice a bunch more problems with it. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Approx 500 delivered. Bought from Home Depot. You have to order online - they don't carry in stores.
Sorry for the long delay. Mine are actually balanced well from the factory. I would opt towards drilling the heavier part rather then adding weights. I've seen this methold done successfully several times. There are some videos on youtube about it
Have you had any luck balancing the wheels? With the blades and tires off, I spin mine and they always end up stopping at the same spot, which means the heaviest part of the wheel is at the bottom. I wonder if I should either add weights to the top, or drill out some material on the bottom to balance them? Maybe add or subtract weight on the spoke itself? What do you think?
Классная техника ...
You're welcome, I always try to help others.
tks for the video
Zimjeep, thanks for sharing this helpful video. I have one question. what is the power of your motor, or how many hp (horse power)
the vibration is because the wheels are out of balance...and your blocks are touching the blade, that is why you hear that grinding noise
you can use a piece of paper to gauge the space between the blocks and the blade...
supurbian Thanks. This was an older video when I first got the saw. I have since upgraded to a better one. This one strictly used for light metal work now
Thanks for watching
I don't but I will check them out...thanks
No, don't use them. I mentioned this in the video. They serve no purpose and make the vibration worse. Hard mount to the base with nuts and bolts and get a better belt.
HOW MUCH DID THE SAW COST AND WHERE DID YOU BUY IT? I'M SORRY I
DIDN'T SEE THE FIRST VIDEO.
Olson is awesome and inexpensive
do you recommend using the rubber feet when setting up this saw?
What size motor (hp rating) does it have. I was considering purchasing one.
Good video, nice of you to share. I bought this saw about five years ago and think I will just sell it. I don't want to spend the time and money on it. Vibrates horrible and it never has cut a square line, my guess is the wheels either aren't true or the tires need to be replaced. Don't buy one! Piece of crap
It's a piece of crap saw. I would not buy again. Too many problems with it. Table trunnions recently broke on mine too. Had to replace both. Worst part is Ridgid discontinued many of the replacement for this model. I'll use it until it dies and I can't find parts anymore. Thanks for watching.
Yeah, totally useless and unnecessary. Don't even waste your time with them. Thanks for watching.
What if you want thin boards and they aren't available? You gonna plane down thick ones and leave half the wood as shavings on the shop floor? What if you want bookmatched boards? There's no other way to get them. Idiocy is not using every trick at your disposal.
Don't bother with "Cool Blocks". They are a marketing gimmick. Use the original solid steel. If you want to have the guides contacting the blade, you can use tight grain hardwood (maple, etc.).
cool technique ... ahh i see, sorry i was using a bad translation program :-(
a much improved machine :-)
all so THANKS FOR THE GREAT VIDEOS, SO MUCH GREAT INFORMATION THAT RELY HELPS! rhukill
+robert hukill Thanks for watching. Glad you find them informative.
You could also achieve vibration reduction while still maintaining the same belt "coefficient of friction" by buying a premium automotive notched belt at a good parts store. (Gates is a very good brand. Think of how long an automotive belt typically lasts while under much harsher conditions )......30-50,000 miles???? PS.....when Delta used to sell only top notch American made band saws....they came with notched belts.
The hum you hear on the Rigid is probably coming from the motor armature being out of balance....you don't really think the Asian manufacturers care about quality machining ....do you?
Steven Hardy, do you think a notched belt would out perform a power twist belt? Not so much longevity but performance.
I'm rebuilding one of these saws right now.
To that I can only say that they perform excellent in harsh automotive and truck environments with out slipping and are turning some fairly heavy loads. I have one on a 5hp 20 inch planer that would probably tear up a linked belt in an hour.
the motor keeps sorta almost pausing. My delta 16in three wheeler probably works 10 times better
We stock over 600 models of replacement Blue Max urethane band saw tires and we make up customs sizes. Visit us on the web Bandsawtirewarehouse.com
the blocks are loud because thay are not suposta touch the blade set them with a dollar bill between thay are their for when it moves i have the same ridged piece of shit and its quiet and i resaw almost 5 inch wide stock with my fence set up for drift i cut vernier for guitars on it
effyou128 he is using the guide blocks as brakes.