Photo Index - Northfield Foundry & Machine Co. - 36" Deluxe Bandsaw

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Northfield Foundry & Machine Co.
Northfield, MN

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Band Saw
Machine Size:	36" wheels 24" under guide
Submitted By:	Chuck Hess

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	36" Deluxe Bandsaw
Date of Manufacturer:	1973
Serial Number:
Last Updated	6/28/2005 4:23:07 AM

Comments:

Northfield 36 Deluxe Bandsaw
Aloha,
This is my bandsaw and it was pretty ugly when I got her. It was sort of brick red with the original Northfield green peeking out in places. I didnt pay much for the machine I traded 2 koa slabs that I didnt have much in, and $400 cash. The machine had also been picked up incorrectly by a forklift or something and had some other minor problems like a cracked trunnion which I iron stitched back together. I also put about a grand in parts on it due to missing items in the guide areas. Northfield is still in business so I was not used to just calling and ordering parts with a visa card. The saw runs very well but now is due for a tire job which I am putting off for now. It has Carter solid wheels and Carter guides with about 24" under the guide. I just couldn't bring myself to paint it Northfield green so this one is an Oliver cross dresser. The resaw fence is a Northfield item that I got from the factory for a mere $450 and it is a good one. I also installed the HTC outfeed roller table which looks hokey, but with some modifications for tilting, works well and it is very handy for resawing long pieces. We have 3 other long roller tables that we use with this saw too. The saw originally came with a direct drive 7 1/2 HP, 900 RPM motor. That puts the surface feet per minute up about 8500 which is way too fast for resawing. I dont know why they would even make a saw like this with that kind of blade speed. I have always been told that optimum resaw speed is about 4000 to 4500 SFPM. Sooo, you'll notice in the photos that this is the only one in captivity that has the Hessco Modification. That is; I mounted the whole saw on a 3/4" thick steel plate, then mounted a 10 HP baldor to the plate. I removed the rear bell housing and fan off the direct drive motor and was delighted to find that the shaft was sticking out enough to mount a 3 sheave pulley 15" in diameter. With a 3 3/4" pulley on a 1750 RPM motor and 36" wheels that brought me right down to resaw speed. So the original DD motor is in essence just a long shaft. It cuts very well. Last summer we had the biggest stick ever in my shop 12" x 16" x 27' long, vertical grain, old growth, western cedar, that we sawed into veneers 1/4" thick with this saw. Now that was a stick!
Aloha,
Chuck

Photo 1:

Comments: Front shot
Source: My beautiful wife's camera.

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Photo 2:

Comments: Back Shot
Source: My beautiful wife's camera.

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Photo 3:

Comments: Hessco Modification (c)
Source: My beautiful wife's camera.

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