bradleyheathhays Posted January 28, 2021 Report Share Posted January 28, 2021 Looking for my first band saw on the cheap and I found a 14" Reliant on sale for $50 but the seller says it needs a 1 HP motor. If I can find a used motor for around $50 then I'd go for it but I have no idea what size/type pulley the motor would need, and I'm guessing the seller doesn't either. I know the Reliant brand is akin to something like Harbor Freight so I know it's not worth much trouble, but the wallet is a bit slim at the moment. I suppose I could find the right HP motor at the local electric repair shop but does anyone have advice on what size/type pulley I should look for to go with this saw? PS. I know the general advice is gonna be to skip this one altogether and look for something better, but there's just no other way I'm gonna find this cutting height (which I need) at the ~$100 price range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradleyheathhays Posted January 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2021 I'll learned enough about replacement parts now that I'll probably go ahead and buy the saw. I've gotten advice to make sure the wheels turn freely and that the bearings sound ok. Any other advice on what to check out on the saw when I do the inspection? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradleyheathhays Posted February 11, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 Unfortunately someone else got to this 14" right before I committed. I ended up with a decent 12" Craftsman instead. Sturdy factory base with some kind of original built-in digital readout although I'm not sure if it works. Saw runs fairly well with 6" cut height, 2 speeds, 1.25 hp, and a huge table that tilts 45 deg.. Any suggestion for good performing but economical belts or tires? I'm finding sets of tires on Amazon for around $18 but I'm wondering if that's too cheap to be any good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fm2176 Posted February 11, 2021 Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 I'm not sure about tires, but for belts you may want to find a local belt/hose supplier. When I worked as a forklift mechanic, I would have to visit one regularly to match up v-belts and/or hoses for equipment I was working on. The ones I visited seemed to have every size of v-belt and serpentine belt available at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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