Carter Band Saw Stabilizer

[Weekendworrior]

Does anyone have one? If so, do you have the part number to the bearing itself?

Thanks in advance.

 

[junquecol]

Best I can remember, it's a stock bearing with a grooved tire pressed onto it. Same method as putting tires on a steam locomotive engine wheel. Bearing is chilled, and tire is heated, then "dropped" over wheel. When tire cools,it's held tightly in place. Because of limited market, there most likely isn't an alternative source. You might look at bearings with snap ring retainer groove.

 

[W Burton]

The only marking I can find says R4ARS, if I can read it correctly. But as Bruce said, it has an external "tire" surface around the bearing.

I would have responded sooner, but I had to find a magnifying glass and a good bright light. I am getting too old to see stuff that small.

 

[MagGeorge]

Help me to understand this, do you only use carter stabilizer if you're using narrower blades?

 

[W Burton]

Help me to understand this, do you only use carter stabilizer if you're using narrower blades?

That's the way I use it. I have a little 10" Rikon bandsaw and usually use the Carter stabilizer with either a 1/8" or 3/16" blade, though it works fine with a 1/4" blade as well. It holds the back of the blade stationary, but allows the front to flex from side to side a little bit - obviously with a 1/8" blade, it doesn't move much, though. The bottom guides are backed off completely. The bearing is pushed against the back of the blade enough to "load" it with some pressure, and the blade tracking is supposed to be adjusted toward the rear to add a bit more pressure to the bearing.

I love it. It can make incredibly tight cuts that I never thought were possible on a bandsaw with it.

 

[MagGeorge]

That's the way I use it. I have a little 10" Rikon bandsaw and usually use the Carter stabilizer with either a 1/8" or 3/16" blade, though it works fine with a 1/4" blade as well. It holds the back of the blade stationary, but allows the front to flex from side to side a little bit - obviously with a 1/8" blade, it doesn't move much, though. The bottom guides are backed off completely. The bearing is pushed against the back of the blade enough to "load" it with some pressure, and the blade tracking is supposed to be adjusted toward the rear to add a bit more pressure to the bearing.

I love it. It can make incredibly tight cuts that I never thought were possible on a bandsaw with it.

I have a 1/4" carbon band saw blade that I use for cutting curves now. Not impressed with it but when I tried to use it to rip wood, the cut looks fine. So I probably get a 1/8" bi metal for tight cuts. I'm considering to add carter stabilizer.

 

[Weekendworrior]

FYI, the replacement bearing -sold as an assembly only- is $45 plus $5 and some change shipping. The part# is GP-1000-24. That's 60% of the units total cost. I highly recommend the Stabilizer so don't get me wrong. The initial investment yields great results and you feel like you've gotten your moneys worth the first time you use it with the saw properly set up for it. In the event you do have a bearing failure, save your money. The actual bearing (R4ARS as pointed out by W Burton) is $3 to $8 depending on where you get it from. I paid $4 at a local hardware store. The outer "tire" presses off and presses on the bearing quite easily. I used nothing more than an arbor press.

 

[sawman101]

The thrust bearing on my Carter guides froze up. Mike at Klingspors in Hickory showed me the bearings aren't sealed. They need to periodically have the side cover, or seal pried gently off, and lubed to keep them serviceable. He also found a stock sealed bearing they have in stock for router bits that replaced the thrust bearing nicely, at a cost of about $12.00. I really like my Carter guides and stabilizer. I also recommend them highly.