Vintage Band Saw Restoration

Enterprise Manufacturing Co. Band Saw Restoration 

Saw Specs:

Manufacture – Enterprise MFG. Co. in Columbiana, Ohio

(no serial # or model # stamped on badge or anywhere else on the saw).

Wheels – 36″ by 2″. Upper wheel is spoke. Bottom wheel is solid cast iron.

Main Table – 30½” by 36½”, tilts to 45 degrees.

Axillary Table – 15½” by 19¼”.

Blade Length – 223½”

Blade speed – 4,244 sfpm.

Cut Capacity – 18″ resaw and 35½” between C-frame and blade.

Blade tension is provided by spring and counter weight.

9″ of travel in the upper bearing housing for adjusting wheel height for shorter or longer blades.

Wheel pulley is 14″, also made by Enterprise.

Overall height of the saw is 96″

Weight of saw with motor approximately 2900 lbs.

Motor Specs:

Manufactured by Westinghouse

3 phase 5 h.p. induction motor

220 volts 13 amps 1740 rpms.

Motor pulley is 3⅝”

Mobile base with leveling screws measures 31″ by 67″.

Purchased for $100

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As purchased

After restoration

Passing the nickel test

Wright blade guides. The upper is original, the lower one is one I had kicking around the shop. I also had to fabricate the mount for the lower guide.

Leveling feet made from 7/8″ threaded rod. Fixed knobs and pivoting feet I turned on the lathe.

Shown in the raised position.

I also made a tommy bar to assist with lifting the 2900 lb. saw off the ground.

Square D magnetic starter. Counter weight, which I also turned on the lathe, made from solid 2¾” bar stock.

One thing I thought that was interesting is the 14″ wheel pulley was also made by Enterprise. It has the same casting numbers as the saw which all start with a ★D (star symbol and the letter D).

Rebuilt Westinghouse motor with shop made pulley.

Rear blade guard and push start/stop station.

The front blade guard (which is kinda hard to see in this pic, it shows up better in the first pic) I made from 1½” by 2″ by 1/8″ angle iron.

One more pic so ya can actually see how large this saw is.

As far as I know this saw is one of a kind. I have looked at every single band saw on the Vintage Machinery website, and there are 100s of them, and I can’t find another one like mine.

One last pic showing my band saws.

I am having a hard time dating the saw. It was originally ran with a line shaft and flat belt pulleys so that would make it late 1800s or early 1900s, but unlike the other 100 year old machines that I have restored, this one has hex head bolts instead of square headed bolts.

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