I have a very large, and very heavy bandsaw made in the 1800's.

The wheels on this saw seem to be made of cast iron. And there are pieces broken off of the hubs. (From the people before me, mishandling the bandsaw, trying to move it while the wheels were still installed. And not having good equipment, or even good knowledge of how to move something like this. It fell on the wheels...) That mishandling also prodused a bent shaft on the drive wheel.

There are many other things wrong with the bandsaw, but nothing for which I am not prepared to "hillbilly engineer" and/or manufacture new parts for.

But getting those wheels welded was a concern.

The time may not come for years yet, but when that time does come, I just may have to give your grandfather's process a try.

Thank you for posting.