Alpha HW615/Ambassador C14 Band Saws: Guide and Thrust Bearing Information and Changing Blade Guide Bearings

Created by Gabriel Izzo, Modified on Wed, 20 May at 7:39 PM by Gabriel Izzo

Alpha HW615 / Ambassador C14 Band Saws · Maintenance

Guide & Thrust Bearing Information — Changing Blade Guide Bearings

Applicable Models

Alpha HW615

Alpha HW615 Pro

Ambassador C14

Ambassador C14 Pro

⚠ Band Saw Safety — Bearing Replacement

Turn the band saw OFF and unplug it before opening any panels, accessing the blade guides, or removing any components. Do not work on the machine while it is connected to power.

Wear cut-resistant or heavy-duty gloves when handling the blade or working near it during bearing removal. The blade remains in close proximity and edges are sharp.

Wear safety glasses at all times during disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly — small components, circlips, and solvents can cause eye injury.

Use gloves when cleaning bearings with acetone, mineral spirits, or other solvents to protect your skin from chemical exposure.

Work in a well-ventilated area when using solvents for bearing cleaning. Avoid open flames or sparks nearby as some degreasers are flammable.

Ensure all guide bearings are correctly installed, adjusted, and spinning freely before reconnecting power. Test blade tracking and guide alignment before resuming operation.

Bearing Specifications

Bearing	Part No.	ID	OD	Width
Lower Thrust Bearing	689RS	9 mm	17 mm	5 mm
Upper Thrust Bearing	608RS	8 mm	22 mm	7 mm
Guide Bearings (Upper & Lower)	608RS	8 mm	22 mm	7 mm

Both the upper and lower thrust bearings are seated into a bracket with a circlip. Groove wear on the thrust bearing bracket from blade contact over time is normal to some extent. To order a replacement bracket only, or the thrust bearing complete with bracket and circlip, please submit a parts request.

Changing the Blade Guide Bearings

The guide bearing shafts must first be removed from the upper and lower guide brackets before separating the bearings from the shafts. Refer to the diagrams below for guidance on extracting the bearing shafts.

Tools Required

Adjustable Wrench Metric Hex Wrench Set Vise Pliers

Upper & Lower Guide Bracket — Bearing Shaft Extraction

Guide bracket bearing shaft extraction diagram

Pro Model Note — C14 Pro / HW615 Pro

On Pro models with nickel coating there will be two sets of set screws (four total) on the lower bracket assembly, stacked as shown in the exploded parts diagram below. Non-Pro models (C14/HW615 without nickel coating) may only have one set of two set screws.

Pro Model — Exploded View, Lower Bracket Set Screws

Pro model lower bracket set screw exploded view

Upper & Lower Bearing Shaft Assemblies — Size Reference

Upper and lower bearing shaft assemblies size comparison

Pictured above is one half of the upper and lower bearing assemblies for sizing reference. The longer shaft belongs to the upper guide and the shorter shaft belongs to the lower guide.

Removing the Knurled Knob in a Vise

Bearing shaft in vise with knurled knob removal

Place the bearing shaft assembly in a vise. Using pliers, twist off the knurled knob. Once sufficiently loosened, remove the knob and slide the bearings off the shaft.

Bearing Shaft — Fully Disassembled

There are two bearings and two spacers/washers per assembly. When installing new bearings, place them on the shaft in the same order shown above and reassemble in reverse to complete the bearing changeout.

Bearing Assembly — Component Layout

Cleaning & Re-Packing the Bearings

If the bearings are still serviceable, they can be cleaned and re-packed with fresh grease rather than replaced outright:

Remove the bearing side seals.

Clean the bearing raceways with acetone, odorless mineral spirits, or a similar metal-safe degreaser to remove old grease and debris.

Pack general-purpose bearing grease (e.g. Super Lube, Lucas Red & Tacky, or similar) into the raceways and check for smooth rotation. If smooth, reinstall the side seals and clean off any excess grease before installing back onto the shafts.

If the bearing does not spin smoothly after cleaning and re-greasing, it has likely reached the end of its service life and should be replaced with a new bearing.

✓

Optional: After the bearing shafts are installed, apply a dry lubricant such as Dynaglide Tool and Surface Conditioner or WD-40 Specialist Dry Lube to the outside of the bearings periodically. This helps repel dust and debris and promotes smooth long-term operation.

To order replacement bearings or a thrust bearing bracket, please submit a parts request or contact our support team.