Hi Folks
I am looking to get a new bandsaw as the one I use is rubbish to be honest. Doesnt even cut in a straight line anymore.
I use it to cut basic slots in the neck for allowing the cigar box lid to sit nicely and also for the headstock. I would like to be able to cut more than just straight lines though and round off parts of the headstock or tale piece etc.
Can anyone recommend what they use or recommend a specific bandsaw?
Is there any other electric tools that people would use to make life a little easier? I have been thinking on getting a router - have never used one before but people seem to find them quite useful.
Cheers Gafferino
Replies
A new blade can really help...going round and round in a loop they tend to wear asymmetrically... they can get blunt on one side more than t'other and will develop a tendency to pull or wander. You only need to have nicked a nail, stalled the blade a few times during cutting or cut some really tough stuff to knacker the blade. A new blade and an hour's setting up transformed my saw. Mind you..if it's a cheap little POS don't expect much from it..probably OK for cutting scratchplates?
Get someone to come over and help you set it up right. It's an electric motor and couple wheels mate....
Also get a new set of tires and guides for it and it will be like new.
Thanks for the replies folks. I initially bought it second hand very cheap as I wasnt sure what I required. It has never really cut straight to be honest (I have tried tuning it up) and generally struggles to cope with the wood. It is a 'desktop' bandsaw. Think I need to move up a slight bit. Thanks for the suggestions.
If you are in Ireland, then chances are you might be able to get a Record. I bought a secondhand Record BS300 off eBay and it does me fine. It's got a 12" throat, cast iron table, a decent fence, came with a stand and it's pretty heavy (about 80kg). There are plenty of other decent brands as well. I started with a small budget, but soon realised there was no point buying new in my price range, as they were really just toys, so I upped my budget and decided to buy used. The Record is a the upper end of 'enthusiast' machines, and you start getting closer to industrial standard of features and quality than the cheaper machines.
Avoid the bench-top models as they probably won't have enough 'oomph', and steer well clear of any of the DIY chain stores. If you can afford it, buy something a bit bigger than you think you'll need - you won't regret it. Don't be fooled by that thickness timber they say the machine will cope with - you may physically be able to get a piece of 6" thick timber under it, but don't bet on the machine coping with it. Mine is fine with 3" thick oak, so thats about the toughest task it has to do.
By the way - as for cutting straight lines- bandsaws need setting up properly - a good new blade, properly adjusted blade tension, tracking and blade guides can make a difference.
I think if your saw cut well and straight at one time all it now need is a new blade and the guides adjusted. But the brand I like is Jet and Grizzely for a replacement saw. But even these will need to be adjusted from time to time.
What are the inche measurements your referring to in bandsaws?
The inch measurement Michael was referring to is the "throat depth" of the saw. Basically, it's the measurement between the inside edge of the blade and the inside of the upper wheel support. In the pic below, that measurement is 39.4cm
A lot of things can effect the blade not cutting a straight line, most of which are adjustable. Check the blade guide blocks on your saw to see that they're adjusted properly, and that the correct gap is between them. Guide blocks do wear rather quickly, so they probably need adjusting. Also know that how high you set your upper blade support assembly will effect the blade tracking straight or not.
You might not need to get a new saw at all. If you've had it longer than a year, or if you know that it hasn't been tuned up in a year or less, then that's most likely the problem with it. A Google search for "Bandsaw Tune Up" will give you several good results. Here are 2 that I use - 1 is a web page and the other is a PDF document.
http://www.woodcraft.com/Articles/Articles.aspx?articleid=223
http://www.woodsmithshop.com/download/105/105-bandsawtuneup.pdf
I've discovered over the years that keeping tools cleaned and tuned up will not only make them perform a lot better, it extends the life of them many-fold. I've taken tools that others were going to throw away and, with a little cleaning and maintenance, use several of them today.
The Inch measurement for a bandsaw refers to the distance between the blade and the main beam that supports the upper arm. Or put another way, the theoretical limit of the cutting piece in a radius such as a circle or disc.
The UK used to make some really nice wood working equipment. The Germans make nice production stuff. There were a couple of Italian manufacturers making production stuff. Might be out of business at this point. Most of what you will find is Chinese made. A lot of it from the same plants. Delta, Grizzly and such. Even looks the same. The differences are in who supports and what improvements in quality the brand insists from the plant making the machines.
I have no idea as to what brand in your neck of the globe but perhaps you can look at what is available on the UK Amazon site.
Check out grizzly tools, they haver a nice 14" bandsaw I would like. I use an old craftsman 12" saw now and it works fine too.
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