# 3 Wheeled bandsaws???



## The_Wood_Basher (7 Jun 2019)

Hey folks I was just wondering whats your take on three wheeled band saws, I recently restored one and gave it a couple of upgrades which has made it quite a good saw. But its still a 3 wheeler!

I have heard that they are quite dificult to get running properly due to wheel alignment of the three wheels, Personnaly I have found it to be ok and do it exactly as I would a two wheeler.... maybe im lucky?

For anyone interested in watching a video of what i did to my bandsaw, I made a couple of videos that can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZhzxSA ... ex=3&t=84s


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## Trevanion (7 Jun 2019)

The main benefit of three wheels is a deeper throat from a hobby level machine. That's about it. If you had only two wheels on that Rexon you would really only have 6" of cutting throat or so. On some the heavier industrial Startrite and other metal cutting bandsaws, they will have 3 wheels to get massive throat clearance for cutting large metal plates and the like.

I personally would've put the time and the little money towards something a bit better but if it serves your needs that's all that really matters.


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## The_Wood_Basher (7 Jun 2019)

Yes that was the main advantage I saw! The whole build cost me next to nothing as I already had most of the parts for it... The main cost was the saw itself which cost 30€ off ebay.

Ill probably end up upgrading to something better at some point though.


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## sunnybob (8 Jun 2019)

Its like a scroll saw on steroids :shock: 
Looks very pretty though =D> =D> =D>


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## Phil Pascoe (8 Jun 2019)

For years I had the three wheel DeWalt - it was useful little saw so long you kept within its capabilities.


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## MikeG. (8 Jun 2019)

I'll be after one of those one day, but not to use as a bandsaw. I'll chuck the blade away and run a sanding belt in its place. This will be for fine detail sanding, and in particular, for sanding the teeth of wooden gears. As a saw, I've never seen a 3 wheel bench top bandsaw that could deal with anything more than about 1/2" ply.


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## Phil Pascoe (8 Jun 2019)

I used to cut inch and a half to two inch stuff quite regularly with a good blade - mainly tenons and short cuts, but it was fine.


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## The_Wood_Basher (8 Jun 2019)

MikeG.":1v2i9s63 said:


> I'll be after one of those one day, but not to use as a bandsaw. I'll chuck the blade away and run a sanding belt in its place. This will be for fine detail sanding, and in particular, for sanding the teeth of wooden gears. As a saw, I've never seen a 3 wheel bench top bandsaw that could deal with anything more than about 1/2" ply.



Now that is a good Idea! 

I have cut out a Easter bunny on the saw which was made from a piece of ash about 6cm thick, so I know It can do it. However I think that was about the limit. There is a video on my channel of me making it on this saw.


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## loftyhermes (8 Jun 2019)

MikeG.":244nukjv said:


> I'll be after one of those one day, but not to use as a bandsaw. I'll chuck the blade away and run a sanding belt in its place. This will be for fine detail sanding, and in particular, for sanding the teeth of wooden gears. As a saw, I've never seen a 3 wheel bench top bandsaw that could deal with anything more than about 1/2" ply.


I had a Sealey one of those threee wheel saws that came with a one inch sanding belt and a little upstand that bolted to the table, had the saw for twenty years and never used the belt once.


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## Stanleymonkey (8 Jun 2019)

I used an old burgess one for years. With a good blade it could cut pine planks around 10-12 mm thick - but you had to go steady.


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## tony_s (8 Jun 2019)

Years ago I had a Clarke 3 wheeler (machine mart): it wasn't fit for purpose. I wish now I'd kept it and made a sander. Oh well!


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## Ttrees (8 Jun 2019)

I have a similar machine without a table, and maybe someday I might glue up a belt or two for it.
Didn't know Sealey sells them so that might be worth trying out.

I wouldn't set out on buying one of these though, as its very loud with the brush motor.


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## whatknot (9 Jun 2019)

I bought one of these as a first band saw, its a Clarke version 

Very similar only mine drives the power left wheel directly rather than by a belt to the right hand wheel 

But for £20 and after a spruce up it was fine, and still is, I keep a quarter inch blade on it for odd things when I can't be bothered to change the blade on my other saw 

If it dies I won't be at all bothered as its more than paid its way


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## AndyT (9 Jun 2019)

I'd be really annoyed if my old Burgess 3 wheeler could only cut thin softwood.
Here it is, ripping beech at full stretch.






(Yes that is an old jack plane, but it was really knackered and I was salvaging the wood to make a new plane.)

I bought it secondhand about 30 years ago. I sometimes think about getting something bigger or newer but don't have the room and this one does everything I need it to.


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## John Brown (9 Jun 2019)

I've got a sanding belt kit for my Inca 2 wheel bandsaw somewhere. Haven't used it yet, but spotted it on eBay a few years back and thought it might be handy.


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## The_Wood_Basher (10 Jun 2019)

AndyT":2dtzunr7 said:


> I'd be really annoyed if my old Burgess 3 wheeler could only cut thin softwood.
> Here it is, ripping beech at full stretch.
> 
> 
> ...



Thats pretty much the same saw as mine! Did yours come with some plans for a wooden clock? Im planning on building one on my channel and the plans for the clock come from burgees.

What Band are you using and where did you get it? Im looking for a decent blade at the minute


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## AndyT (10 Jun 2019)

No clock plans but it did have an accessory kit which includes an attachment to use jigsaw blades, a circle cutting jig and a linishing belt.
As for the blades, the standard answer is Tuffsaws but the Axminster ones are good too.
It's important to get the right tooth count and shape, especially for ripping thick hardwood.

I've had to replace the starter capacitor and also the drive pinion but it keeps on going.


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## xy mosian (10 Jun 2019)

I bought a three wheeled Burgess when they first came out £27 or thereabouts. BBS20, it predates the BK series. However I have cut 3" Utile, 1" Oak and 2" Sycamore with it. Very useful for the trimming the little bits of Parquet flooring if you remember that. Portable of course.
I have offered a pdf of what passes for the manual, nothing to it really, on here and one of the takers is using his to cut the planking for a two man sailing vessel. Clearly up to the job if used carefully.

To the point if you are thinking of making the wooden clock, as supplied with some Bugess machines, then hold up, the first publication had an error. One of the smaller gears has the wrong number of teeth. Somewhere I have a copy of the correction, I will attempt to dig it up. In the meantime it may be worth running through the gear chain. From memory the problem was with a thirteen tooth gear. The correction did not involve a different drilling pattern for the back and front plates, so was likely only one tooth out.
HTH xy


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## OscarG (11 Jun 2019)

The_Wood_Basher":1vo8e341 said:


> For anyone interested in watching a video of what i did to my bandsaw, I made a couple of videos that can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZhzxSA ... ex=3&t=84s



I watched that vid, impressive upgrade you made.

I'm not trying to make you blush but I think your channel is great, I can't believe you've only got 300 odd subscribers. Can I make a suggestion, have a chat with Peter Millard re: youtube. He posts on here too. As well as having a brilliant channel, he's an extremely helpful chap and always happy to share his wisdom regarding youtube and woodworking. He might be able to give you some useful tips to boost your numbers.


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## xy mosian (11 Jun 2019)

xy mosian":19bm34xl said:


> To the point if you are thinking of making the wooden clock, as supplied with some Bugess machines, then hold up, the first publication had an error. One of the smaller gears has the wrong number of teeth. Somewhere I have a copy of the correction, I will attempt to dig it up. In the meantime it may be worth running through the gear chain. From memory the problem was with a thirteen tooth gear. The correction did not involve a different drilling pattern for the back and front plates, so was likely only one tooth out.
> HTH xy



I actually managed to find the printed gearing correction, from Practical Woodworking 1983. The design is by B.R. Law and is from 1981. It was supplied by Burgess Power Tools Ltd., as a free document sometime between 1981 and 1983. As it is copywright I'll not put an image here. A PM might have different results.
xy


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## Trevanion (11 Jun 2019)

xy mosian":xluowr70 said:


> As it is copywright I'll not put an image here. A PM might have different results.



I highly doubt Burgess or the designer is going to chase you up over a copyrighted image from the 80's that was made freely available to the public :lol: 

Is Burgess even still a going concern or have they gone the way of the Dodo?


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## whatknot (11 Jun 2019)

Apparently Burgess was bought out by Record some years back 

I still have a Burgess engraver made in Hinckley bought back in the 70's, still going strong


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## xy mosian (11 Jun 2019)

Trevanion":23l948ix said:


> xy mosian":23l948ix said:
> 
> 
> > As it is copywright I'll not put an image here. A PM might have different results.
> ...



The correction was published in 'Practical Woodworking' after an article describing the making of the clock. I have found that that magazine is closely alied to Good Woodworking magazine. I have emailed them describing the situation and asked for clarity. 

The clock was designed by Brian Law, website http://www.woodenclocks.co.uk. The 'Burgess' clock appears to be his Clock 5, plans for which are available as a free download.

xy


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## The_Wood_Basher (11 Jun 2019)

Thanks guys! I know about the error in the plans and I have the correction in paper form... Ive not looked in a while but i think it was gear 10??? I look at the plans in my channel goals video on my channel.

I am planning on building the clock but doing a complete cad design first... we'll see how it goes.


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## The_Wood_Basher (11 Jun 2019)

OscarG":2ybu3jtd said:


> The_Wood_Basher":2ybu3jtd said:
> 
> 
> > For anyone interested in watching a video of what i did to my bandsaw, I made a couple of videos that can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZhzxSA ... ex=3&t=84s
> ...



Thanks buddy! Ive still got a way to go but ive only been doing it since feb. Ill have to get in touch with peter, his videos are great!

It means alot to me when someone has enjoyed a video!


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## xy mosian (12 Jun 2019)

The_Wood_Basher":214gxd4f said:


> Thanks guys! I know about the error in the plans and I have the correction in paper form... Ive not looked in a while but i think it was gear 10??? I look at the plans in my channel goals video on my channel.
> 
> I am planning on building the clock but doing a complete cad design first... we'll see how it goes.



You are quite correct, gear 10 should be replaced with a copy of gear 14. 
The plans for this clock are available from http://www.woodenclocks.co.uk, I believe it to be clock 5. There is a free download of this, and one or two other clocks, in pdf form. 
Many other, paid for, plans are also available in DXF, DWG and Pdf format.
As a matter of interest Inkscape can open a Pdf file and save it in Dxf format.

HTH xy


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## xy mosian (12 Jun 2019)

Here it is, the corrections to the gear chain in the Burgess Wooden Clock as published by Practical Woodworking in 1987. The image is shown here with the permission of 'MyTime Media Ltd'. The publishers of the now not published PW.


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## The_Wood_Basher (13 Jun 2019)

Thanks! I think i have the same thing although mine is layed out a little differently. Cant wait to start building!


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