Bandsaw Guides:

[Scrums]

Hi all,

Anybody used Axminsters guide upgrade ?
http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Band ... -21586.htm

If you have, is it any good?....I had a similar thing on a Rexon....that was rubbish, the guides & the machine. Even with the Rexon's power it bit into the bearings.

I'm thinking of fitting it to a Startrite 352.

Chris.

 

[tigerturnings]

I fitted that kit to my Axminster BS350 saw, and was rather unhappy with it, eventually reverting to the original setup. I found the bearings fiddly to adjust, and overall felt that the saw was noisier with the bearings than with the "cool block" guides.

I suspect, though, that the use to which you want to put the saw would play a big role in determining whether this kit would be an upgrade or a downgrade. In my case, I was cutting thick, wet wood for turning blanks, and I believe it was the deposits that got encrusted on the inside of the blade which caused the vibration and noise when they passed through the bearings. I would guess that someone who only cuts dry timber might be more impressed with them.

If your current guides are worn, it might be a better option to get them re-faced by a local engineering company. See e.g. Scrit's post here.

 

[jaymar]

I fitted a set to my bandsaw and it has resurrected an old saw into a useable one. I don't find the adjustment a problem at all.

 

[SVB]

I got sick of excessive wear on my plasticcy cool blocks so have replaced them with some homemade of lignum.

No problems since. If you don't have any spare, then PM me your address and block size and I will put a couple in the post to try before splashing out.

 

[joekid]

quick bandsaw tip, the rear blade profile is square isnt it! take the corners off and see how this improves the cut,

 

[Scrit]

First things first if my memory serves me right you'll have an interesting time trying ti attach a set of replacement guides to the round post on a Startrite, mainly because of how the upper guard is installed. I think the rod diameter may be too large for the APTC set. It certainly would require a "special drilling" for the better quality Carter guides, although I'd say the Carters aren't really as good as the equivalent European APA Panhans guides. Pity about the price. That said, probably the best guides currently made for resawing are the Bakelite block devices sold as "Chaco guides" (anyone know where they are on the net?)

Personally for the side bearings I wouldn't bother. These are mehanite blocks and can be refaced by any competent engineer with a surface grinder - even engine cylinder head reconditioners can do the job.

The rear thrust bearings on the Startrites is a rather unusual sold metal rod which has an extremely hard tip brazed onto the end. This may be mehanite or it could even be tungsten carbide, but either way the rod itself is nothing special, so again an engineering firm should be able to take a piece of standard ground rod and braze something onto the end. I believe that circular carbide tips can be had from carbide manufacturers such as Midland Carbide (assuming they still exist) at very little cost

Scrit