Anyone know anything about Champion bandsaws?

[aphillippe]

I've just picked up a second hand  bandsaw locally. I would estimate the saw is 70s, maybe 80s, but is in very good condition. Looks like a fairly hefty motor, heavy steel frame. In very good condition but I can't find anything about the manufacturer online at all.

Sticker says Champion, Model 18, Serial K7474, 220-240 Volts, 1PH, 50HZ.

I also noticed that there is no lower guides (by design), the table is fixed, no angle adjustment, and also the fence is mounted through the frame. I wondered if maybe it is foreign.

I haven't used it yet but I'm hoping it will be a nice little saw. Anyone know anything about it?

 

[memzey]

Could it be a butchers machine? Any signs of fleshy matter around or do parts of it appear to be made from stainless?

 

[aphillippe]

You might be right actually. No signs of flesh and plenty of sawdust when I picked it up.

The lack of lower blade guides made me stop for a second but I figured I could bodge some on there. Well I'll have a play with it and see how it cuts later.

 

[sunnybob]

butchers bandsaw

 

[dickm]

Which way round is it? (Can't really see in the pic). For reasons noone seems to be able to give, butcher's saws seem to have their backbone on the right, wood saws on the left. And, yes, I do know about the Inca!

 

[aphillippe]

Standard layout, frame on the left. I had a very brief play with it last night. Seems to cut ok. Plenty of power but drifts to the left a lot. And could probably do with a new blade. Apart from that, no problem. And the amount of sawdust in the thing from the previous owner shows it was well used for wood.

Oh, another thing I noticed was that the upper blade guides don't come all the way down to the table, lowest they will go is about 4" off. Again, butchers aren't cutting thin sheets of meat, are they?

I think I can get it cutting ok but I think I need to add some lower blade guides.

I'll post some better pics later on.

 

[sunnybob]

Seriously, it will be cheaper to resell that to a butcher and buy a proper woodworking saw.

 

[Alexam]

If it's likethis. you may have a great buy. http://www.tendotools.com/en/houtbewerk ... eries.html

 

[sunnybob]

He's not that lucky malcolm. his has fixed table, fixed fence, and no under bearings.

I spent 2- years fixing catering equipment, and although I havent seen a champion make, I'm betting its a meat saw. Thats the technical term actually, so if he wants to re advertise it, it should go out a butchers meat saw.A local kebab shop should be interested.