Bandsaw (first buy) with some specific requirements!

[anaminal]

Hi Guys,

Hoping for some advice on my first bandsaw purchase - my requirements are:

Rip 6" Oak
Price under £500
Be able to move the thing down a staircase when delivered - my workshop is in the cellar so can't be too big or I won't be able to get it in there! I HAD decided on Axminster AWBHS350N - but they went and discontinued it the very day I went online to order it! so - other options are as follow:

axminster awhbs310n £383
recordpower standard 12 bandsaw £349.99
metabo bas317 £430
scheppach basato 3h vario £499
Charnwood W730 14'' £489

any advice greatly appreciated!
Chris

 

[Steve Maskery]

Anaminal
You are not getting much help here are you? We are not usually this unforthcoming
First of all Welcome. I'm afraid I can't help you with your choice, other than to say that I have the big Basato and it's never let me down. If I were buying again, though, I'd probably look out for a S/H Startrite, but then I know a lot more about bandsaws now than I did when I bought it. I would not have known what I was buying back then.
Good luck.
Steve

 

[SurreyHills]

Like Steve says a s/h Startrite is a good choice. I went from an elektra beckum 315 (older predecessor of the Metabo 317) to a Startrite 352. Big difference in performance and ripping ability. The Metabo will struggle with anything over 4", whereas the Startrite can cope with 10" stock. I don't know much about the capabilities of the other machines but the depth under the cutting guides is a reasonable indicator of what they can do. Most reviews of the models I looked at before going for a s/h machine seem to struggle to cut anything beyond 75% of their maximum cutting depth.

 

[Gerard Scanlan]

I have an INCA which you can pick up for a modest amount second hand and it will rip 6 inch oak all day long especially if you get yourself a bimetal blade from tuff saws. Old Swiss machines that run like Swiss watches.

Since you seem to want to spend a bit more a secondhand startrite 352 would be an excellent choice. Condesto has done a review of both these bandsaws somewhere on this forum. I was worried that an old bandsaw would be worn out. This is usually not the case.
What is important is to get a good dust extractor. That might cost as much a secondhand bandsaw.

Alt spares are a company that supply parts and service old startrites and they are worth contacting to see if they have any reconditioned ones in stock. I have seen the new hammer bandsaw in a friends workshop and they are not cheap and are do not saw any better than a machine that is 20 years old or older.

 

[anaminal]

First off guys - thanks very much for the replies!

I've had a look a the Startrite 352 - it does indeed look lovely, though my concern about how I get something that big and heavy into my cellar returns! Also - the last one to sell on ebay went for £550 (excluding the £90 delivery) - and the only one there now is £875! This is stretching my budget just a bit too far unless my lotto numbers come in tonight £500 is my absolute limit!

Steve - you say you have the Basato and it's never let you down? Assuming something a bit bigger and more powerful is outta the question, would you go for that one again?

Gerard - Incas seem to be rare beasts; there have been no mid-sized saws sold on eBay in completed listings recently. Thanks for the Altspares tip - I had a look, unfortunately they've only got 3 phase machines available right now.

I think I'd prefer to purchase new; I'm not at all a machine head so probably wouldn't spot a fault on a 2nd hand machine - buying new gives you a bit more piece of mind.

SO - £500 Limit
Rip 6" Oak (could get away with 5)
Needs to be moved down a staircase (no pallet/forklift delivery size machines)

Anyone? Owned one of the machines listed? have an alternative to suggest?

Chris

 

[Steve Maskery]

Steve - you say you have the Basato and it's never let you down? Assuming something a bit bigger and more powerful is outta the question, would you go for that one again?

Mine is the Basato 5, I can't imagine anything bigger!.
I probably would not buy it again, actually, but only because it is so very big and takes up a lot of space. Mind you, it is in store at the mo and I intend to have my next workshop the size of an aircraft hangar so it won't matter then.

If I ever buy any more machines I'll probably buy second-hand, because I have a good idea what I am looking at now. And if buying new, I would look at the Besato 4. But TTYTT I'm not really up on what current offerings are.

S

 

[anaminal]

I've phoned around a few places today - (Ian at Tuffsaws was particularly helpful) and have narrowed it down to either Scheppach Basato 3h or Charnwood W730. I think both are good - so really just trying to see if I can get a deal on either machine.

 

[anaminal]

I've reposted the question with the 2 potentials in the title for a bit more viewers:
quick-dirty-survey-scheppach-basato-3h-or-charnwood-w730-t66366.html

 

[J.M.S]

Hi,
I have a Basato 3 Vario, and find it to be very good. I have used it to rough cut 6" oak corbels to support a fireplace mantlepice. It coped with it ok, but you need to invest in a good blade. The blades that came with it are not that great. Also dont be tempted to tension them too much, because when they snap under tension it makes you jump
I think the guides are probably the weakest point of the bandsaw,but probably no worse than on other machines at this price point.
You should be able to get it in to your cellar with the aid of another pair of strong arms to help. I had to carry mine 50 yards to get it into my workshop.
Hope this is of help.
J.M.S

 

[Jake]

I got a Startrite 401 into my cellar. Bandsaws are nice and narrow, and very easy to break down a bit - motor off and table off and then they are slim as you like. A couple of strong friends and you are away.

That said, it is one of the many, many things I am not looking forward to moving when we leave...

 

[anaminal]

I have used it to rough cut 6" oak corbels to support a fireplace mantlepice. It coped with it ok, but you need to invest in a good blade. J.M.S

Thanks - sounds like the recommendation I was looking for!

I got a Startrite 401 into my cellar. Bandsaws are nice and narrow, and very easy to break down a bit - motor off and table off and then they are slim as you like. A couple of strong friends and you are away.

Fair point.

That said, it is one of the many, many things I am not looking forward to moving when we leave...

I live in a shared rented house - no telling how long I'll be there or what size place I might end up moving to (no plans to move but you never know)... so I'm with you on this!

 

[Gerard Scanlan]

I Know there is a company in Holland selling an unused INCA for about 300 pounds. Have you also thought about a second hand kitty? Lots of joiners use them because they are light enough to lug around but so well balanced that they cut perfectly especially with a Tuff saws blade. With regard to peace of mind understand what you are saying I felt the same. But Bandsaws are pretty straight forward beasts. By the time you have adjusted the bandsaw so that the blade is installed you will have learned everything there is to know about a bandsaw. Have you got a dust extractor because without one a bandsaw can be a trial to use?

Good luck with your decision

 

[anaminal]

Damn you all - after being absolutely decided on buying new - I'm now watching about 10 different auctions on ebay haha! I am way too indecisive...

 

[Peter T]

I had a Bas 4 for a while and was dissapointed. I spent more time fettling it than sawing things with it.

Pity because it was a solid, well constructed frame that was let down by some of the engineering details.

Good luck,

 

[anaminal]

hope I'm not shooting myself in the foot posting this here (I suspect I may by) but there's a Kitty and a Basato 3 on eBay right now I'm considering.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KITY-613-BAND ... 0827389940
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SCHEPPACH-BAS ... 20cdf4f7a1

 

[katellwood]

If you are considering buying second hand one of the main issues and not overtly obvious unless you can inspect the machine prior to purchase is the crown on the wheels.

If the crown is worn then you will have a very difficult job in getting a blade to track correctly i.e. it will move all over the place with worse case senario the blade coming off the wheels which is likely to be extremely dangerous.

Just something you should consider (and I speak from experience)

http://woodgears.ca/bandsaw/crowned_pulleys.html

This will explain better than i can (have a look at the video)

 

[anaminal]

Cheers Katellwood - the Schepach seller says the machine's hardly been used so the guides *should* be fine... but I understand it's a risk. Seems like most people who posted previously seemed confident in buying 2nd hand.

BTW - love the Woodgears link! Been working through that guys videos for the last month, he's brilliant! Briefly considered trying to build his home made bandsaw but decided to start small and work upto that

 

[anaminal]

quick update guys - I've bought the Kity! Will post an update once I've received it.. next concern is dust control as the cellar is now a bit of a no-go zone due to all the sanding I've done down there with no ventilation... been discussing this here: new-to-the-craft-intro-questions-on-dust-t66487.html

Chris

 

[Steve Maskery]

The Kity is a nice little machine.
S

 

[anaminal]

Bit of followup - I went for the Kity613! It's needed some TLC to keep it going, but a great machine overall and now I've got it fully working is a pleasure to use.