Bandsaw for £500, narrowed it down to 4 but need some advice

[LewisM]

Christmas is coming and I've been a good boy all year, so I've decided to pick myself up a bandsaw as an early present.

I've done some reading, checked through various forum posts / reviews etc and have narrowed my choice down to the following:

Axminster Hobby Series HBS310N Bandsaw --The reviews I've read have put this machine at the bottom of my list, but at £500 it can't be that bad?
Metabo BAS 317 - Plenty of good reviews, and at ~£400 it's one of the cheaper machines on my list.
Record BS300E - I didn't find too much about this machine other than a few posts recommending it, so any feedback would be appreciated.
Scheppach Basato3 - Down there with the Axminster, I almost certainly won't be buying this.

So those are the 4 I've narrowed it down to, are there any I've missed?
I have an absolute max of £500, although the Metabo at £400 is tempting just for the cheaper price.
Also I know that the blade will need upgrading, any recommendations on that would also be very helpful!

 

[BearTricks]

Once you've decided what you're buying just email tuff saws, tell them the make and model and ask what's best. He'll set you up with the best blade you can buy and they're fairly cheap too.

Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk

 

[Alexam]

Welcome to the Forum.

Buying new, the Record does have a 5 year guarantee. You can also get a discount and free delivery if you buy when there is a show running, even if you don't actually attend. There is a show at Yandles today, so you could call them if you'r quick and get a show price.

I have the Record BS400 and its a superb machine. There are reviews around on most of the shortlist, so search for reviews.

Good luck and I would second the Tuffsaw blade recommendation, they are the best.

Alex

 

[heimlaga]

I will ask the usual question: Have you looked at secondhand?

A friend who runs a timberyard business recently bought a Sagar with 28" wheels for 450 euros. After shifting two bearings and the electric switch it was ready to run. I suppose the total cost ended up around 700 euros.
My 24" Beronius will be ready to run fully modernized to 21st century safety standards for some 900 euros in all.
Theese big three phase industrial saws aren't likely the best buy for your needs but they serve to illustrate the tremendous leverage one can get on the money when buying secondhand.

 

[Rhossydd]

LewisM It might help if you let us know what sort of work you'll put the saw to.
For just general cabinet making, the requirements will be different to, say, using it to convert big lumps of wood for turning where every mm of capacity might be important in future, but fence precision is less important.

Have you looked at secondhand?
A friend who runs a timberyard business recently bought a Sagar with 28" wheels......After shifting two bearings and the electric switch it .....
My 24" Beronius will be ready to run fully modernized to 21st century safety standards for some 900 euros in all.
Theese big three phase industrial saws aren't likely the best buy for your needs but they serve to illustrate the tremendous leverage one can get on the money when buying secondhand.

As you say, big three phase industrial saws might be great value IF you have the space (most of us in the UK don't) AND you have the expertise to fettle/restore/repair them. Maybe not such a good option for anyone wanting to buy their first bandsaw.
Yes, secondhand might be cheaper, but smaller saws like the OP is discussing won't generally to be such great bargains.


and yes, when you order the machine order some Tuff Saw blades to start with. They really are the best.

 

[LewisM]

Once you've decided what you're buying just email tuff saws...

Thanks, I've seen so many recommendations for them that I'll definitely be shopping there.

Buying new, the Record does have a 5 year guarantee. You can also get a discount and free delivery if you buy when there is a show running, even if you don't actually attend. There is a show at Yandles today, so you could call them if you'r quick and get a show price.
I have the Record BS400 and its a superb machine. There are reviews around on most of the shortlist, so search for reviews.

That's interesting, so any time there's a show running anywhere in the UK I can call and get a discount / free delivery, to anywhere else in the UK?
The BAS400 is listed on Records site for a grand, so yes for that money I would hope it's a hell of a machine :lol:

I will ask the usual question: Have you looked at secondhand?

There's a few things that have put me off buying second hand; mainly that I have little to no electrical / mechanical knowledge, and while I'm sure I could pick up what I need through the internet I feel I'm much more likely to buy something that's junk / break it while trying to fix it. Once you add in the lack of a warranty and my limited workshop space, it just doesn't seem like the best option for me.

LewisM It might help if you let us know what sort of work you'll put the saw to...

I'm currently doing an apprenticeship in cabinet making, so I would rather have higher accuracy than being able to cut large bits of stock.

 

[heimlaga]

Around here small bandsaws of good quality tend to turn up now an then. Usually Swedish Ejca saws though some are branded Lini. Occasionally one may come across an old Bäuerle as well. A lot more saw for the money than the new hobby saws.

I mentioned the big machines just to show you how much one can get for little money. Not because I suggest that you should buy one.
My 100 years old 24" Beronius will in fact be my first ever bandsaw but I used a big bandsaw regularly in vocational school 15 years ago and I am a country boy accustomed to heavy machinery and machinery repairs and maintainance in general so I have greater possibilities than you have.

 

[user22161]

Record BS300E - I didn't find too much about this machine other than a few posts recommending it, so any feedback would be appreciated. ..........Also I know that the blade will need upgrading, any recommendations on that would also be very helpful!

I've only had my BS300e for a few weeks but quite impressed with it, very well built compared to "toy" BS I had before, some years ago. Can accurately cut a 1.5mm veneer from 150mm sapele so powerful enough. Assembly was easy, instructions are good enough. Setting up was straightforward, maybe an hour for a few trial cuts and align the fence and table. Have done a couple of mods - removed the plastic guard which restricts visibility to bottom guides and have taken disc cutter to part of the upper guide guard for the same reason. Dislikes - the ripping fence is very accurate but can't be removed without unbolting which entails a bit of realigning, not very easy to move around with the standard wheel kit so now mounted on drawer unit with castors as I have to move it daily. I don't know the other machines you mention so can't compare but, I'm certainly pleased with this.

Another vote for Tuffsaws, Ian was very helpful and some blades arrived within a couple of days.

Forgot to mention, the mitre fence is crap, in common with most OEM ones.

 

[Beau]

How about the SH Kity 613 that's someone is selling on here. Had one for many years and it was a great band saw and probably better and cheaper than your shortlist. If I had the space would still have it as well as the Wadkin.

 

[LewisM]

Sorry what do you mean by 'OEM'?

I think I'm leaning towards the Record, it's a little more expensive, but as someone else pointed out the delivery charge on the Matebo will eat up part of the difference.
I just had a quick look at TuffSaws too, they seem very reasonably priced for how much they've been recommended - I'll shoot Ian an email before actually buying anything, but am I right to be looking at the Premium blades?

How about the SH Kity 613 that's someone is selling on here. Had one for many years and it was a great band saw and probably better and cheaper than your shortlist. If I had the space would still have it as well as the Wadkin.

I just had a quick look on eBay, there's one going locally for £200 with 5 hours left that seems to be in pretty good nick. I'm just really reluctant to buy second hand, if it goes wrong in 3 months I'm not going to have the money to buy another one for a long time...

 

[Rhossydd]

Sorry what do you mean by 'OEM'?

'Original equipment manufacturer'

 

[user22161]

Sorry what do you mean by 'OEM'?


I just had a quick look at TuffSaws too, they seem very reasonably priced for how much they've been recommended - I'll shoot Ian an email before actually buying anything, but am I right to be looking at the Premium blades?.

OEM = original equipment. The fence is sloppy side to side in the slot but unfortunately is aluminium T section not flat steel. With a steel one, it's easy to blob some weld in 3 or 4 places on the sides and disc grind to fit.

I left it up to Ian to suggest blades to get me started and he sent SuperTuff Carbon 2370mm x 1/4" 14 tpi, 1/2" x 6 tpi & 3/4" fastcut, total £41 including postage.

I've just had a 3/16" delivered (£16) to see if it will run but not had chance to try yet.

 

[Wildman]

don't overlook this one
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Startrite-Ban ... 2161673129

 

[Alexam]

Be quick and look at the FOR SALE forum - Kity bandsaw ???.

 

[custard]

You're in luck. Bandsaws are one of the very, very few exceptions to the iron law of woodworking which states that all modestly priced machines are worthless.

I had a Record 300 for many years and it delivered sterling performance. I also worked in one of the most prestigious furniture making workshops in this country, as well as a giant old bandsaw they also had a Record 300 in a corner. Whenever the giant bandsaw was set up for a long run cutting veneer we'd always trot over to the Record 300 and use it for cutting curves, tenons, dovetails, inlay, and even veneers for pieces of furniture that would sell for tens of thousands of pounds. I'm not a Record fanboy by the way, I'm sure other similarly priced machines are also pretty good.

Just one word of warning, the saw blade that comes with any sub £1000 bandsaw is garbage, call Tuffsaws, tell them what machine you've got and most importantly tell them what you'll be using it for and what your priorities really are (thin kerf, deep ripping, tight curves, smooth finish, fast feed, green wood, salvaged timber with embedded nails etc; don't say all of these because the blade that can do everything well doesn't exist) and spend whatever it takes to buy their recommendation.

Good luck!

 

[pcb1962]

I've had a BS300E for a few years. I was very disappointed with it until I discovered the Snodgrass video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU
Once I'd set it up follwing that, and got hold of some tuffsaws blades it is transformed into a great machine.

 

[Bodgers]

Consider the Makita 1200F (can be had for a shade under 500). I have seen a demo of this bandsaw and was really impressed with the build and dust collection. I am looking a replacing my Axy 250 with it. There is a review from a woodworking magazine downloadable here: https://www.makitauk.com/news/details/125.html

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[scosarg]

Record Power aftersales is excellent. We have been selling small bandsaws for many years and we have not had such good support for band saws or other small woodworking machines as we get from them. They Excellent at service and response even when machines have been discontinued or changed: this should always be considered when buying. If you can find one used startrite bandsaw would be worth considering. The newer ones are supported by record too, and the original 352s are bullet proof

 

[woodpig]

I've got the RP BS300E. It had good capacity for the price and had what I thought was a lovely cast iron table. The rip fence and rail looked nice and solid as well. It's been a good machine since I bought some Tuffsaw blades but I've also made some improvements that make it even better IMO.

record-bs300e-upgrades-t54641.html

The worst part about the whole machine is the blade tensioning knob, this really is very poor design and replacing it with a simple crank handle improves things a lot and makes blade changing very much easier. If I had the same requirement and the same budget would I buy another one? Yes, I probably would.

 

[custard]

Record Power aftersales is excellent. We have been selling small bandsaws for many years and we have not had such good support for band saws or other small woodworking machines as we get from them. They Excellent at service and response even when machines have been discontinued or changed: this should always be considered when buying. If you can find one used startrite bandsaw would be worth considering. The newer ones are supported by record too, and the original 352s are bullet proof

Excellent advice direct from the horse's mouth. Never mind me and other internet pundits, Scott Sergeant racks up more machine experience in a month than most of us get in a lifetime!