Unfortunately this was the new blade but I can try another. It can’t hurt.
Thank you for your suggestions.
Bandsaw Issues?
- Thread starter Delaney
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Thank you for your suggestions.
Thanks Robin.
1) I could do that. I’ll post results.
2) This bandsaw has 710mm wheels so should cope with a 20mm. 25mm might push it.
3) I had the same blade riding on the crown and then moved it over as Felder suggested.
No real difference in wobble though as tech was hoping.
4) Yes it is to be determined wether that is an ideal, or a practical reality. The more data I collect, the more we’ll know,
I’ll post some videos tomorrow and will attempt to address your first point.
Ttrees
Iroko loco!
Below is a machine from the best, one from a time when their best line of saws were worth studying.
If you look up these specific saws in particular, then you likely might find your answer.
All the best
If you look up these specific saws in particular, then you likely might find your answer.
All the best
pgrbff
Established Member
I have the smallest Felder/Hammer saw. It has a tension meter so I guess yours will too. I find I can't actually get as much tension as the gauge suggests but the blade should be hard to deflect when you push against it with a single finger.
Jester129
Established Member
I'd get a new blade from Tuffsaws for a start. What are you planning on cutting with it? Hardwoods? Logs? Just get a low tpi Tuffsaw for a start, it will stand you in good stead for thick wood, maybe 15mm 3tpi? My guess is that the blade supplied has a thick weld on it. blades supplied with machines are notoriously poor quality as a rule of thumb.
My Axminster B1950 set up instructions on blade tension state the blade should deflect sideways no more than 1cm at its longest free part with moderately firm finger pressure. This needed far more tension than I first imagined and resulted in very smooth running.
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
Mine is up and running. The blade is loose as I need to fix the tensioner, but here are a couple of pics of with it running. The top tyre and bearings were fine, the bottom were replaced (tyre missing, one bearing rough the other seized) as was the drive belt (missing). All six guide bearings were replaced. I had to take the table off as I couldn't adjust it - the Bristol lever was stripped, the whole mechanism was full of crud and the heavy plastic washer inside had split and jammed in the slot. It was replaced with a coach bolt. No flutter even when loose.
Ttrees
Iroko loco!
Bit more of a clue for those interested
Ok Update in the Felder Bandsaw issues.
After approaching Felder UK (not Felder but importer) and giving my concern regarding the blade wobble, they asked Felder Austria if they can sort the wheels out under warranty. Apparently Felder declined as I was one month (or just under) out of warranty.
But! Felder UK took it upon themselves to try and fix the issue instead and so sent a technician round.
The tech agreed with me that the wheels weren’t.. well.. very round and that the blade was drifting from side to side because of high and low spots on the wheel.
The mad thing is, the differential between the high and low spots was only about 0.4mm, which would seem like nothing but; had quite a drastic effect.
Felder Replaced the top wheel with one that had a high to low dif of 0.2mm, which is a huge improvement. Is it acceptable? I don’t know but I think it's pretty good. Worst case scenario, the new wheel could have been even worse! What was immediately noticeable, was that the casting of the new wheel, was much better than the original wheel.
Now Jon (I think it's without the H) at Felder, had said there would be no need to replace the bottom wheel, as the top one has the most ‘influence’ on the blade but; I couldn't quite follow the logic. I told him that although there had been an improvement with the wheel, the outcome for the blade was no different as the bottom wheel had the same differentials.
He then agreed and said they would change the bottom one too. I had told him when they were doing the top wheel, to do both for the sake of efficiency but; I can see that it is perhaps more prudent to see if the issue clears up, before they invest in two wheels.
So the second wheel came and was fitted and the dif between high and low was again reduced down to 0.2mm and actually, on the bottom wheel, that dif is caused by the join in the tyre.
So yes the blade still has a slight wobble but it's much better than before (is it 100% better, 0.4mm to 0.2mm?) and I don’t think they can do much better, given that when you put a dial on 0.2mm, even a bit of dust will cause some variation. Leaning on the machine causes more of a variation.
I’d like to commend Felder here for their work. The fist tech who replaced the top wheel was a bit green, young lad but really friendly. I helped him a bit and it took him about 3-4 hours to change the wheel
The second tech is one I've met before. He’s their top guy and he changed that bottom wheel in like 30 mins or less. Really nice bloke, a smart thinker and interesting to talk to.
Felder UK stood by me, as a person new to wood working. Even though the bandsaw was 1 month out of warranty, I’d only used it a handful of times and hadn’t even been able to set the thing up for several months, after it being delivered. I told them I couldn’t really know what was right or wrong as I had no experience but as I gained experience, I could understand if something wasn't quite right.
They agreed and stood by me and so I’m happy to be a customer. They seem much more customer focused than they did even 2-3 years ago. They've certainly improved their systems. If was a bit of a mess before.
Regarding the experiance, yes there were down sides. I spent about 3 weeks having to take a crash corse in bandsaws because this one had an issue. It cost me a lot of time and stress. I had to spend hours trying to work out how it worked, watching videos. I bought a dial and base to clock the wheel etc..
But! in a way I’m glad I had to go through that. I learnt a lot about bandsaw in a very short space of time. I learned a lot about how to test machines using dials etc.. and I learnt who my friends were. It turns out that Felder UK is one of them (although perhaps not Felder themselves)
Onwards and Upwards!
As an aside, I've come to the suspicion that the bandsaw is made by ACM in Italy. Felder claime to make it but no tech has ever seen the ‘bandsaw manufacturing line’ at Felder Austria and ACM pretty much make all the bandsaw sold in the EU for under £6K.
After approaching Felder UK (not Felder but importer) and giving my concern regarding the blade wobble, they asked Felder Austria if they can sort the wheels out under warranty. Apparently Felder declined as I was one month (or just under) out of warranty.
But! Felder UK took it upon themselves to try and fix the issue instead and so sent a technician round.
The tech agreed with me that the wheels weren’t.. well.. very round and that the blade was drifting from side to side because of high and low spots on the wheel.
The mad thing is, the differential between the high and low spots was only about 0.4mm, which would seem like nothing but; had quite a drastic effect.
Felder Replaced the top wheel with one that had a high to low dif of 0.2mm, which is a huge improvement. Is it acceptable? I don’t know but I think it's pretty good. Worst case scenario, the new wheel could have been even worse! What was immediately noticeable, was that the casting of the new wheel, was much better than the original wheel.
Now Jon (I think it's without the H) at Felder, had said there would be no need to replace the bottom wheel, as the top one has the most ‘influence’ on the blade but; I couldn't quite follow the logic. I told him that although there had been an improvement with the wheel, the outcome for the blade was no different as the bottom wheel had the same differentials.
He then agreed and said they would change the bottom one too. I had told him when they were doing the top wheel, to do both for the sake of efficiency but; I can see that it is perhaps more prudent to see if the issue clears up, before they invest in two wheels.
So the second wheel came and was fitted and the dif between high and low was again reduced down to 0.2mm and actually, on the bottom wheel, that dif is caused by the join in the tyre.
So yes the blade still has a slight wobble but it's much better than before (is it 100% better, 0.4mm to 0.2mm?) and I don’t think they can do much better, given that when you put a dial on 0.2mm, even a bit of dust will cause some variation. Leaning on the machine causes more of a variation.
I’d like to commend Felder here for their work. The fist tech who replaced the top wheel was a bit green, young lad but really friendly. I helped him a bit and it took him about 3-4 hours to change the wheel
The second tech is one I've met before. He’s their top guy and he changed that bottom wheel in like 30 mins or less. Really nice bloke, a smart thinker and interesting to talk to.
Felder UK stood by me, as a person new to wood working. Even though the bandsaw was 1 month out of warranty, I’d only used it a handful of times and hadn’t even been able to set the thing up for several months, after it being delivered. I told them I couldn’t really know what was right or wrong as I had no experience but as I gained experience, I could understand if something wasn't quite right.
They agreed and stood by me and so I’m happy to be a customer. They seem much more customer focused than they did even 2-3 years ago. They've certainly improved their systems. If was a bit of a mess before.
Regarding the experiance, yes there were down sides. I spent about 3 weeks having to take a crash corse in bandsaws because this one had an issue. It cost me a lot of time and stress. I had to spend hours trying to work out how it worked, watching videos. I bought a dial and base to clock the wheel etc..
But! in a way I’m glad I had to go through that. I learnt a lot about bandsaw in a very short space of time. I learned a lot about how to test machines using dials etc.. and I learnt who my friends were. It turns out that Felder UK is one of them (although perhaps not Felder themselves)
Onwards and Upwards!
As an aside, I've come to the suspicion that the bandsaw is made by ACM in Italy. Felder claime to make it but no tech has ever seen the ‘bandsaw manufacturing line’ at Felder Austria and ACM pretty much make all the bandsaw sold in the EU for under £6K.
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There are a few Italian companies still. ACM, Meber, Centauro at least. Felder FB are reputed to be at least partly Chinese (most likely the castings I guess).
Interesting! I would have thought the Hammer series would be Chinese and the rest Italian.
I hadn't heard about Meber. they look like the Panhans models (that is to say, the Panhans look like Mebers).
I tried several Centuaro’s but the found the quality to be poor (imo), compared to the AMC (FB). Almost like comparing a Sedgewick to an SCM.
The FB is more refined and has better specs, for the same price, however the FB guide is awful. If I needed to use it, I would replace it happily.
Panhans bought Agazzani so that'll be where their design heritage comes from (not sure why they bought it because apparently they then moved production to Germany, can't be that much expertise or IP involved, maybe it was broke and a steal).
The Felder chinese thing is only a rumour to be fair.
The Felder chinese thing is only a rumour to be fair.
I’ve been told that Felder FB’s from the 640 to 710 are ACM but smaller ones are manufactured elsewhere.
