Bandsaw recommendations

[david.tamlaght]

just wondering about the thoughts and experiences of different makes of bandsaw.
i'm looking a 240v saw that is capable of a good level of performance without blade wander but its for occassional use and i don't require a professional standard although i wouldn't rule out buying that level as i'm fussy about my kit .
any pointers welcomed

 

[Bingy man]

Hi there- welcome to the forum, did a fair bit of research on bandsaws and time and time again record power came came out with positive reviews so I went for the bs 350 premium 14”. Plenty of power and capacity -all comes down to what you intend on cutting.

 

[Seascaper]

just wondering about the thoughts and experiences of different makes of bandsaw.
i'm looking a 240v saw that is capable of a good level of performance without blade wander but its for occassional use and i don't require a professional standard although i wouldn't rule out buying that level as i'm fussy about my kit .
any pointers welcomed

Hello,
The
Kitty 613 and the Startrite 301 are both good saws but neither are available new. Well worth looking to find a good second hand machine. These are both good quality machines, well made and strong without being too big and heavy. The Kitty 613 I bought new about 6 years ago and was one of the last available, but sold it when I moved. I replaced it recently with a late model Startrite 301 which has the bigger motor, one careful owner, well pleased with it.
Regards

 

[Fitzroy]

What’s your budget?

 

[david.tamlaght]

Hi there- welcome to the forum, did a fair bit of research on bandsaws and time and time again record power came came out with positive reviews so I went for the bs 350 premium 14”. Plenty of power and capacity -all comes down to what you intend on cutting.

the record range was foremost in my thoughts tbh and some good company vids on youtube .thanks

 

[david.tamlaght]

What’s your budget?

not fixed but approx 6-700

 

[Blackswanwood]

IMHO if you compare new Record, Scheppach and Axminster at that price point there will not be that much difference in the end product. Drift is often more down to set up and blade quality than an underlying issue with the machine.

 

[recipio]

No bandsaw will do everything. At that budget you will get a 1 HP machine that is fine for trimming and curved cuts. I have an old Multicp and keep a 3/8" 14tpi blade in it and it's invaluable. A few years ago I invested in a Hammer N4400 and it is a big beast. I use it for converting garden trees and deep veneer cutting.
Get the most powerful you can afford and avoid saws with a lot of aluminium components - they break easily.

 

[Fitzroy]

One consideration is new or second hand. Many of us on here have gone the second hand route to get more bandsaw for your money. However this obviously involves some risk regards the condition of the machine and your ability to fix any gremlins you have.

I went the second hand route and have a Startrite 352 which I've found a good machine, easy to set up with no drift (a subject that divides opinion from what I've seen in my research on setting up bandsaws). I have recently found the limits of this machine, it does not like cutting 10" thick oak sleepers, but with a 1HP motor I'm not too surprised and shouldn't grumble.

Mine is also a three phase machine that I fitted an inverter on to, this gave me more choice of machines but with the hassle of messing with the electrics, something I am comfortable with but others would not be. I picked mine up for £300 locally after a long wait (9 months of surfing gumtree) for a machine in my price range and within driving distance.

My first bandsaw was an ELU3401, a small machine ok for small tasks but struggled with anything over 2" thick.

 

[Ttrees]

Hello
Your being way too vague to suggest anything yet, I suggest you be more specific.
We don't know anything like...
Height and of cut and length of stock
240v could mean anything, as in needs to run off a 13a or 16a plug...
we don't know if you've got suitable electrical outlets should you be needing DC system,
At that price range regarding bandsaws, three phase of which have dual voltage
motors that will run from your 240v supply (you need to see 240v stated on motor name plate)
which will run from 13 or 16a outlets, via VFD from about a hundred quid.

There's a Centauro and a Socomec on the bay for the money.
I'd look at the Centauro if it were close by, it likely needs work


Are you opposed to doing a lick o paint?
Buying or making parts?

695 without a fence and likely needing work

650 without a fence, cork rubber tires in an odd wheel size, should you be opposed to making your own or seeking somewhere which would supply, options which may be only urethane.

I don't have 16a outlets,only the household plug so have a fairly slow ramp up time set on the VFD, so its very easy on the supply.
Passive dust collection on this machine, not so dusty when you're further away from the cut, safer too, and nicer should one be cutting tenons for instance.

All the best

Tom

 

[Spectric]

Just think that a bigger saw has a deeper throat and larger table, it can do everything a smaller saw can do but which the smaller saw cannot. The footprint of a larger saw is also not necessarily that much larger than the small saw, especially if you go from something standing on a frame to being floor standing and is best appreciated by actually viewing these machines. My original intention was a Record BS350 but then brought the BS400 as it was not much larger but had a bigger table and some features not found on the 350. My gripe with the manufacturers is that they don't produce the same machine in different sizes but tend to deliver more features on the larger machines which I think is just a sales technique.

My BS400 runs happily from a 230 volt 13 amp supply and has never tripped, it is also worth mentioning that even the best machines will fail to deliver unless you use a decent blade and the right one for the task in hand.

 

[david.tamlaght]

Hello
Your being way too vague to suggest anything yet, I suggest you be more specific.
We don't know anything like...
Height and of cut and length of stock
240v could mean anything, as in needs to run off a 13a or 16a plug...
we don't know if you've got suitable electrical outlets should you be needing DC system,
At that price range regarding bandsaws, three phase of which have dual voltage
motors that will run from your 240v supply (you need to see 240v stated on motor name plate)
which will run from 13 or 16a outlets, via VFD from about a hundred quid.

There's a Centauro and a Socomec on the bay for the money.
I'd look at the Centauro if it were close by, it likely needs work


Are you opposed to doing a lick o paint?
Buying or making parts?

695 without a fence and likely needing work

650 without a fence, cork rubber tires in an odd wheel size, should you be opposed to making your own or seeking somewhere which would supply, options which may be only urethane.

I don't have 16a outlets,only the household plug so have a fairly slow ramp up time set on the VFD, so its very easy on the supply.
Passive dust collection on this machine, not so dusty when you're further away from the cut, safer too, and nicer should one be cutting tenons for instance.

All the best

Tom
View attachment 144083

thanks mate but i need something smaller due to space and not fussed about 2nd hand as the worry of needing parts on down the line.
looking at a record 350s online with a free wheelkit and 3 blade pack .1k or there abouts and good reviews so that might be the one .
many thanks to all the replies and advise to my post

 

[Bingy man]

thanks mate but i need something smaller due to space and not fussed about 2nd hand as the worry of needing parts on down the line.
looking at a record 350s online with a free wheelkit and 3 blade pack .1k or there abouts and good reviews so that might be the one .
many thanks to all the replies and advise to my post

Just make sure you have a friend to help you set it up as it’s around 100kg it’s easy to move if you have the rise and fall wheel kit as long as you have a flat floor-no carpets or mats . Also worth swapping the bolts supplied to bolt body to base for m8 bolts/nylock nuts and re- drilling to suit . The bolts supplied look too weak to support the machine.

 

[MikeK]

thanks mate but i need something smaller due to space and not fussed about 2nd hand as the worry of needing parts on down the line.
looking at a record 350s online with a free wheelkit and 3 blade pack .1k or there abouts and good reviews so that might be the one .
many thanks to all the replies and advise to my post

I have the Record Power BS350S and made significant modifications to it to suit me. The single most important change was to get rid of the rubbish blades that came with it and buy blades from Ian at Tuffsaws. I am confident that you will not like the performance of the standard blades and will spend a lot of time trying to make them work. Also, the wheels on the mobility kit will likely eventually fail. The papier-mâché wheels will crumble or the pasta-like brackets will bend in normal use.

Regardless of which saw you buy, contact Ian by email and tell him which saw you have and what you want to do with it. He will recommend blades that will suit your projects.

 

[HamsterJam]

I have an Inca Euro 260 which admittedly doesn’t have a big capacity. (260mm throat and about six inches height)
However it is a great little bandsaw for the smaller workshop.
They sometimes pop up secondhand

 

[mr rusty]

I have the Record Power BS350S and made significant modifications to it to suit me. The single most important change was to get rid of the rubbish blades that came with it and buy blades from Ian at Tuffsaws. I am confident that you will not like the performance of the standard blades and will spend a lot of time trying to make them work. Also, the wheels on the mobility kit will likely eventually fail. The papier-mâché wheels will crumble or the pasta-like brackets will bend in normal use.

This.

I have the BS350S and have made similar modifications to @MikeK. Record blades it comes with are OK, but Tuffsaw blades are better. The standard blade guides are OK. I upgraded mine to similar to the Sabre version - if you can justify the higher price, get the sabre 350. The standard BS350S wheel kit is pretty carp for regular use, but does provide the basis for a wheel kit that works if you reinforce with some timber and get some stronger casters to replace the originals

 

[david.tamlaght]

I have the Record Power BS350S and made significant modifications to it to suit me. The single most important change was to get rid of the rubbish blades that came with it and buy blades from Ian at Tuffsaws. I am confident that you will not like the performance of the standard blades and will spend a lot of time trying to make them work. Also, the wheels on the mobility kit will likely eventually fail. The papier-mâché wheels will crumble or the pasta-like brackets will bend in normal use.

Regardless of which saw you buy, contact Ian by email and tell him which saw you have and what you want to do with it. He will recommend blades that will suit your projects.

i'll see how i get on with it before modifying anything but def take your advice on the blades.
one of my bear bugs is seeing folk onsite with decent power tools and killing them due to needing a blade replaced.crazy .
thanks for the tips

 

[Ttrees]

thanks mate but i need something smaller due to space and not fussed about 2nd hand as the worry of needing parts on down the line.
looking at a record 350s online with a free wheelkit and 3 blade pack .1k or there abouts and good reviews so that might be the one .
many thanks to all the replies and advise to my post

For a grand there's likely something to suit.
You'd be best clarifying what space you need i.e the floor footprint
or a requirement for overhead clearance.
If only the former then you can go upto 20" (compact) or 440/450mm (Italian or Hammer) without loosing footprint.
this as well as performance is likely best seen in person to be believed.
Once again a mention of what the work is wouldn't do any harm.
Just incase you plan on doing some resawing a 3/4" blade would be nice,
and that needs a stout saw.

Most parts issues could be neither here nor there, all bearings and belts are standard
which are best bought elsewhere
Guides and tires though depends
GL guides (the ubiquitous maintenance free "Euro guides" can be bought easily, but expensive. look up Scott&Sargeant)
Sourcing quick change tires for that Socomec may be a challenge, though possibly dependent on whether one wants "rubber" or to pay for overseas delivery from USA for urethane, what some say is lesser material in regards to longevity.

Note many of the premium machines have real rubber (vulcanized) rather than glued
some like the more modern Centauro's have a groove for stretch on tires and don't require adhesive.
Apart from missing fences on machines, what one should question,
since the budget has doubled, that's a no go.
The tires are where there could be a timesink or hidden expenditure,
just the same as changing guides on a wee curve cutter machine might be.

Good luck
Tom

 

[david.tamlaght]

For a grand there's likely something to suit.
You'd be best clarifying what space you need i.e the floor footprint
or a requirement for overhead clearance.
If only the former then you can go upto 20" (compact) or 440/450mm (Italian or Hammer) without loosing footprint.
this as well as performance is likely best seen in person to be believed.
Once again a mention of what the work is wouldn't do any harm.
Just incase you plan on doing some resawing a 3/4" blade would be nice,
and that needs a stout saw.

Most parts issues could be neither here nor there, all bearings and belts are standard
which are best bought elsewhere
Guides and tires though depends
GL guides (the ubiquitous maintenance free "Euro guides" can be bought easily, but expensive. look up Scott&Sargeant)
Sourcing quick change tires for that Socomec may be a challenge, though possibly dependent on whether one wants "rubber" or to pay for overseas delivery from USA for urethane, what some say is lesser material in regards to longevity.

Note many of the premium machines have real rubber (vulcanized) rather than glued
some like the more modern Centauro's have a groove for stretch on tires and don't require adhesive.
Apart from missing fences on machines, what one should question,
since the budget has doubled, that's a no go.
The tires are where there could be a timesink or hidden expenditure,
just the same as changing guides on a wee curve cutter machine might be.

Good luck
Tom

my new workshop is 8.5x 4.5 and the only fixed thing so far is a dewalt crosscut saw along one wall .
i intend to build an 8x4 workbench in the centre of the floor with a purpose made cut out to accommodate my portable circular saw bench when required .a few storage cupboards will be against some wall or other and i have a record lathe which needs a space .
the mortiser is benchtop and extractor is on wheels so not fixed .
the bandsaw will be used mostly for curves and furniture repair work ,just general use really and certainly won't be too often i'd be resawing deep timber but the option to do so now and then would obviously be useful if required

 

[Ttrees]

If you've got a mortiser, seems like you could do with a larger wheeled machine
to me.
Just to give an idea of the size difference in foot print between something on legs
and a compact far eastern machine (of which some are not, most of the cheaper machines look to be,

Not saying to go to 20" just for comparison
A size under often pops up

One could argue those wee saws on splayed legs are too large compared to
going to some 400mm wheeled machines, granted the table is a bit small on most in this wheel size range, (some make a slide on accessory for this)

At least the wheels are cast iron on the 350, as some machines aren't,
so food for thought regarding some of the same size used.
(with the hope someone didn't damage the spring, or bend something)

Good luck with your search

Tom