Bandsaws help!

[Rickyegrant]

Hi everybody new boy here Ive got about 400 pounds to spend on a bandsaw and im just blown away with the choices. Can anybody suggest which ones are the best to go for. Im working with small very accurate pieces but would also like to rip saw stuff cause me mates getting me rough wood from his job. Ive got an old table top burgess bandsaw and things just come out of it as straight as a dogs hind leg.

Help!

Ricky

 

[ByronBlack]

If you want new, I would suggest either the 12" Jet machine, or the 14" Axminster machine, links below. I had the 14" Jet which is a little out of your budget, and it was the best tool I owned, the Axminster is a carbon copy version but a bit cheaper.

Axminster Bandsaw: http://www.axminster.co.uk/recno/2/product-Axminster-SBW3501B-Bandsaw-23237.htm

Jet 12" : http://www.axminster.co.uk/recno/8/product-Jet-JWBS-12-Bandsaw-365288.htm

Or, if you are't going to be using big sections of hardwood, you could get away with: http://www.axminster.co.uk/recno/4/product-Perform-CCVBB-Bandsaw-32454.htm

However, I can highly recommend the larger axminster, and the 12" Jet - great machines for the money. I would avoid similar sized from Record, Elektra Beckum and SIP - all pretty much the same machine, and mostly not that good and require a fair degree of setting up.

I would also avoid budget machines from places like Charnwood. I tried out so many different bandsaws before settling on the Jet - it was a great machine, worked almost out of the box and cut everything I through at it.

The cheaper machines might do a job, but in my opinion when I tried them didn't feel up to standard, and were quite tricky initially to get a good cut, but i'm sure there are others who have used them succefully.

Hope that helps - i'm a bit of a bandsaw nut, so apologies if i've bored you.

 

[Colin C]

Hi Rickyegrant

I would have to disagree with Byron on this one as I have a 12" SIP ( A few have this and the 14" ) and I have been very happy with it, it did not need much setting up and I use screwfix blades .

Some have the Axminster version ( Perform one ) and are happy with that too.

Try Here
for a start or Here
I hope this helps

 

[ByronBlack]

Colin, i;m sure the cheaper machines are good, but my advice is based on a comparison basis, I actually owned a SIP and sold it as the performance on hardwoods wasn't that great, glad that you got one to work well though.

I think that;s what seperates cheaper machines from well established ones. You just don't know what yiour getting with a cheaper model, where a good axminster/jet are sturdy tools that will give excellent results almost out of the book. And not for much more money than the cheaper models.

Not a rant, just an observation from my experiences

 

[Colin C]

Byron
I understand what you are saying but some of your problems might have been from the setting up, but as I had not see the one you had I dont know for sure.
I have used my sip to cut hardwood too ( have used it to cut the tenons for my back door in iroko but need to get it finished :roll: )

I am glad you now have a good one but a lot of people have SIP's on hear and are happy

 

[ByronBlack]

Colin, it's good to hear you have a good one, it'll give the orginal poster something to ponder - choices chocies choices

 

[Colin C]

Byron
I think the choices have just started :twisted: :roll:

 

[luthier49]

Here`s a photo of one of a set of four cabriole legs I`ve bandsawn saturday evening. They were cut on an Elektra Bekum 250G the baby of the Elektra range. I purchased this machine not too long ago to replace my Burgess bandsaw which I had for 20 odd years. I think someone descibed on this forum that this Elektra machine was more of a toy. Well this machine is no toy as the photo proves. Knocks spots of the Burgess, and really does cut straight and true to it`s full 4" depth of cut. Err, not too straight on this particular project.

 

[paulm]

Hi Ricky,

Might be worth checking over the setting up on your existing machine before splashing some cash, if you haven't already.

Probably worth fitting a new blade from a good supplier, and if cutting straight is the priority, make it as wide a blade as the machine will take. Also, unless good finish straight off the machine is important, use a low tpi say 4,5 or 6.

Then make sure the blade is adequately tensioned.

Then make sure the guides are adjusted correctly.

Any of the above could give problems if not sorted properly, even on a new machine.

When you say it doesn't cut straight do you mean you get a bowed cut (top to bottom) in deeper timber, or that it won't follow a straight line along a piece of timber ?

Bandsaws aren't the best for following straight lines anyway, even if properly set up due to the inherent design of them, and if this is the issue you may want to try a point fence rather than a rip fence. Think somebody described this on here recently so could be worth trying a search.

Cheers, Paul.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Ricky

Welcome to the forum.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Waka]

Ricky

Welcome to the forum.

Lots of choices when it comes to bandsaws, hope you make the right one.

 

[Rickyegrant]

Hi thanks for all your replies im not sure if im any closer to deciding. The burgess i got 4 years ago was second hand and i didnt realise that it didnt have any side blade guides just 2 back ones so i had to make some up my self, and yes the blade is probably worn.

The troble is im trying to work to very tight tolerances im making very small linking hard wood pieces 5x5x15 and 15x15x5 mm so accuracy is very important.

The money ive got to spend is a one off and im worried about buying crap. I also want to get a planner / thickener and other bits and bobs.

Ricky