beefing up bas 315

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johnnyb

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as part of my general shop improvement i am thinking of trying to improve my bandsaw. my idea is to stiffen up the frame as much as poss. the original frame seems reasonably stiff along the blade but vibrate badly side to side. by this i mean the top and bottom of the frame are twisting. a fillet has been welded but it doesnt stop this torsion. it is also noticeable on cutting. unlike cast bandsaws the blade tensioner doesnt have a spring shock absorber i am assuming this is normal on steel fabricated bandsaws as they sort of act as there own shock absorbers. should i stiffen the frame up or leave it as is i am thinking of welding a thick sheet between the wheel spindles also some fillets to stop the twisting. has anybody done anything like this before? when the books say the wheels should be in the same plane how can that be when the tracking control alters the upper wheels angle? i have stripped it down and it all seems in place but very poorly made. another area i would like to alter is the upper blade guide replacing it with a steel square section with a solid peice as the moveable part., if possible. my plan is to just use brass blocks as guides ijnstead of side bearings.
any thought on all this.......sell it and get a decent one.
by the way do any companies produce a cast frame bandsaw in the uk they seem common in the states.
 
I can't really help you on the welding bit but I did have the very same thought myself for my cheap Perform bandsaw. In the end I didn't bother as it seemed too much trouble and I wasn't sure how much of an improvement it would be.
The co-planar thing is an ideal but the theory goes that if both wheels are in alignment in both planes then the blade will track at the back of the rubber tyres (because of the blade set?) and also track in the same position on both wheels. It is supposed to reduce vibration and lessen set up time when changing blades.
 
Oh and forget the brass guides, try hardwood dowels pre soaked in WD 40 (good few hours) and you should be able to set them so close to the blade that you can hardly see a glint of light.
The roller bearing guides and arms on my Perform were very poorly made. Changing to the Hardwood dowels improved things enormously.
 
Some time ago I bought a EB 315 - it had had very little use. I spent quite a bit of time setting it all up but never managed to get it 'right'.

I was fortunate that I happened across a Startrite 352 (for once I was in the right place at the right time) that I acquired for £200. After a bit of cleaning and tweaking I'm really pleased with it and it put the 315 completely in the shade.

Even better for me was the fact I sold the 315 on the 'bay' for well over £200.

My advice - replace the 315 with something more solid and substantial - For me it was the best decision.

MF
 
I swithered on whether to buy a new bandsaw or look for a second hand old cast unit. I eventually went for a second hand 352 Startrite. The unit was 3 phase so I changed the motor for a single phase unit. Very impressed, solid as a rock.
I think you could weld and brace as much as possible but it would still flex to a degree as the main frames are usually made out of thin steel.

Andy
 
As another delighted 352 user, I'd support those suggesting getting one of these. They appear regularly on Ebay, so you can probably find one nearby-ish without too long a wait. But you'll need a trailer or a biggish van/estate car to transport it.
w.r.t guides, another "wood" solution is to get some lignum vitae, which is inherently self lubricating. (but no need for this on the 352 - the cast guides on that will outlast most users)
 
It is a sad fact that lightweight bandsaws are of very little use.

Startrite were always good.

I use Lignum guides and can set for zero clearance. The guides need dressing square quite frequently, but I love them.

David
 

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