BS400 Bandsaw Upper Guide Question/Concern

[Wizard9999]

I stopped using the web host which used to have my images. Here's the pic again. You can see you'd have to remove the front bearing on each side for the BS400 (I think the whole block is as far back as it will go, in this photo) but other than that it does seem to fit.



Carl.

Thanks for that Carl. Think RP will be at Yandles next month so will try to collar them on the topic. Be interesting to see how they respond as to whether they would consider it an upgrade and if they would sell the parts separately.

Terry.

 

[pike]

No prob, Terry. The RP bloke I spoke to (the one in their bandsaw web site videos) didn't seem to think it would be a problem buying it from them for use on a BS400. He didn't know how much it would be though.

 

[woodpig]

Thanks for the picture Carl.
I think it's hard to justify putting bearings like this on their professional range and on the cheapest Record power bandsaw but not on all the others? Cost notwithstanding of course.

 

[pike]

Agreed, although I can manage without, it's a shame the BS400 doesn't have them as standard.

 

[Wizard9999]

Thanks for the picture Carl.
I think it's hard to justify putting bearings like this on their professional range and on the cheapest Record power bandsaw but not on all the others? Cost notwithstanding of course.

Yes, this seems a very odd decision that opens them up to all the questions being raised on here.

Terry.

 

[woodpig]

There's no doubt that the standard RP guides do work and some folks are quite happy with them. I hated them on my BS300E and found them awkward to adjust, bulky and quite frankly not very well made. The two side discs in particular don't line up with each other, not sure if it's a bad casting or poorly machined. Record Power have clearly thought better of putting this design of guides on their Professional range of Bandsaws.

 

[transatlantic]

I have the BS300. I took apart the upper guide system yesterday to see what caused the slop, and it looks like it would be quite easy to fix, you just need to grind/file a bit of material away. As that would void any kind of warranty, I think I'll leave it for now though until it actually causes an issue.

It is my understanding that bandsaw guides are a fallback mechanism to catch the blade should something go wrong (too much unexpected pressure). In normal practice, the blade should not be in contact with the guides, so a little play should not be an issue. Please correct me if I am wrong.

However, I do find the whole system a PITA to configure. The blade guard gets in the way and really needs to be removed to set things up property, which makes things even more frustrating as it's also a PITA to get on/off. I don't like how the guide assembly fits onto the rise mechanism either. As it's only connected at one point, off center, its easily rotated, so not very stable.

Has anyone shortened the blade guard so that the lower assembly is always visible?

 

[Alexam]

It is my understanding that bandsaw guides are a fallback mechanism to catch the blade should something go wrong (too much unexpected pressure). In normal practice, the blade should not be in contact with the guides, so a little play should not be an issue. Please correct me if I am wrong.
That's spot on.

I have removed the lower part of the blade guard to make it easier to see whats going on and it has improved matters on the BS400. Thats the lower part of the top guard
Malcolm

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Don't forget the blade guarding on the bottom is ridiculously over zealous and is in fact far more to do with H&S regs than any sensible functional requirement. I removed mine during the setup of the bandsaw from new. If someone can explain to me how a part of my body or clothing is going to travel the 10" from where I'm standing into the path of the blade at about thigh height, I'll happily put it back on!!

So, all I'm saying is that clearly, any risks you take with safety measures are your own decision and you need to feel comfortable with that. For me though, it went in the junk pile straight away.

 

[transatlantic]

Don't forget the blade guarding on the bottom is ridiculously over zealous and is in fact far more to do with H&S regs than any sensible functional requirement. I removed mine during the setup of the bandsaw from new. If someone can explain to me how a part of my body or clothing is going to travel the 10" from where I'm standing into the path of the blade at about thigh height, I'll happily put it back on!!

So, all I'm saying is that clearly, any risks you take with safety measures are your own decision and you need to feel comfortable with that. For me though, it went in the junk pile straight away.

I removed that one too, but I was actually talking about the top one.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Okey...doke...note to self....don't scan read threads!!

 

[pike]

In normal practice, the blade should not be in contact with the guides, so a little play should not be an issue. Please correct me if I am wrong.

This makes sense for the side guides but does it for the rear? I know the side guides should only be nudging the blade back if you twist it a bit too much, but surely the rear guide is regularly in contact in normal practice? Am I doing something wrong if my rear guide is spinning and in contact more often than not? Surely if its set very close to the back of the blade as it should be, then any pressure at all from a cut means it is in contact?

 

[woodpig]

Yes you're correct Pike. As you apply pressure with the cut the blade is bound to come into contact with the thrust bearing. In fact the "Stabilizer" guide sold in the USA for narrow blades is actually pre-loaded, there is no gap.

 

[Richard863]

Hi
Congratulations you have discovered what a k r a p i design that part of the BS is. I had the same problem with the 350S. I eventually solved it by turning a piece of lignum vitae to the 2 diameters of the upper and lower bearing holder and initially have them touching the blade while running then backing them off the thickness of a cigarette rollup paper. This solved my problem even with resawing verneers. Someone is bound to say heat generation on the blade, but there isnt any even when touching. When I did my apprenticeship in the mid fifties all our bandsaws didn't have bearing guides like todays breed.
Good luck Richard

 

[no idea]

Don't forget the blade guarding on the bottom is ridiculously over zealous and is in fact far more to do with H&S regs than any sensible functional requirement. I removed mine during the setup of the bandsaw from new. If someone can explain to me how a part of my body or clothing is going to travel the 10" from where I'm standing into the path of the blade at about thigh height, I'll happily put it back on!!

So, all I'm saying is that clearly, any risks you take with safety measures are your own decision and you need to feel comfortable with that. For me though, it went in the junk pile straight away.

Interestingly I took mine off when I bought my bandsaw but once my 3 year old son took some interest in the shed I ended up putting them back on. I don't use the bandsaw if he is in there with me but I realised even a static blade could cause his hands/fingers damage if he got a bit too curious (he's at the perfect height to see under the bandsaw table). It does make guide adjustment a bit more awkward but in my situation I'm happy to accept this. They will probably come off when he is older and understands the risks in the shed.

 

[Tetsuaiga]

I'm having a bit better luck with a new strategy, i run the bandsaw then move the guides in. I find I need to have them in contact, but not fully in contact, that probably wont make sense if you don't have experience of the guards. I might get around to just trying something like hardwood like Richard had done, but theyre doing better than they were before now.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Don't forget the blade guarding on the bottom is ridiculously over zealous and is in fact far more to do with H&S regs than any sensible functional requirement. I removed mine during the setup of the bandsaw from new. If someone can explain to me how a part of my body or clothing is going to travel the 10" from where I'm standing into the path of the blade at about thigh height, I'll happily put it back on!!

So, all I'm saying is that clearly, any risks you take with safety measures are your own decision and you need to feel comfortable with that. For me though, it went in the junk pile straight away.

Interestingly I took mine off when I bought my bandsaw but once my 3 year old son took some interest in the shed I ended up putting them back on. I don't use the bandsaw if he is in there with me but I realised even a static blade could cause his hands/fingers damage if he got a bit too curious (he's at the perfect height to see under the bandsaw table). It does make guide adjustment a bit more awkward but in my situation I'm happy to accept this. They will probably come off when he is older and understands the risks in the shed.

That's a really interesting perspective on the lower guides that I hadn't considered. I wonder if accidents to children were the driver behind the regulation in the first place?? It's not relevant in my situation but it's worth heeding in the circumstances you describe. Well said for bringing that up.

 

[woodpig]

Providing guarding to protect a three year old that shouldn't be in a workshop anyway is a bit extreme, even for the nanny state.

 

[pike]

Yeah H&S for woodworking machines is for the user, not for little people who can't operate it anyway.

 

[Tetsuaiga]

I have to admit to cutting myself on the blade under the table. I feel quite stupid for it but since then feel sure it wont happen again. Luckily it was only just a graze.