burgess bandsaw bbs20, blade and setup

[simon1138]

Hello,
I recently got a bandsaw, three wheel tabletop, second hand. The blade is about 6mm wide. I am trying to cut maple wood 58mm by 20mm and I want to cut a scarf joint to create a guitar headstock. I want to cut an angle through the wood at 15 degree. The blade seems to twist almost. I looked at the blade on the top wheel and it seems to be where it should. It doesn't have bearings holding the blade where it cuts, it has two bits of metal that are adjusted by an allen screw. Is it worth getting a thicker blade, like a 10mm or something like that? I am having a hard time getting the blade through the wood straight. I can not change the speed of the cut either. Toolstation do different blades, not too sure of the size either 56 inch or 57? Does anyone have one of these saws?
Any advice would be great, thanks
Simon

 

[Inspector]

Your blade may be dull. A dull blade won't cut and basically tries to get out of the way.

The blade may have too many teeth, too fine a blade. The gullets can't carry the waste away fast enough and they fill up behaving much like a dull blade.

I suggest you buy a new blade with about 4 teeth per inch and see how that works.

I would not recommend buying a blade wider than recommended as the saw may not be able to tension (tighten) it enough making it behave a little floppy. When you get your new blade back off the guides and tension and adjust the tracking so the blade runs where the manual recommends it sit on the wheels. A manual for a similar machine should be close enough if you can't find one for the one you have. Then bring the bearing/block behind the blade until it almost touches. Then set the blocks on the side until they don't quite touch, about the thickness of a couple sheets of paper, 0.1mm or 0.2mm. Hopefully it cuts properly.

Note: I have never played with one of those little 3 wheelers but the information is pretty universal to all bandsaws.

Pete

 

[dizjasta]

Hello,
I recently got a bandsaw, three wheel tabletop, second hand. The blade is about 6mm wide. I am trying to cut maple wood 58mm by 20mm and I want to cut a scarf joint to create a guitar headstock. I want to cut an angle through the wood at 15 degree. The blade seems to twist almost. I looked at the blade on the top wheel and it seems to be where it should. It doesn't have bearings holding the blade where it cuts, it has two bits of metal that are adjusted by an allen screw. Is it worth getting a thicker blade, like a 10mm or something like that? I am having a hard time getting the blade through the wood straight. I can not change the speed of the cut either. Toolstation do different blades, not too sure of the size either 56 inch or 57? Does anyone have one of these saws?
Any advice would be great, thanks
Simon

Hi your BBS20 saw requires a blade with a length of 56 1/2 inches [1435 mm]. The original blade widths were 1/4" and 3/8" so 6mm and 10 mm will fit. The maximum depth of cut is 3" [76 mm]. Blade tracking is monitored by it's position on the top wheel and should be adjusted until the blade runs at the mid point on the wheel.
The blade is supported at 3 points in the area of the table. There should be 2 pairs of circular guide blocks. 2 are located on the adjustable upper guide holder and 2 on the fixed guide holder below the table. These guides support the sides of a fitted blade. In addition there should be an adjustable circular bearing that supports the back of the blade.
Hope this helps.

 

[xy mosian]

Hi Simon,
The Burgess BBS20 bandsaw was the first of a series which continued into the BBK series.
Spotting the differance is relatively easy, in the BBS20 the drive belt is a simple 'Z' series, v-belt to me, whereas the later BBK series has a toothed belt drive. Other changes included the blade guides.
There was also a change in the blade length, using the longer BBK series blades has the blade tensioning at almost maximum travel, in the BBS20, to accomodate the extra length. Somewhere, under a mountain of redundant treasure, I have an original blade packing, it could be some time before that surfaces.
Meanwhile I include an image form my manual.

By the way although the manual is rudementary by todays standards, sending me your email address will have me send a fdf of the document.
Tuffsaws have supplied good blades for this machine in the past.
xy
Of course that should be pdf.
xy