Draper Bandsaws

[Tanglefoot20]

Hi there... I have a ELU 3401... made n Italy. A very nice sturdy machine...twin speed large throat.... got it on eBay....£150 with 6 spare assorted blades... rips through logs no prob...the old nes are sometimes the best....

 

[akirk]

I have mine because I was given it by a friend who had been handed it by a client asking if they could use it - it was brand new, boxed and sealed! So, it serves a purpose - but I will upgrade it at some point, but it will do for now

 

[Dave the woodworker]

I have been looking at the Hammer machines. A completely different ball game to the cheaper models. They may cost twice the price but if taken care of they look like will last a lifetime.

 

[Mick p]

Thanks


What one would you recommend.

I have a 3 wheel coronet imp about 60 years old and it’s a brilliant bit of old English engineering simple and very accurate with a 3 speed belt changing system I wouldn’t change it for most of the newer stuff produced today the only downside it takes up a lot of space in my small workshop

 

[Dave the woodworker]

I have a 3 wheel coronet imp about 60 years old and it’s a brilliant bit of old English engineering simple and very accurate with a 3 speed belt changing system I wouldn’t change it for most of the newer stuff produced today the only downside it takes up a lot of space in my small workshop

Sad that today this country of 55 million people are incapable of producing quality machines and many other items that we need.

I live next door to Draper and on their gates they have "quality tools". May be in the past but not sure that is true today.

 

[shed9]

Sad that today this country of 55 million people are incapable of producing quality machines and many other items that we need.

I suspect the situation is just as much about the customer as the manufacturer.

There are quite a few of us Hammer 4400 users on here and yes they are worth the price if you can justify it's size and footprint. Similar to Festool it has further value if you have other Hammer kit as the extension tables work across the different machines.

 

[skelf]

I recently bought the Draper BS350 (84715). Haven't had time to use it yet so can't comment on quality, accuracy, etc.
I was originally going to get the Axminster but it was out of stock and not due for 8 weeks. The only others that were in my price range all looked the same and had identical specs in terms of motor, blade length, etc. so I decided to pick the cheapest from those. The Draper also has a slightly bigger cutting depth at 225mm compared to the Axminster at 200mm.
I paid £550 from Toolden. Delivery was free which I found to be quite a rare thing.
That was by far the cheapest of the bunch.

 

[MARK.B.]

Sad that today this country of 55 million people are incapable of producing quality machines and many other items that we need.

Sadder still that we let all the skilled jobs and workers that could make stuff of all kinds as good as or better than anyone else anywhere in world, be made redundant and the factories closed. Just so the new producers of these goods could have cheaper labour abroad and of course as the costs tumbled downwards so did the Quality of the goods made. The people here still have skills and are quite capable of making world beating goods, only problem is all the factories are now long gone and I don't see things changing anytime soon, when labour costs increase in China etc the production will move elsewhere and quality will likely suffer again.

 

[powertools]

wouldn't have one in the place.....
look for one second hand but better qual.....
the only thing that's Draper (in my tool kit) and usable is a squeegee grouting tool for tiles.....

If the only Draper item you own is a is a squeegee grouting tool for tiles what qualifies you to have an opinion on the range of bandsaws?

 

[powertools]

draper is a tool importer not made tools themselves for years

Draper along with the likes of Sealey and Clarke have never made tools and have always had them made to their own specs by others.

 

[skelf]

For what it’s worth, I setup my new Draper BS350 bandsaw this afternoon and initial impressions are really good.
The stop for the table tilt was only 0.1 degree out.
Blade was tensioned correctly and was tracking as it should and the bearings were fine but may benefit from a slight adjustment.
All in all, I’m quite impressed with it thus far.