Elecktra Beckum 316 (Metabo) Bandsaw blade guides

[colinc]

Hi,

yesterday I started to cut some 4" x 4" sitka spruce into 3/4" planks but realised after cutting the first one that there was something amiss with the bandsaw as the cut face was convex not flat.

Investigation revealed that the lower guide bracket which holds two guides and a bearing had cracked allowing one of the guides to slide out so the blade was wandering about. The bracket is an alloy casting and has very thin walls aroung the guide resisting the tightening pressure from the grubscrew. To be honest, I seem to remember spotting a crack in the past but didn't do anything about it a the time.

The broken bit was still attached, so I have made a temporary repair using an alloy strap attached with some JB Weld and hopefully that will keep me going whilst I source a spare part.

The reason for this post was to ask if anyone knew if there are any alternative blade guides available for this machine. Metabo list a 'Precision Guide' p/n 0909010900 and I wondered if anyone knows anything about that? From the only picture I can find it is just a top guide anyway.

regards

Colin

 

[Recky33]

Hi Colin

I had exactly the same thing happen on mine about 4 years ago, I couldn't find any alternative to the standard 1380044990 GUIDE SUPPORT @ £7.22+ £3.75 p&p, mind you its been as happy as Larry since it went in, well until last thursday when the top guide support snapped which is cast alloy the same as the lower, and a little bit over priced, still, least I will get new bearings with it

Allan

 

[aesmith]

The lower guide on mine broke when I tightened the locking screws. Its just a really bad design. The dealer got me a replacement casting under warranty, but I can see it just breaking again.

My solution is to not use the lower guides, only the lower thrust bearing.

If anyone knows how to fit decent guides onto this machine I'd be more than delighted.

 

[colinc]

Hi,

I was very pleased to find that my local tool shop (Jaymac, Derby) keeps spares, so I have a new one already for a fiver.

I think I will get some spares for these castings in stock. Am tempted to think that my repaired one may be stronger than the original so may put that back for now.

I think that using the right glue to attach an aluminium or steel reinforcing channel strap around the end of the bracket would help prevent damage by overtightening the grub-screw. That may be a useful mod for anyone with one of these style of fittings. The only problem is that the thickness is limited if you want to be able to get the thrust bearing off, or you have to accept that the strap will need filing off to change the bearing.

Whilst at the shop I was looking at the Record 350 and that seems to have a better guide system. Am tempted to think that the lower guide could be adapted.

regards

Colin

 

[John McM]

Yep, my top guide snapped off the other day. Anyone know the best place to get replacements from?

 

[colinc]

Yep, my top guide snapped off the other day. Anyone know the best place to get replacements from?

Well, it's certainly worth trying Jaymac in Derby, they said that carry a lot of spares. I think they do mail order but if not I can pick up and mail on for you.

regards

Colin

 

[Recky33]

Yep thats where mine is coming from

1009018022 THREE-ROLLER GUIDE, cant buy the casting on its own comes with 3 bearings and a bristol lever

Allan

 

[colinc]

I fitted the new casting tonight. Have set it all up again and it's working fine now.

My attempt at repairing the old casting didn't work well, the adhesive hadn't set properly despite leaving it 24 hrs. I think it's past its sell-by date but will try again with some new stuff just out of interest.

regards

Colin

 

[John McM]

Thanks chaps, Ive made a temp repair from a bit of bent iron.

 

[knappers]

Damn it, after just buying a new bristol lever from Steve Maskery, and a new guide bearing from Power Tool Spares, I have just found that my upper side-guide holding plates are also broken (on my BAS315). I guess this means that I too will need a 1009018022 THREE-ROLLER GUIDE, which includes the bits I have just bought!!
Can you remember how much this part is from Jaymac? (It's £43 inc. postage from PTS)

I suppose I can use the bristol lever elsewhere, and the bearing can be kept as a spare, so all is not lost.

Thanks
Simon.

 

[SeanG]

The casting that clamps around the side bearing on my top guide broke years ago, I replaced the upper and lowers ones with the better but much more expensive version, bought through Jaymac.

From memory the guides cost around £100, pics are here http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/seantheunwise/BandsawGuides?feat=directlink


I still have all the bits I took off rattling around in the shed somewhere, the lower guide was intact - free to anyone who wants it. PM me if you do. first one in the box is the winner

 

[SurreyHills]

Not used them myself but J Carr seem to carry a lot of spares for Metabo and other power tools. The site has parts diagrams and prices for the Bandsaw model you have.

http://www.powertoolspares.com/meta...316-g-wnb-bandsaw-009043160910-spares-391.php

 

[knappers]

SeanG, you've got mail.

S.

 

[knappers]

Having looked at the design of the original upper guide side bearing holding plates, there's no wonder they failed - they are made of cheese for a start, cast aluminium, with a hex hole for a nut let into the bottom to make them even weaker. Lo and behold, they both broke (in fact more like crumbled) around this weak point. Looks like the saw's previous owner was a bit over-zealous with the spanner. It seems like I am not the only only one to experience this, either.
So, having a metal machine shop at work, I figured I could do better...
A few minutes later, we have these, made from steel, with a tapped hole in them.

Should outlast the saw. With the addition of the bottom guide assembly from Sean (thanks again mate) we should have a saw that is ready to go.. and a bit of a bargain.

Si.

 

[Richard D]

Raising this thread from the dead, largely as a result of having snapped one of my upper lateral bearing guide clamping blocks (you know - the ones made of cast pot metal, deliberately weakened further by having the nut recess machines into them.

Three options - (i) make something similar out of mild steel, (ii) replace with the standard part available through spares stockists, or (iii) replace with something more expensive.

(i) is doable, although still leaves me with a couple of problems - the other lateral clamp could (and probably will) break at some point in the future, it's not the best setup in the world, and the lower guide part is pretty crappy too.

(ii) is £50, and does nothing to address the fundamental weakness of the cast part (or any other perceived problems with the guides on the BAS316).

(iii) gets interesting. The Metabo precision guides look to be better and more solid parts, but are over £100 (and as far as I know that's only for the upper bearing guide; same again if I'd want to do the lower guide at the same time; for that sort of money I bin the saw and start buying a better one new). Carter in the USA do a range of bearing guides - supplied as a kit of upper and lower, for about £120, but I'm not sure which setup is the right one (has anyone else been down this particular route?). But am I going to get any real benefit from spending that sort of money? The drift isn't too severe as it is (and I think I might be able to get rid altogether with a bit more work on the wheel alignments). I'm not impressed with the overall finish on my band saw cuts - they seem fairly jagged and irregular - but I don't know if that is down to blade choice, operator incompetence, poor guides badly set up, or simply something all band saw users have to live with. Would it be improved by dropping more cash on better guides? Or should I fix up what I have as cheaply as possible and rely on other machinery to produce anything with a decent finish?