Elektra Beckum BAS450 bandsaw dust extraction - blocked port

[Yosarian]

I recently acquired the above bandsaw, and there is a plate covering most of the 100mm dust port at the base of the machine. It is welded/folded in place, and appears to be original. See attached photos. Does anyone know why it is there? I plan to cut it out as the dust collection isn't very good, unless I am missing something?

 

[Nick.]

Hi Yosarian - I'm 99% sure It was put there for CE purposes so people can't put their hand back into the spinning wheels.
If you have a decent extractor and don't plan to put your hand too much into a port of a running machine then I'd cut it off.
I've seen similar issues with other machines I've sold in the past where there was a 'vane' design inside the port for CE which all it did was collect long shavings and block the flow.. most just cut it out and never put their hand inside.

Caveat : If you have employees you need to keep it in place.

Cheers,
Nick

 

[Inspector]

Nick would you have to leave it as is if permanent ducting is attached? Can't get a hand in when running and presumably when being maintained they would be following proper lockout procedures and it won't start.

Pete

 

[Yosarian]

Hi Yosarian - I'm 99% sure It was put there for CE purposes so people can't put their hand back into the spinning wheels.
If you have a decent extractor and don't plan to put your hand too much into a port of a running machine then I'd cut it off.
I've seen similar issues with other machines I've sold in the past where there was a 'vane' design inside the port for CE which all it did was collect long shavings and block the flow.. most just cut it out and never put their hand inside.

Caveat : If you have employees you need to keep it in place.

Cheers,
Nick

Thanks Nick, that's interesting. I will cut the plate out. It seems a little silly to have it in the first place, given (on my machine at least) there is no cutoff switch on the main cabinet doors, which you can therefore open with the bandsaw still running. If I did wish to insert my hand into the running machine, that would be an easier entry point than removing the hose clamp and going in the back...

This is in a hobby workshop, I can't comment on a commercial set-up.

 

[Nick.]

Nick would you have to leave it as is if permanent ducting is attached? Can't get a hand in when running and presumably when being maintained they would be following proper lockout procedures and it won't start.

Hi Pete - if permanent ducting is attached, then agree no chance a hand can get in. If it's in a commercial environment then then leave it in just in
case anyone puts their hand in while cleaning & running whilst ducting is removed .. What people do in their own home workshops is up to them in my view & they take on the risk of any mods & would know what they have done/removed.
Just my view and in no way official stance of Laguna
Cheers, Nick

 

[Nick.]

there is no cutoff switch on the main cabinet doors, which you can therefore open with the bandsaw still running.

Interesting - that shouldn't have been CE then with no cut off's on doors.
I was Elektra Beckum 20 odd years ago & fairly sure we had full CE when we took over from Record - is there a date on the rating plate out of interest
Cheers

 

[Yosarian]

Interesting - that shouldn't have been CE then with no cut off's on doors.
I was Elektra Beckum 20 odd years ago & fairly sure we had full CE when we took over from Record - is there a date on the rating plate out of interest
Cheers

The plate says 198... and then a gap for the final year which is not filled in. Therefore anywhere between 1980 and 1989 I guess.

 

[Nick.]

The plate says 198... and then a gap for the final year which is not filled in. Therefore anywhere between 1980 and 1989 I guess.

Top years for some good tunes too
Maybe CE wasn't needed? - ha no idea & it's friday so I'm off to listen to 80's tunes and not think about bandsaws anymore
Cheers