First Bandsaw - Read previous postings but still confused?

[David_Nicolaou]

I know there have been a lot of postings regarding bandsaws but I need some advice.

I have a budget of about £500 and really want to buy a new one.

I am a hobbyist but an ambitious one.

I use oak a lot, never really use softwood so it needs some oomph. I need to do some curved work (obviously) but I would like to be able to resaw (my own veneers). Obviously this partly depends on the blade and the supplied blade is straight in the bin and a dura edge one will go on.
Do i need a bandsaw that can take (and tension) an inch blade or is 3/4 inch sufficient?

I guess I will need something with a good deal of precision. Also nothing too plasticky, needs to be well built and last me a good few years.

So, to resaw stock, curved work, around £500 what am i looking at?

I open the floor to those a lot more knowledgable than me.

 

[Steve Maskery]

I really don't think you'll find a 1" capacity saw in your budget. 1" needs a great deal of force to stretch it, and consumer-grade bandsaws just don't do that, even if the wheels are physically 1" wide.

The good news is that, well set up, you can resaw veneers with the right 3/4" or even 1/2" blade. I think David C is the expert on this one IIRC.

I have the Scheppach Basato 5 and it is excellent in many respects. Huge footprint though, and I wish I'd bought its baby brother, no 3, instead, it would be more than enough for what I want, and I think that would be within your budget.

I've not seen it advertised, but I think that Scheppach were planning to offer a no 4, which presumably is somewhere between the 5 and the 3.

 

[Anonymous]

The axminter(white) bandsaws are very good - Philly has one and it is superb. I would buy one of these if I had £500 to spend as they are much better than £300 Charnwood (which is fine for most things)

 

[Scrit]

I think a fairer question might be what do you see as the main function of your bandsaw. Narrow bandsaws were originally intended for cutting curves and shapes, hence many old cast-iron machines have limited height capacity beneath the guides but have a good blade to column distance (normally about 1in or so less than the diameter of the wheels). Modern requirements mean that more people want to resaw timber on a narrow bandsaw, so modern fabricated machines certainly have greater capacity beneath the guides, but they unfortunately are less capable of tensioning wider blades than their cast-iron forebears. This means that as a rule of thumb to tension a given blade width adequately you generally have to select a machine capable of taking a blade "one width" (i.e. 1/4in) wider than the one you want to use. So to fully tension a 3/4in blade you'll need a machine with a 1in blade capacity.

The characteristics of blades change a bit as the width of the blade increases, so at around 1in wide (on a 1-1/4in blade capacity saw) there is no need to concern yourself with setting the rip fence to accommodate blade drift, whilst it is an unavoidable fact of life on many 1/2in blades. The change comes at around the 3/4in mark where drift can still be exhibited but is normally of little consequence to the sawyer.

So I suppose the next question might well be what depth of cut do you require?

I think that on your present budget you'll probably find that you can get a 12 to 14in wheel machine capable of allowing 10 or perhaps 12in under the guides and which will resaw happily with a 1/2in blade but be incapable of adequately tensioning a wider blade (despite the manufacturer's claims). Having a narrower blade isn't an insurmountable problem, but you do have to be aware of blade drift and how to deal with it, that's all

Scrit

 

[Woody Alan]

Tony is right about the 4300
http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axmi ... 364409.htm
I know it's outside your budget but see if you can think of stretching, it's on offer at the moment. I was lucky enough to buy the Europac version at about £500 but the axminster has a larger cast table and ball bearing guides and cast iron wheels so there are differences with apparantly same models. I think my machine is brilliant so this upgraded one must be good indeed. See if you can find a local dealer who does Jet machinery they often have a tie up with axminster and might be able to get it and deliver it without the excess carriage charge. My local dealer has offered this facility to me.

Alan

 

[David_Nicolaou]

I have been reading the postings regarding inch blades and getting the tension on them.

So 3/4 and 1/2 inch are suitable - excellent.

I live in doncaster and I am rather near DB Keighley tools - so I guess i can play with one there.

I do like scheppach as I have a ts2000 and HMS3200ci so i terms of color co-ordination it works for me

Big fan of David C btw so some tips regarding resawing would be good.

 

[Gary]

May not be your colour but I have one of these

http://www.dm-tools.co.uk/product.php/s ... 0XSUMMER07

As do a number of other forum members. It's also in your price range.

Gary

 

[David_Nicolaou]

I went to DB Keighly today to have a look at the SIP 14" Pro and fell in love with the Jet JWBS-16.

Okay, anyone know the good / bad points of this bandsaw.

Best regards

David

 

[Slim]

I just recently bought the JWBS-16 (from DBKeighley aswell). The price is fantastic considering Axminster sell it for over £1000, and DB for £630+vat.

For the short time I have had it, I would say that it is excelent. Built like a brick outhouse. Sorry I can't give you a more detailed review, but as I say, I've haven't really had chance to put it through its paces. However, I am starting a guitar project at the weekend, and the first job will be bookmatching 7" mahogony and elm. I will let you know how it performs.

 

[David_Nicolaou]

Excellent - thanks for the advice - yeah I was really impressed with DB and Dave - he is so competetively priced.

Nice bloke too.

Wow a guitar project - I would love to learn to play one never mind make one.

Free lessons for forum members ?

:wink:

 

[Alf]

Built like a brick outhouse.

That just about sums it up; not pretty, not really awash with fancy features, but the important stuff is solid as a rock and that's what matters. Had mine for a few years now, treat it terribly and would buy the same again (technically a "Axminster" one, but a Jet in everything but decal)

Cheers, Alf

 

[ivan]

A number of people on the forum reccomend "Woodslicer" blades for resawing veneer, and they really are worth getting if you want a clean cut and minimal valuable stock wastage. The JET or Axminster 4300 will easily tension a 3/4 woodslicer* as they are the same thickness as most 1/2 blades. There's some useful advice on resawing on their website too.

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/inde ... tegory=295

 

[David_Nicolaou]

Cheers for the advice Alf,

I think thats what I will be ordering.

will check out the blades - cheers for the advice

 

[andys wood shed]

Another recommendation for the Jet

upgraded from an E/B 315

Had mine about three years


Andy

 

[ike]

A very topical topic for me at the mo! I have hankered after the 4300 for quite a while and it looks a cracking offer. SWMBO is OK about it. One other question though after reading this thread. Which is the better saw - the Axminster or the JET?

cheers,

Ike