Forum Users Bandsaws

[Dan-K]

I guess I should add mine

Its a Startrite 24-S-5. Need to sort out a fence and blade for it but at least its home now

 

[wills-mill]

Did have a Startrite 18-S-10 (I think), now small workshop space means we're running a lovely little Startrite Band-it.

Outside is a Wood-Mizer LT40 D42. I still don't know after a couple of thousand hours milling with Wood-Mizers how a 1 1/4in blade can do what they repeatedly do on a sawmill. They get sent off to be sharpened by David at NBBS http://www.sawmillservices.co.uk/ who knows his bandmills inside and out.

Yet to be set up at the new premises is the Stenner VHM36 resaw. It's a real treat to fire up the old girl (serial number A0004) and retreat until everything has settled down ready for some cast iron steady cutting. A 'Tube train pulling out of a station is the closest in noise and experience!

 

[Eric The Viking]

Recently acquired a second-hand Startrite 401E (230v) as a significant upgrade from my 12" SIP 01486 bandsaw. 8)

I recently acquired Olly's 12" SIP 01486 bandsaw, which is a significant upgrade from not having one at all! I'm a happy bunny...

 

[Matt_S]

And another new Startrite owner... 301 which seems small but solid and perfect for my needs.

 

[diarmaid]

I've a wee startrite 301 too, handy enough machine

 

[zowie]

Thought i'd add my tuppence here.

I'm now the proud owner of a Record Power BS250 which I found was reasonably well setup on arrival.

However some tinkering made an improvement to the cutting, but the biggest improvement I was was changing the blade for in my case one of the tuff saw blades from Ian.

Well worth the money for all the above on a budget.

I've found the mitre to be rubbish and so am in the process of making a new one, but struggling to locate a strip of metal to fit in the guide, the rip fence is ok, especially if vertically clamped at the far end so that there is additional force as it's only clamped across the table otherwise.

My greatest concern are the bearings guiding the blade to be honest, they are already caked in sawdust and so niggle at the back of my mind for durability... We'll see..

 

[RogerM]

After being the under bidder twice at £665 for a secondhand Startrite 352, I've just bought a brand new Startrite 352E from Yandles. £799 less £40 in vouchers as a peace offering following an ordering FUBAR, . This is a very solid and powerful piece of kit. 2hp motor (compared to 1hp on the older machines), a tensioning spring that actually looks like it will do the job, and nicely put together. The general purpose Record Blade that comes with it is actually quite reasonable, but fitted with a blade from TuffSaws it is in a different league. Cuts 10" English Oak veneers without even getting out of first gear.

Lower guides and thrust bearing can be adjusted from above the table in seconds without fiddling around underneath. Blade quick and easy to change and very quiet in use. I love it!

 

[Jensmith]

Mine is a 1970's Multico 14" bandsaw picked up for free by my Dad from a youth centre which were chucking it out. Very little used and with the aid of Steve's bandsaw DVD and a new blade from Ian at Tuffsaws it's now cutting without blade drift and ripping through my small scale material no problems.

Pretty pleased so far.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Recently acquired a second-hand Startrite 401E (230v) as a significant upgrade from my 12" SIP 01486 bandsaw. 8)

A bit more on the SIP 01486...

... as fettled (by me, but mainly by OPJ, and shod with Tuffsaw blades I have to say it's a little gem.

Things I especially like:

Guide rollers: after much fettling I have them working sweetly, and they're easy to adjust (hat tip to Steve M. again for techniques).

Performance: Have resawn 6" Idigbo beautifully. This is in part down to the quality of Tuffsaw's blades, but the machine itself doesn't seem stressed. I've yet to try bandsawn veneers tho.

Full adjustments: you can align the top and bottom wheels properly. I've noticed that more recent, similar-sized models don't let you adjust the bottom wheel very well, if at all.

Criticisms:

The fence and associated mountings: not good. I'm considering a replacement, and definitely considering Steve Maskery's micro-adjustable fence design on "Workshop Essentials 4 (or 5)."

Dust-extraction: Poor and badly sited (they all do that, sir). Olly fitted a home-made extraction system just below the table, which works very well. I'm considering a mod-to-the-mod, to restore the throat height and return the pivot point to be planar with the table (he had to lift the table to fit the extraction system).

Throat plate: it's circular and thin and small, and a PITA to make replacements for... at the moment. I do have a cunning plan tho

Construction quality: the frame is slightly out of square. I've adjusted the top guard to compensate as much as possible, and have shimmed the table to be perpendicular in both axes, but changing the blade size changes the tension and changes the amount of lean and twist. I suspect this is only 'cured' on ancient Wadkins weighing as much as a house, but it adds a bit of fiddling to blade changes if the alignment is critical.

 

[tisdai]

Axminster AWHBS350N, got it from their ebay store. it is being delivered on Tuesday so not seen it properly yet,, just said the same in the Table Saw section lol as i bought them both on the same day.. Fingers crossed all will be ok with them.

Dave

 

[JohnO]

Same as above - got an Axminster AWHBS350N and it appears to be second time lucky. First one came last week but the top door hinge was completely siezed and attempting to open the door just seemed to weaken the weld joint (which didn't look great before I had a go at it) so that got sent back. Quick turnaround and no quibbles from Axminster so credit to them.

Received my replacement this week, set it up last night and within an hour I was up and running with a Tuffsaws 1/2" 14tpi blade. Saw is well-built and the joints sturdy, and at around 90kg all-in, this is a robust bit of kit. The tensioners do the job and again feel robust, as do the blade guides, though setting the bottom ones really require the bottom door to be opened which is a slight inconvenience but not excessively so. Top and bottom doors are on microswitches for safety, I had to move the bit of metal which triggers the bottom one as it wasn't making contact, but again it was a 30-second job that I could live with.

The table is very heavy, though I am a little disappointed by the quality of the plastic centre-piece which is not completely level with the table so smaller pieces could catch on the way through. Easily fixed with a slab of ply on top but not ideal.

I am being really picky - Sure it was £400 which is enough, though I am aware this is far from being top-end kit. That said, the quality of cut is fantastic, and despite being far from an expert, I've got it set up and running smoothly with very little effort. It's a much better bit of kit than the Clarke CBS355 I had previously - and retailed at a shade less than the Axi when I got it - which got through blades quickly and had a naff adjustment mechanism which ultimately failed.

All in all I'm really pleased with my purchase, I'm not really stretching it's capabilities, but it is doing everything I need with the minimum of fuss and it's a joy to use.

Cheers,
John

 

[Jonzjob]

I too have a Startrite 301S. Had it now for about 15 years and am real chuffed with it. At the moment I'm going through 1/2 doz 1/4" 6 skip blades from Tewksbury Saw, where I got the saw, and then I will have a look at the Tuff blades all you lot rant about!!

Not too sure about what I re-saw. I just cut what I need from what I have and the 301 does it well enough for me...

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

Axminster AWHBS350N no issues, fantastic machine other then the fence which was rubbish, fixed with the axminster band saw fence upgrade which is very good.

 

[shipbadger]

Collected my ebay prize, a Scheppach Basato 3 at the weekend. Obviously seen little use. Wheeled it up the garden to the workshop and curiosity got the better of me so grabbed the first piece of scrap to hand and tried a few cuts. Left all the handles as set by the previous owner and bingo, cuts straight and no drift. Well chuffed and it cost less than half the price of a new one.

Tony Comber

 

[Gaz_XB9R]

Anyone used or have any info on the Record Power BS400?

£749.98 with wheel kit.

I'm thinking of taking the plunge. Seems like a decent spec.

I'd ideally like something that can take up to 1" blades and with a 305mm max height cut it seems bit better at that price than most others that are around 250mm for the same price.

Also recommendations for quality blades? Dure-Edge, Tuff Saws, EPS blades? I'm assuming the first thing to do is scrap the supplied blade assuming it comes with one.

Gaz

 

[tisdai]

Hi Gaz

You won't go wrong if you contact Ian @ [email protected]

Cheers

Dave

 

[Charlie Woody]

Kity 617

 

[bubbabear]

Startrite 18-S-1
Classic Startrite shape and great machine.

 

[goldeneyedmonkey]

Scheppach Basato 1 (although I now want a Starite) _Dan.

 

[beejay]

Startrite 352E plus a selection of Tuffsaws blades (thanks ian)
Still getting used to it,, but I think im in love
regards, beejay