Inca bandsaw

[woodbloke]

Any chance of some pics of your Inca bandsaw - the ebay page has been removed.

Probably looks very much:

...like my one - Rob

 

[jimi43]

Gorgeous Rob...simply gorgeous!

I quite like the three wheel ones too...apparently they have a tendency to break blades quicker because of the sharp angles but nevertheless...nice machines.

Thanks for that tool porn Rob...made my day!

Jim

 

[9fingers]

Unless I am going a little mad.......

Surely a three wheeler has less sharp angles.

Blade stress is more associated with the diameter of the wheels than the number of them.

Bob

 

[iajon69]

Whilst we are talking bandsaw blades, I was watching some wood porn on youtube yesterday and saw a blade tooth type I had not seen before.
Around 3.12 in to this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpSFK_N1 ... ploademail there is a clear shot of the blade.

Anyone recognise it please?

Bob

Hi Bob

It's a carbide tipped blade - they usually have a triple tipped tooth design and are great blades that give a great blade life.
They need a lot of tension though - even more than M42 blades, so will only run on fairly big machines.....oh and they cost around £180 each......want me to get you a couple?

Ian

 

[Steve Maskery]

No Bob
In practice, three wheelers had smaller wheels (typically 6") and therefore tighter turns. The third wheel was a way of increasing the throat of a small saw.
There is a very good reason why they disappeared from the market... !

S

 

[woodbloke]

Gorgeous Rob...simply gorgeous!

I quite like the three wheel ones too...apparently they have a tendency to break blades quicker because of the sharp angles but nevertheless...nice machines.

Thanks for that tool porn Rob...made my day!

Jim

The back on the saw which you can see in the pic is one piece of cast aluminium...no fabricated steel anywhere. I've had that one for well over ten years now and it's never let me down or ever been inacurate. Great little saw, and the same one (well, not the same one, but an identical one) that the late JK had in his personal 'shop in California. Robert Ingham has one too, but I think his is the slightly bigger one - Rob

 

[9fingers]

No Bob
In practice, three wheelers had smaller wheels (typically 6") and therefore tighter turns. The third wheel was a way of increasing the throat of a small saw.
There is a very good reason why they disappeared from the market... !

S

So you agree with me then Steve?
For a given wheel size, three wheelers are kinder to blades than two wheelers
However if a manufacturer, chooses the reduce wheels size, be it two or three wheels, the blades become more stressed.

My 3 x 12" startrite seems to be very kind to blades and gives an 18" throat with 12" wheels.

Bob

 

[9fingers]

Whilst we are talking bandsaw blades, I was watching some wood porn on youtube yesterday and saw a blade tooth type I had not seen before.
Around 3.12 in to this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpSFK_N1 ... ploademail there is a clear shot of the blade.

Anyone recognise it please?

Bob

Hi Bob

It's a carbide tipped blade - they usually have a triple tipped tooth design and are great blades that give a great blade life.
They need a lot of tension though - even more than M42 blades, so will only run on fairly big machines.....oh and they cost around £180 each......want me to get you a couple?

Ian

Kind offer Ian - I'll possibly decline for now though!

Bob

 

[Steve Maskery]

Yes, Bob, I do. But a 3 wheeler with 12" wheels is huge by other 3-wheelers standard. Most were considerably smaller hobby machines. And you have to admit that your wheels are smaller than a 2-wheeler with the same capacity.
Sounds like you have the best of both worlds.
S

 

[condeesteso]

That Inca looks ideal as a second small saw for me. Good size, but easily moveable on a wheely base (old office filing cabs are perfect!) Not a fan of 3 wheelers (except for the old Morgan, with the V-twin up-front).
On the lookout then. If anyone has one for sale please get in touch.

 

[Krysstel]

Excuse me for borrowing this thread.
I've just bought this Inca bandsaw on our (Norwegian) equivalent of Ebay.
It's maked 342.188.34, year 1988. Does anyone know if there is any difference between this saw and the Euro 260 ?
The guides are solid blocks rather than rollers and these seem to have almost no wear - maybe because they were all adjusted about 5mm from the blade :shock:
As far as I can see the other bearings have no play at all and the tyres appear fine. Generally the saw seems to be in excellent condition despite being over 20 years old.
I've found what seems to be a parts supplier here http://www.doebeli.ch/v1.x/index.php
and a copy of the manual http://www.toshen.com/images/inca340manual.pdf
Anything else I should check or be warey of ? Any advise greatly appreciated.

Mark

 

[Steve Maskery]

They are very nice little machines. Small capacity, of course, but very well made (if a little back-to-front compared to most).
Can't help you on your detailed questions, though, sorry.
S

 

[jimi43]

Wonderful machine and beautiful condition Mark...you are very lucky to have found this!

More pictures of the inside and all over generally would be much appreciated.

There are few pictures of these lovely machines and most are quite old...the more the Net has the better!

Also...get a Tuffsaw blade...the postage to Norway shouldn't be a lot and they are worth it...trust me on that one!

Jim

 

[woodbloke]

Looks to be identical in every respect to my Euro 260. One thing to note if it is the same machine but re-badged. The lower wheel is held onto the motor shaft with a spline, secured by a small grub screw. After a bit of heavy use (say in sawing 150mm veneers, which the saw will achieve, though with a bit of effort) the wheel will tend to shift backwards (as the grub screw becomes slightly looser) and it will foul on the aluminium casing. The only way to bring the wheel forwards again is to use a large crow bar :shock: (I kid you not) to gently lever the wheel along the shaft to bring it away from the casing, then tighten up the grub screw again - Rob

 

[Krysstel]

More pictures, as requested.
I'll be ordering a couple of Tuffsaw blades on Monday.
I want to try and see if it's possible to resaw at least up to about 120-130mm. Anyone have any idea what maximim blade width the saw can cope with ?

The guy I bought the saw from had a complete compliment of Incas. As well as the bandsaw he also hade a beautiful little cast iron planen/thicknesser as well as the little table saw with adjustable table. I drooled over the PT but he wasn't interested in selling :x

Mark

Why is the switch on the rear, away from the operator ? Is that normal ?

Tyre on the top wheel has no visible wear.

Brush on the bottom wheel looks like new.

Top bearing blocks need a clean up and adjustment.

Same story with the bottom bearings.

 

[jimi43]

Glorious pictures Mark!

There will be some INCA enthusiasts in the USA (and here!) drooling over those I'm sure.

It really is in superb condition...the tyres look almost new! He has looked after that beauty that's for sure!

Once you get the Tuffsaw blades watch it sing!

And you would do well to get the Bandsaw DVDs from Steve also...they are worth their weight in gold mate...

Thanks again for posting those pictures...I need to get one of these things!

Jim

 

[dickm]

Glorious pictures Mark!

There will be some INCA enthusiasts in the USA (and here!) drooling over those I'm sure.

Minor bits of information - at one stage, the Inca tilt-table sawbench and planer-thicknesser were marketed as a single unit, badged Startrite-Inca.
The Inca machines were beautifully made; Bruce Pollard in Bletchley/Milton Keynes was their UK agent in the (?)early 80s, but the market scuppered him and he went under. There was a clearance sale, but it was only bulk lots of spares. Wonder who bought them? Have never seen anyone advertising Inca spares subsequently.

 

[Shrubby]

Axminster were the last people I remember selling them. Inca-injecta are die casters so the brand can appear on all sorts of things(my 20yr old snowboard bindings had the inca logo cast into them)
Matt

 

[condeesteso]

Looks brilliant, I'm sure they were very well designed and engineered, and a smallish bandsaw is a very handy thing. No idea at all why the switch would be as far from the operator as they could get it... ?? Couple of ideas (if it was mine.... ooooh!):
- I would try lignum guides, make your own, and have them in contact as sacrificial zero clearance guides. Being self-lubricating they last well apparently. Worked on the blocks for the running rigging on Nelson's ships... they'll do for me.
- I would definitely get a 'meat & fish' blade - thin kerf and very precise. That would be my perfect smaller bandsaw, for the finer work like tenon shoulders, veneer cutting lesser depths etc.
Very nice saw indeed, jealous! (oh yes, and I'd probably move the on-off switch).

 

[Krysstel]

- I would try lignum guides, make your own, and have them in contact as sacrificial zero clearance guides. Being self-lubricating they last well apparently.

Lignum guides ? Where can I get old of them from ?

Mark