Inca Euro 205 Bandsaw photos added

[condeesteso]

This gets more confusing possibly, as there is the Inca 260 to consider also, which is certainly bigger than the 205. And all those dimensions Gerard are a LOT like the ones on a bandsaw I just picked up that is not an Inca, but is European, does have a cast ali main casing, is not direct drive, and feeds from the normal side.... I will own up on that one soon as the decent blades arrive.

 

[Gerard Scanlan]

My Inca bandsaw is not direct drive either I have a 1960s hoover motor ,built in Scotland, driving mine.
Is your machine a kity perhaps? I have been told that Inca were actually a company specialised in high quality die casting machinery and when a customer who had ordered a whole production line worth of casting equipment could not pay for the machines they decided to build them. This would explain why they got out of the market when they could see their machines needed to be upgraded. I can't see how it would be very easy to flip a casting for a left hand saw around but it is possible that the table was a standard part. The Inca circular and bandsaws were available with the option of a cast iron top instead of aluminium. Unfortunately I have only ever come across aluminium tops. Can't wait for the pictures of your saw.

 

[condeesteso]

Yes Gerard - may be a Kity. It has no maker name anywhere I can find, but is type '0413' pointing to Kity. In many respects it seems to be a mirror-image Inca 205, but indirect drive via toothed belt. It's in deparate need of a blade but runs lovely - very smooth, quiet. I think it has big potential as a small precision saw for my needs ( I have a big bully saw anyway) so plan to tune it to the max for that.
Pics etc soon as blades turn up and I am cutting sheets of paper :lol:

 

[richarnold]

Hi, i've been using my inca for over 20 years, and i can't praise it enough. one thing is puzzling me though, i keep reading comments about running the blade in the middle of the wheel. this is something i have never done. from what i remember the guide book recommended that the blade should be tracked with the teeth just over the front edge of the top wheel. this is how i have always set mine up, and i have never had any problems. by the way this saw is used on a daily basis in a busy professional shop so it gets loads of hammer

 

[Mr Matilda]

I am really, really late to this but just thought I would brag about my little bit of good fortune.
A friend of mine has just given me an Inca 205 in full working order.....looking at the previous posts it looks like I may have got myself a quality piece of kit!

 

[Gerard Scanlan]

This is certainly worth bragging about :wink:

 

[PDR]

I guess I have to use my first post here to brag as well then.

A colleague mentioned that as he was having to make space in his garage he was getting rid of some equipment, and asked if I wanted his bandsaw. Apparently he'd found it in a bing-and-buy a few years ago (paid £25 for it) but if I wanted it I could have it for a pint. I was expecting some bit of Machinemart or B&Q tat, but what arrived was the machine shown below.

According to the data plate it's a french-built 1998 Euro 205 (342.205.01). It has no fences, and I'm guessing there's a block missing that should bolt across the front of the slot in the table to stiffen it up, but neither is a significant problem to knock up as my workshop has a lathe and a small mill. It currently has a standard 1/4" blade of around 20tpi (a guess), and it slices through 15mm chipboard shelving like a knife through butter (and 4x2 pine like a knife through chedder), with a pretty good surface finish. In fact I was so entranced by this that I made a temporary fence using some alloy angle and a couple of G-clamps and spent a few minutes delighting in the way I could cut 6mm, then 3mm and finally 1mm slices off that pine block to make 2" wide strips that look like they've been planed!

The blade guides are a close to the end of their lives, but I'm thinking of making a mount for ballrace guides, probably turning the thrust race through 90deg so that the blade rides on the outer race rather than on the side of it - I know a lot of bandsaws have a sideways thrust race but it just feels wrong to me. Does anyone have any views on ballrace vs solid guides? I have some lignum vitae I could easily make solid guides from if required, but I don't understand why ballraces aren't "better".

I'm thinking of getting some new blades for it - probably another 1/4" carbon steel "hobby" blade in about 12tpi, and a 1/4" bimetal one in 20tpi for cutting aluminium (and maybe even the odd bit of mild steel). I know these machines are normally only spec'd for 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2" blades, but is there any reason why I couldn't fit a 1/8" one for detail work?

Finally - does anyone know where I could get a copy of the manual (paper or scannned)? It would be useful to have an exploded diagram and the recommended procedures for things like blade changing, tensioning and alignment, lubrication etc. I notice the machine has a tension indicator, but I have no idea what setting I'm looking for...

All help appreciated, and sorry to ask so many questions in my first post here.

Pete

 

[blackrodd]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
I've tried the usual chanels and places, but no sign of a manual for the inca 205.
Unless a member has one and willing to copy or scan theirs, I suggest you keep a regular check on flea bay, gumtree etc
Regards Rodders

 

[flh801978]

PDR
I have 3 of the inca models and I love them
One has a 3mm blade in for cutting very tight curves...jigsaw puzzles type tight
One with a12 mm for alloy and brass
One with a 10 mm for smaller wood projects

I have a book to send you but will be away till Tuesday night
You need special guides for the 3 mm blade I can let you have plans for them

Ian

 

[PDR]

Ian - superb, many thanks! I'll look forward to hearing from you

PDR

 

[divein]

http://imgur.com/a/SzHFO may be of some help.

 

[Krysstel]

Page 3 of this thread. Link to another thread about the same kind of saw. Page 3 an onwards in the other thread. Link in there to a manual + loads of other info.

Mark

 

[PDR]

Ian - thanks for the PM, but it seems I'm too new to be allowed to send PMs so I can't reply that way.

If you PM me an email address I can reply to that by email to give you my email address!

Pete

 

[PDR]

http://imgur.com/a/SzHFO may be of some help.

Thanks for that, Mark.

But as far as I can see whilst the 205 model is mentioned in that thread it mainly refers to the model 260 and the model 340, both of which are different machines to the model 205. The same applies the the links to manuals - I can see links to the manuals for the 260 and 340, but not the 205.

Pete

 

[condeesteso]

re guides PDR- given the gear you have available bearing guides will be easy to do I expect, but I run lignum guides for my 260 - for lateral support. Mine is unmodified so uses the side thrust bearing for back supports above and below. Not sure what a 205 has, probably the same?
As a quick fix and just to see I recommend you try the lignum blocks - I reckon they are brilliant. I made a batch a long time ago but am still using the first set and wear is almost nil as they seem to glaze and then just get on with it. I have them in contact of course and have been known to bring them forward so the blade set is also supported. Definitely worth the few minutes it'll take to knock some out (on the Inca). On other bandsaws I have found that the bearing side guides can gain a build-up of deposits depending on the woods cut, resiny softwoods probably the worst, so I'm not totally sold on those personally.