Jet JWBS-16X Bandsaw - Advice please

[Moonsafari69]

I went into Axminster today to take a look at the Jet 16" Bandsaw (JWBS-16X) as it's on sale at the minute. From a good look roundi like it a lot, but.....

The bottom blade guides look like a pain in the *ss to adjust front-to-back to cater for different blade widths. There's two allen key bolts underneath the table for this adjustment, to me this access looked poor at best.

If anyone owns this particular 16" Bandsaw and wouldn't mind having a quick chat with me that would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Dave.

 

[Alexam]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMY1cDUoGa8
seems to have wing nuts under the table. That's different. Although this is the 16 Q ..... same video on both, confusing??


Have you looked at the Record bandsaws with 5 year guarantee?
Malcolm

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I doubt very much this crrap design is unique to Axminster.

 

[Moonsafari69]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMY1cDUoGa8
seems to have wing nuts under the table. That's different.

Have you looked at the Record bandsaws with 5 year guarantee?
Malcolm

Hi Malcolm, the wing nuts are for the in-out adjustment of the lower guides. These seem ok. It's the front-back adjustment that isn't shown in that video (maybe for good reasons..)
Dave.

 

[Moonsafari69]

I doubt very much this crrap design is unique to Axminster.

The 18" Jet version has a much better design and adjustment on that one is easy, so this could just be an issue with the 16" model.

 

[Alexam]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMY1cDUoGa8
seems to have wing nuts under the table. That's different.

Have you looked at the Record bandsaws with 5 year guarantee?
Malcolm

Hi Malcolm, the wing nuts are for the in-out adjustment of the lower guides. These seem ok. It's the front-back adjustment that isn't shown in that video (maybe for good reasons..)
Dave.

Somtimes the thrust bearing adjustment is more difficult, but using a longreach 'T' hex is easy. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Eklind-Metric ... 1310887499

 

[Moonsafari69]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMY1cDUoGa8
seems to have wing nuts under the table. That's different.

Have you looked at the Record bandsaws with 5 year guarantee?
Malcolm

Hi Malcolm, the wing nuts are for the in-out adjustment of the lower guides. These seem ok. It's the front-back adjustment that isn't shown in that video (maybe for good reasons..)
Dave.

Somtimes the thrust bearing adjustment is more difficult, but using a longreach 'T' hex is easy. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Eklind-Metric ... 1310887499

Yes the lower thrust bearing is also via a wing nut, this is fine. The bit I'm referring to is the adjustment (front-to-back) of the whole lower assembly that enables the side adjusters to sit close to the gullet of the blade. It's quite inaccessible. I'm sure tracking can take care of say 1/8 to 1/2" blades without adjusting the lower assembly but that just doesn't feel like the right/best answer to me?

 

[Alexam]

Im surprised at that. The whole lower bearing in the BS400 slides forward or back with one hex nut that is very accessible. You do need to be able to access that as and when needed, without the tracking, as that's a seperate issue that needs setting first, before the lower and upper bearing are brought into position.
Malcolm

 

[sunnybob]

I have the 350 axminster. The entire lower bearing block is adjustable by two allen keys, which IS a faff. I swapped them for ordinary bolts (cant remember if they were 8 or 10 mm)

I swap from 1/8" blades to 3/8", and dont have to adjust the block. The side and rear thrust bearings have enough adjustment range.

In real life, you rarely need to adjust the block

 

[Moonsafari69]

I have the 350 axminster. The entire lower bearing block is adjustable by two allen keys, which IS a faff. I swapped them for ordinary bolts (cant remember if they were 8 or 10 mm)

I swap from 1/8" blades to 3/8", and dont have to adjust the block. The side and rear thrust bearings have enough adjustment range.

In real life, you rarely need to adjust the block

Swapping them for standard hex bolts may be a good idea. I can see a small ratchet spanner getting in there and working. Small oversights like that are a pain. I went in there with the intention of buying it today. I may have to take a trip back next week to see if that would work. Thanks.

Any chance you could add a photo if the bottom block adjusters for your 350 Bob?
Dave.

 

[sunnybob]

I dont have one to hand, and its too late here to go back to the garage now (BST =2 plus alocoholic meal)). But I can take a pic tomorrow no probs.

 

[Moonsafari69]

I dont have one to hand, and its too late here to go back to the garage now (BST =2 plus alocoholic meal)). But I can take a pic tomorrow no probs.

Much appreciated. Enjoy the rest of your day.
Dave.

 

[sunnybob]

Hah, that should have been bst PLUS two, shows how much alcohol I have taken in. been a long day.
I'll get the pic tomorrow.

 

[Alexam]

Dave, just to give you an idea of the lowr guide assembly on the Record BS400, these photos show the easy access to the complete assembly with one hex bolt and above that, the hex bolt for the thrust bearing slider, both shown wih brush head...

Malcolm

 

[Moonsafari69]

Dave, just to give you an idea of the lowr guide assembly on the Record BS400, these photos show the easy access to the complete assembly with one hex bolt and above that, the hex bolt for the thrust bearing slider, both shown wih brush head...

Malcolm

Thanks Malcolm, that's interesting. The BS400 certainly has better excess for under table adjustment. Do you find you need to alter that for all blade changes (of different widths)?
Dave.

 

[Alexam]

Hi Dave,
Not for the smaller blades, but with 1/2" plus the teeth will be more forward on the top wheel and may need some adjustment. As I mainly use smaller blades, dont need to move it much but it's easy if I do. The two hex bolts are different sizes (silly) but still not a problem with the 'T' 's
Malcolm

 

[MikeJhn]

Interesting discussion guys, according to the Alex Snodgrass video description of setting up a bandsaw, the gullet of any blade should be in the centre of the top wheel, therefore the side guides should never have to be moved once set to just behind the gullet, I have followed this advice ever since Alexam/Malcolm pointed me in that direction, are we now saying that is incorrect or needs to be modified to some extent?

Mike

 

[sunnybob]

Bear in mind this is the 350N bandsaw, but what you describe sounds the same.
Excuse the picture quality, the flash bounced back off the cast iron table, but it actually gives a clearer image than otherwise.
The two bolts on top at the right of the block are what we are talking about? They were allen bolts, but it was a complete faff trying to locate the keys in the tops so I just swapped them for normal bolts.
Bear in mind they only need a quarter turn to loosen them to allow the block to slide forwards or back in the slots.

You can see the length of adjustment on the rear bearing guide. In practice I only have to move the block when changing from the smallest blade to the largest blade or back again.

 

[Alexam]

Interesting discussion guys, according to the Alex Snodgrass video description of setting up a bandsaw, the gullet of any blade should be in the centre of the top wheel, therefore the side guides should never have to be moved once set to just behind the gullet, I have followed this advice ever since Alexam/Malcolm pointed me in that direction, are we now saying that is incorrect or needs to be modified to some extent?

Mike

What you have to bear in mind Mike, is that the larger blades dont habve room for the gullett to be at the centre of the top wheel. Alex Snodgrass is working with 1/4" or less in his excellent video and even to a 3/8" should not need any change in the lower bearing position front to back.
Malcolm

 

[MikeJhn]

Malcolm, not trying to be a smart Alec, but it was on your recommendation that I follow the Snodgrass idiom which has worked very well for me, indeed it was you that pointed me in the direction of the For Sale section on here where I picked up my Bandsaw.

The Record Power BS350 has a crowned rubber band on the top wheel, therefore positioning the blade gullet on the peak of the crown is an easy task no matter what the width of the blade, for want of any other instructions/recommendations I have followed the Snodgrass video for the last couple of years and find that with a change from a 3/4" blade with the gullet positioned in the centre of the top wheel, I don't have to alter the top or bottom side guides with a change to my 1/4" blade, the only time I have to adjust the top or bottom side guides is if the blade is of a different thickness or due to run out, not because of a change in blade width, obviously the rear thrust bearing has to move to accommodate the different width, am I missing something?

Link to video,at 4:24: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU

Mike