Just bought my first band saw (bargain)

[Matt Simpson01]

Was wanting a band saw for a while, but didn't want a large one due to lack of space, and didn't want an expensive one due to lack of funds.
Checking Marketplace (as you do), i came across this one...

The description said "Spares or repair, works but switch is dodgy and screw loose on wheel".
The seller only wanted £10 and it came with the rear support and both fences.

I thought it has got to be worth a punt for a tenner.

The loose screw (actually all 3) was where the bottom wheel fit on the plastic drive.
With it being plastic the screws had come loose and due to being (possibly over) tightened they now had nothing to bite into so it just loosened and fell out, causing the other 2 to loosen also.
I contacted Screwfix who said that they dont do spares for the saw and asked i contacted Solant Tools, who also didn't do this piece as a spare.
So i just put a slightly larger screws into the plastic which have all tightened up great.

As for the dodgy switch, i tried it a dozen or more times yesterday and it never faltered once.

So my first bandsaw cost me a tenner.

What bargains have you had?

I am too new to review it as such, but i would say that its under powered, but still quite capable if you cut slowly.
Having a plastic drive wheel is a ridiculous idea and perhaps the weakest point of the saw.
The table feels ok (not great, but 'ok').
The mitre fence is the usual rubbish.
The straight fence fastens front and rear, and if you push it from the front as you lock it down isn't too bad.
Its not too loud (when compared to every other tool in the workshop).

 

[Etaf]

excellent find
have a look at peter millard youtube videos.

I purchased a used 3year old audi , and it had 32K on the clock - once i took it away , I noticed the satnav was in Meters and the odometer actually had Km next to it, the service history and last MOT , showed correct mileage , so the 32K miles seemed to add up - so i changed the display to Miles and it showed 19K
so that was a bit of a bargin, as the low mileage would proably have added £1-2K to the price

It was an Audi dealership , and i even got a load of documents , 1 of which was a miles verification document.

The car effectively had a service every 5000 miles ....... as noone seemed to notice the KM

 

[Matt Simpson01]

Yes i have seen his video on the 3(?) he put side by side.
I might rewatch them now i have my own though.

That is a good buy, i love stories like that.
But did they not notice that when they were going 30mph the speedo said 50(ish)?

A few weeks ago work mate bought a £1000 coffee machine (Fracino Little Gem) for £100 as it wasn't working properly.
They said it was low on pressure and not producing steam from the steam wand.
He cleaned it out, unblocked the steam jet and it worked fine.
So a £1000 machine for £100 and 30 minutes of work.

 

[Etaf]

But did they not notice that when they were going 30mph the speedo said 50(ish)?

I never thought of that - crazy , it had 4 services and 2 MOT as i got a new MOT as it was over 3months old .... and all the records etc checked out , when i went through all the documents when i purchased it and picked up -

So that makes no sense , I also took it on a very long test drive , again before the purchase , with my son, and we did not notice that either. We both drove it ..... would have thought I would have noticed that - perhaps that did not change ..

I know on my saab - you could change from Imperial to metric and it changed the satnav - but not the speed - never looked at the odometer

it was only after i picked it up and got home - about 25miles away - i was going through all the kit on it , that i noticed the SatNav - reporting Meters etc - and looked up how to change that , and the odometer also changed and showed ml instead of km and went down from 32k to 19K .......

i was asked to look at a faulty TV - and they asked me to take away , when i picked up - they said they didnt want it back, turned out to be a fuse , lasted quite a few years after that.

I'm sure there will be loads of stories coming up.....

 

[Stevebod]

....rather than watch the coronation, I spent the day in the garage making a bandsaw sled....brill!!

 

[TRITON]

Very versatile is ye olde bandsaw. and for a handful of groats, it's going to earn its keep in a few days.

 

[MF1000]

Mine was a ride on mower …older model with a v twin engine advertised as spares or repair on eBay as it ran rough and stank of fuel ….went to view it after a bit of Googling etc. We got it started ……huge smell of fuel and running very rough ….the sellar said he had been told it needed a new carb (£150) according to Google it was prob a gasket in the carb (£9) ….so I got it for £250 and it’s ran fine for 6 years now after I fitted the new gasket

 

[mwinfrance]

@Matt Simpson01 .. your bandsaw is probably a rebadged Scheppach.. The one with 80mm max depth ( wood size vertical size ), not throat depth which always refers to between the blade and the frame.look around Scheppachs site and you'll find it, they do spares, and you can download a manual.

ps.you need to make a push stick..before Jacob comes along to give you grief.

 

[Stevebod]

..get youreself a Tuffsaws blade, will really make a difference!!

I have still got one of the original £80 Aldi bandsaws which is now 5+ years old and is one of my most used tools. I still use it more than my newer Record 250!

 

[Matt Simpson01]

@Matt Simpson01 .. your bandsaw is probably a rebadged Scheppach.. The one with 80mm max depth ( wood size vertical size ), not throat depth which always refers to between the blade and the frame.look around Scheppachs site and you'll find it, they do spares, and you can download a manual.

ps.you need to make a push stick..before Jacob comes along to give you grief.

I did get the original manual with it too, but there is no parts break down.
I will try the Scheppach to see if they are the same (i am sure they will be, it appears to be a basic design that a lot are based on).
Having said that, my repair is sound and should last (he says with crossed fingers).

I have several push sticks already. Got one with my table saw, another with my planer/thicknesser and also made my own.

 

[Matt Simpson01]

..get youreself a Tuffsaws blade, will really make a difference!!

I have still got one of the original £80 Aldi bandsaws which is now 5+ years old and is one of my most used tools. I still use it more than my newer Record 250!

Just checked them.
It looks like mine is 1575 long.
There are a few to choose from, so will see how i am likely to use it first, or buy a few.

 

[Mouse007]

What bargains have you had?

eBay £16.80 for this, 4 cordless powertools and a workbox

https://www.protoolreviews.com/cel-power8-workshop-cordless-benchtop-tools/

It was mint, the seller took such bad pictures it look broken, I noticed that the reflections were caused by the protective plastic film which was still attached to the top. No one else bid on it.

Saved over £300 and collection was less than 10 miles away

 

[Matt Simpson01]

So i am probably not 'bandsawing' correctly, but when i 'cut' it appears to want to cut to the left, even when i use the straight edged fence (on the left).
I am quite confident that i have set it up correctly, with the lower sections of the teeth in the centre of the wheel, the bearings a 'hair' off the blade and only enough blade showing that is used to cut.

Any ideas?
The blade is at maximum tightness (although not feeling at all 'too' tight).
Could it be a blunt blade causing it to pull?
Or a stretched blade (given the 'lack of' tightness)?

 

[Matt Simpson01]

..get youreself a Tuffsaws blade, will really make a difference!!

I have still got one of the original £80 Aldi bandsaws which is now 5+ years old and is one of my most used tools. I still use it more than my newer Record 250!

Bought the 1/4" - SuperTuff Premium - Tooth Pitch: 6 - Blade Length: 62” / 1575mm
Now just waiting for it to be delivered.

 

[Algarin]

So i am probably not 'bandsawing' correctly, but when i 'cut' it appears to want to cut to the left, even when i use the straight edged fence (on the left).
I am quite confident that i have set it up correctly, with the lower sections of the teeth in the centre of the wheel, the bearings a 'hair' off the blade and only enough blade showing that is used to cut.

Any ideas?
The blade is at maximum tightness (although not feeling at all 'too' tight).
Could it be a blunt blade causing it to pull?
Or a stretched blade (given the 'lack of' tightness)?

It could also be a case of the blades being used incorrectly (if they came with the saw used), check if the set on the teeth on one side are flat.

 

[Matt Simpson01]

Got my new blade today and its transformed the saw.
The strange thing is the blade is nowhere near as tight as i thought it should be.
In fact its quite slack at its tightest.

Still, its cutting really well, which is the main thing.

 

[Stevebod]

..just to add, when the saw is not in use I always "back off" the blade tension. ie normally a couple of turns on the tension nut. I place the relevant spanner on the bed to make sure I remember to re tension it before I use it again..