Nature of the beast AWHBS250N Bandsaw?

[bernienufc]

I have one of these which is only a few weeks old now.
It has hardly been used and the first thing i had to do was adjust the belts so it would run faster and actually cut wood

So today i made a jig so i could cut a square piece of MDF 100x100x19mm into a round piece of 100 diameter. I started the cut and literally within 10mm of the cut the bandsaw groaned and started to slow where i knew i had to stop as it was going to stall.
I suspect the replies will be that this model is not man enough but i thought it would do this level, am i that wrong?
cheers
Bernie

 

[CHJ]

That machine should be more than capable of cutting 100mm thick MDF let alone your 19mm sample.

You say you made a jig, can you post a picture of it in situ and with the blade in it's stalling location.

Are you sure you have the jig centre of rotation directly in line with the blade front edge?

Sounds as though the blade is binding on the curve, what blade do you have fitted?

Think you will be lucky to get a true 100mm circle out of a 100mm square blank.

 

[bernienufc]

Hi
Here are 2 pictures of my jig and saw set-up.
The blade is the one that came with it and is either 6 or 7 tpi depending on where i measure
The 100mm diameter would be sanded down to about 98 or even 95 in the end, what i am making is a thicknesser sander and i am at the last hurdle which is the drum itself
Are the pictures good enough or do you need better?
Many thanks

 

[PAC1]

How wide is the blade?

 

[CHJ]

Looks on the face of it that you need a blade with greater set in the teeth to give you a wider kerf.

You must make sure that the geometry of your jig is set correctly.
Make sure the pivot point is in line with the blade leading edge (set jig stop)

Push jig into blade until stop reached.

Then spin blank on pivot point to form circle.

 

[blackrodd]

It looks as if the blade is too wide, It's probably a cheapie and has little set, and the centre of the dreaded jig that you are using is not fixed central to the blade, giving a "binding" action.
I would also check that the blade guides and stops are set up correctly.
I would say something is drastically wrong or badly set up.
I use a nail, cut and sharpened to a point and protruding about 2 or 3mm above the surface, as the central pivot, when circle cutting.
This also marks the centre for any holes to be drilled or lathe centre finding.
There are several threads to be found on here to guide you or there is also u tube HTH Rodders

 

[Student]

Bernie, it's funny that you say that you have had problems with your 250N. I've had one for about 6 months and, to start with, it would hardly cut anything over 18mm. However, after fettling it using Steve M's advice on his (very useful) DVDs and a new blade from Tuffsaws, I was then able to cut 75mm beech albeit slowly. However, over Christmas, I read giantbeat's review of the 250N and his mention of changing the blade speed. When I got back from my Christmas break, I was trying to cut 38mm pine - no joy. Aha, I thought, I'll change the blade speed! Big mistake! Now it keeps either jamming in the cut and/or drifting or throwing the blade. It looks as if I'll have to start again from scratch trying to fettle the machine again. Whether I stick with the slower speed or try for the higher one remains to be seen.

 

[bernienufc]

Thank you all for your replies, i will have a go tonight at the suggestions and check out the blade, the blade guides are set though

 

[bernienufc]

Well i made a new jig and lined it up perfectly as indicated, it then proceeded to work really well on the first 3 circles, the 4th slowed down and as for the 5th it stopped,see video if interested link below.
I thought it was working well, but i have no idea why now, i have asked axminster support via email on Tuesday eve but nothing yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWQiqvwo ... e=youtu.be

 

[carlb40]

At the start of the video it sounded to me like the motor wasn't up to full speed before you started the cut.

 

[cedarwood]

Ok for what its worth did axminster supply you with a spare blade to fit or just the one on the machine, because when I bought mine it came with a second blade and a note saying that the blade in the machine was err basically just for transport purposes ie bloody useless. Get a new blade from tuffsaws :mrgreen:

 

[CHJ]

Are you sure your jig is still correctly positioned for the last cuts and not moved ?

• 1. If the pivot point is behind the front edge of the blade it will attempt to cut a spiral going towards a larger diameter and end up applying side load to the blade.
  2. If the pivot point is in front of the blade it will attempt to cut a spiral going towards a smaller diameter and end up applying side load to the blade.

A better blade, as mention by others, with more kerf clearance will help considerably.

 

[bernienufc]

At the start of the video it sounded to me like the motor wasn't up to full speed before you started the cut.

It was the same if it wasnt in the wood already, cheers.

 

[bernienufc]

Ok for what its worth did axminster supply you with a spare blade to fit or just the one on the machine, because when I bought mine it came with a second blade and a note saying that the blade in the machine was err basically just for transport purposes ie bloody useless. Get a new blade from tuffsaws :mrgreen:

A spare blade arrived in the post a week later, i wondered why as i had no note or anything. I changed it last night but 1) it is much wider or thicker, 2) i cannot seem to get it to run smooth like the narrow one, so i will order a new one from tuffsaws then, thanks

 

[cedarwood]

The one axy supply is just a general purpose blade for cutting circles you do need a narrow one, soon as I got my saw I ordered three different width blades from tuff saws. I also modified the fence position onto the opposite side of the table so that I didn't have to keep removing it to change blades.

 

[Grahamshed]

I also modified the fence position onto the opposite side of the table so that I didn't have to keep removing it to change blades.

That is an absurdly simple idea. Wish I had thought of it.
That looks like the Axi 400. Is it ?

 

[giantbeat]

Bernie, it's funny that you say that you have had problems with your 250N. I've had one for about 6 months and, to start with, it would hardly cut anything over 18mm. However, after fettling it using Steve M's advice on his (very useful) DVDs and a new blade from Tuffsaws, I was then able to cut 75mm beech albeit slowly. However, over Christmas, I read giantbeat's review of the 250N and his mention of changing the blade speed. When I got back from my Christmas break, I was trying to cut 38mm pine - no joy. Aha, I thought, I'll change the blade speed! Big mistake! Now it keeps either jamming in the cut and/or drifting or throwing the blade. It looks as if I'll have to start again from scratch trying to fettle the machine again. Whether I stick with the slower speed or try for the higher one remains to be seen.

so you changed the saw speed but didnt re setup and check the blade alignments & tracking?... that was your mistake mate! not changing the speed, you have essentially done half the job!!!

on any machine that relies on tension and tracking lignin up you should go back over everything on the setup as soon as you change anything that affects it operation, the jamming is happening due to you changing one variable... that one affects all of the other variables, so you should adjust them all to suit.

i have used my saw everyday since i got it & everyday whoever i have started a new operation, used a new style of jig, changed speeds, changed blades etc.. i re check my guides & check the tracking & quite often have to adjust them... once you get used to it its no hassle... i can do it all in about 1 minute including dramatic changes in blade size.

 

[giantbeat]

The one axy supply is just a general purpose blade for cutting circles you do need a narrow one, soon as I got my saw I ordered three different width blades from tuff saws. I also modified the fence position onto the opposite side of the table so that I didn't have to keep removing it to change blades.

ohh i have to do that with the fence, you sir are super sneaky clever..

 

[Student]

Hi giantbeat,

Yes, I was probably hoping for too much to just replace the blade, adjust the wheel tracking and tension, check the guide bearings (at least the side bearings) and hope to get away with it. It's back to square one for a full refettling.

The funny thing is that, before Christmas, the saw was cutting 75mm hardwood and, without any changes in set up, after Christmas it wouldn't cut 38mm softwood.

Martin

 

[williams1185]

sounds like the guides are too tight to the blade the blade needs to flex slightly in the kerf go to you tube and watch the video , bandsaw clinic with alan snodgrass the guy is amazing