New bandsaw...decision made

[Stevebod]

N

Love the roller bearing mod, will have to source one.

Anyone else looking for the bearing: AXK0821 Needle Roller Thrust Bearing thin washer bearing with 2 AS Washers | eBay

..ta for the link, just put my order in...just need the saw now!

 

[pe2dave]

Well @RichardG - we did a good job of talking past each other there!
Nice to settle amicably - as I said, durned terminology ;-)

 

[clogs]

A couple of things
My bandsaw, quite large, can't remember the name (still it's crate for the move)....def German....
any way...
My plan is to modify the top Tensioning nut....by adding an over center lever plus thrust bearing (as above).....may have to make a longer adjustment screw rod to get it in but I got fed up with having to tension the blade each time with this wheeled nut thingy.....my idea is to initially tension the blade with the lever down so when u lift the lever the tension is released but when needed u just crank the lever down for quick tension.....
spoke to Ian of Tuff Saw fame and he suggested the M42 blade as I want to trim Olive root balls....(will power wash the root first but there will be limestone rubbish embedded anyway).....
so I would guess that it would handle the odd nail.....
I also have his metal vari tooth blades in my 12" metal bandsaw and it's still going well after cutting tons of 10"x1/2 steel plate and upto 75mm dia steel bar...no idea on what steel is in the blade but something a bit special...5%Cobalt..?
My other concern is that my machine has just one speed, so also plan to give a good looking at.....(perhaps new tyres n bearings... anyway, can we buy those urethene tyres in the UK now without importing from the States ?), thought I'd put a stepped pully system on unless somebody can suggest a fair priced route of going 3phase and the electronic box of tricks to alter speed.....cant remember the name of it...I do have a 3phase power supply to the house/workshop.....
sorry this question got a bit longer than expected....
take care out there......

 

[pe2dave]

@clogs - Check the size of tyre you need - not easy. E.g. the 'rubber' ones measured (IMHO) miles too small?
Google urethene tyres, but.. good luck with the size - perhaps wait until you can state what bandsaw you're look at?
Even better (if it is German) - google.de for same?
I was soaking the tyres, building rigs to let me lever it over the wheel - a right palaver.

 

[Delwood]

I bought new 'rubber' (??) tyres from Record Power. Convinced myself they were too small, spoke to them, eventually brute forced them on - no way could I have done it without youtube help. Were the urethene ones any easier @sploo ?

Agree about the 'lever' - needs LOTS of power to tension the blade. Stripped mine down, greased the offset camber wheel thingy and it's easier. Now takes two men instead of five

I also struggle with the tension knob on my BS300. Does not greasing the cam attract a lot of sawdust?
There was a thread under Projects - Repairing my Record Power BS300 bandsaw dated 8 May 2015 where the poster
had replaced the plastic tension knob with a crank handle. A much better solution.

 

[pe2dave]

I also struggle with the tension knob on my BS300. Does not greasing the cam attract a lot of sawdust?
There was a thread under Projects - Repairing my Record Power BS300 bandsaw dated 8 May 2015 where the poster
had replaced the plastic tension knob with a crank handle. A much better solution.

@Delwood Just to be clear - are we talking about the lever on the rear, or the knob on the rear?

 

[Spectric]

This thrust bearing will also provide more feel for when tensioning the blade, got to be a bonus and as said why do people like Record not fit as the OEM or are they now just a retail setup without the engineering and therefore reliant on the asian manufacturer.

 

[Stevebod]

...well mine has just arrived...stand finished but need help to lift the bandsaw onto it...a bit heavy for 1..!!

 

[pe2dave]

...well mine has just arrived...stand finished but need help to lift the bandsaw onto it...a bit heavy for 1..!!

Just a bit. I used some 10' 4x2 and a pulley system! Easier with 2... or more!
Enjoy

 

[RichardG]

...well mine has just arrived...stand finished but need help to lift the bandsaw onto it...a bit heavy for 1..!!

You can do it on your own, lay the bandsaw down on its back on a couple of blocks, bolt the stand on and then lift it up from the bandsaw end, half the weight. Obviously much easier with some extra muscle of course.

 

[pe2dave]

[Much safer with help]

 

[Delwood]

@Delwood Just to be clear - are we talking about the lever on the rear, or the knob on the rear?

NO, the round plastic knob on the top.

 

[pe2dave]

NO, the round plastic knob on the top.

Thanks - No relation to the cam (used for the 'lever' at the rear). Though I guess grease may - not noticed as yet.

 

[Stevebod]

..I got my neighbour to to help lift it as they owe me a few favours....I just managed to get her out of her wheelchair long enough......she is a good sport for a bed ridden 92 year old!

 

[Stevebod]

OK back to the bandsaw. Now fully set up and running but noted a problem withe the lower "back" tensioner. There is insufficient travel to get it close enough to support the blade? I noted the bearing is 22mm dia, but the "spot face" on the mounting bar is considerably larger....just wondering if they ran out of the correct size bearings and put on a smaller one?

Also noted that when the blade runs "in the middle" of the top wheel, it is right on the edge of the lower wheel...does this matter?

Also noted that the blade sits well to the front of the hole in the cast iron table...I assumed it should be nearer the middle, but there is insufficient adjustment to get the blade to go "back" any further?......(also contributes to the lower back bearing having to be (almost) beyond it's maximum travel?)

..I will try and get some pics uploaded, but any comments / help from anybody who has one would be much appreciated....

 

[mikej460]

It does sound like you may have a misalignment problem between the top and bottom wheels. I just hope the frame hasn't been bent by over-tensioning. As for the bearings I suggest checking with the parts diagram or online parts. You need to look for a BS300 Thrust Bearing.

 

[MikeJhn]

Watch this video:

 

[sumo2001]

M42 I didn't think much of, but to be fair it got abused on timber with putty, some soft linseed, some real tough like soft stone.
Combined with an unruly bandsaw, caused some issues.
I think it found a wee staple or two aswell.

The blade is a good bit thicker and didn't seem quite as sharp as Ian's other blades.

I'd love to have another go at this blade sometime, and tempted to make some jigs for sharpening and setting blades, as reclaimed is all I work with, and theirs heaps around.

A lot of faff, but would sort out buying soo many blades forever, just the odd time is fine.
That's the only way you're going to be in any way, not much bothered by it, hitting a small tack nail or two will likely toast a blade, A screw and you're frigged.
unless you're Matt Cremona and can make it worth the cost.

Edit: Lennox make a blade supposedly for the job, I wonder if that's what you might be talking about?

Tom

Cheers

 

[RichardG]

OK back to the bandsaw. Now fully set up and running but noted a problem withe the lower "back" tensioner. There is insufficient travel to get it close enough to support the blade? I noted the bearing is 22mm dia, but the "spot face" on the mounting bar is considerably larger....just wondering if they ran out of the correct size bearings and put on a smaller one?

Also noted that when the blade runs "in the middle" of the top wheel, it is right on the edge of the lower wheel...does this matter?

Also noted that the blade sits well to the front of the hole in the cast iron table...I assumed it should be nearer the middle, but there is insufficient adjustment to get the blade to go "back" any further?......(also contributes to the lower back bearing having to be (almost) beyond it's maximum travel?)

..I will try and get some pics uploaded, but any comments / help from anybody who has one would be much appreciated....

I‘ve just checked mine. Bearing is 22mm so same as yours. However, blade sitting in the middle of the top wheel also sits pretty much in the middle of the bottom wheel but I seem to remember having a tweak of the lower wheel adjustment to get this. But in general my blades do sit further forward in the machine than I think they should, I.e. they’re not in the middle of the zero clearance plate but this has never had any impact.

One suggestion is to replace all the Alan key headed bolts with some twist button/thumb screws, makes adjustments and opening the doors a lot easier, again no idea why RP doesn’t fit these from new.

 

[RichardG]

Watch this video:

I’ve never been convinced with this guy’s philosophy of having the teeth (or was it the gullet, can’t remember?) of the blade running in the centre of the wheel. I tried this on my saw and left it tensioned overnight and it left marks in the tyres. This makes me think that it will a) damage the tyre, b) reduce the set of the blade c) I completely misunderstood what he was saying…