Newbie acquires a cheap bandsaw with decent depth of cut

[Hypnotic Chimera]

I was having a look at bandsaws a few months ago, concentrating on the budget end of the market, while also searching for as deep a cutting capacity as possible, since any acquisition would specifically be used to resaw timber for small box-making, which is the aim I have in taking up the hobby. Keepsake style boxes as gifts and a watch box. Or two. 80 or 100mm depth isn't quite deep enough for what I have in mind, I thought. I'm in awe of Blackswanwood's veneered top boxes and this is the exact thing I had in mind when I started looking at Youtube as a learning resource (GM Design, iirc, and others) and before I joined this site.

I noticed that at the price point the Scheppach HBS261 had a depth capacity of 120mm - far greater than any at similar price points - so I placed one in my Save For Later basket. Sadly, they disappeared from sale before I could consider allocating some small budget towards investing in one. Then, a few days ago I noticed there was stock and I could add to basket. So thinking there was a refreshed supply, I sent a link to my Mrs saying this could be a possible gift or just a personal purchase at some point in the future. She had a look and noticed that there was only a single one in stock - and that it was "seller refurbished". So I also had a look as well and decided I was probably out of luck for future purchase since they seemed now to be out of production.

Little did I know that Mrs HC had found the same seller listing one on ebay - and that she had already hit the buy button.

Since it was "Refurbished" (and may have parts missing) it was quite nerve-wracking opening the box - but all seemed to be kind of OK - albeit it definitely wasn't "refurbished" at all and was laden with sawdust from the previous "owner". The only missing part I could find was an accessory screwdriver.

A few Youtube videos later got me the knowledge of how to set up a bandsaw. So I got to work building it up and setting up the blade speed, the blade tension and position, the six bearings, and setting the table square to the blade.
There was some anxiety when starting it up for the first time - if only for a few seconds, but opening up the covers afterwards, the blade position had stayed exactly on the money.
Then a bit of self-congratulations after the first test cut yielded a slot in the test piece that the back of the blade slid into effortlessly - meaning the table was exactly at 90 degrees..

Here she is

And here is a little experiment cutting an old 20mm oak floor board in half - which seemed to work really quite well - and way better than my hand saw experiment cutting a similar board a few weeks ago.

My only concern is that the fence is not up to much - it isn't flat, and as standard it didn't sit square upright to the table. So I've temporarily made a fix for that. It also isn't very tall, so deep cuts like the one pictured require a lot of concentration to track the top of the board straight. So at some point I'll knock up some customarily Heath-Robinson taller fence that is both flat and square so that pressing the board flat into the fence is all that is needed to make an accurate cut.


All in all, I'm pleased with the new machine and this makes me ready to embark on cutting the timber for the box-making that I've got planned for the near future.

 

[Amplidyne]

Just a word to the wise about resawing stuff. Leave yourself plenty of room for planing, and leave the cut timber in stick for a while (indoors preferably) to let it settle after resawing. It always moves. Sometimes dramatically. Quarter sawn stuff is best.

 

[Hypnotic Chimera]

Just a word to the wise about resawing stuff. Leave yourself plenty of room for planing, and leave the cut timber in stick for a while (indoors preferably) to let it settle after resawing. It always moves. Sometimes dramatically. Quarter sawn stuff is best.

Thanks for the tips, I'm very grateful - leaving in stick to settle is something that I definitely wasn't in any way aware of.

I do have some thicker stock material of 40 and 50mm. Intent was to get some final dimension 10-12mm milled down boards, for which I'd planned to cut 12-14mm thickness off the bandsaw and hand-plane down to final thickness for trinket and decorative boxes.

I also have a board of PAR wild mango at 19mm thick, but that's a bit chunky for my intended use, so was considering shaving of a "veneer" or two to get it down to around 12mm, and maybe using the veneer as a box-top. It's all new to me and all experimental as a first stab. Enjoyment from the process is what I'm aiming for, as well as growing the skills and knowledge for future use. It's a hobby and not a job.

So please keep the tips coming

 

[Hypnotic Chimera]

Also forgot to add that I've ordered an new Axminster GT blade - 13mm thick (max machine capacity) and 4 tpi - hopefully suited to my use of resawing hardwood boards 10-12cm wide.
And a UKJ bandsaw buddy tool as well.

 

[Amplidyne]

If you have time, then I'd saw one piece and see what happens. Sometimes I've known it move dramatically coming off the saw.
Veneers at around 3mm I take it, won't be so bad. I made a taller false fence for my saw to help hold stuff square.
If you're resawing oak, don't expect to get that many accurate cuts though. Can't remember just how many, but it soon takes that first edge off the band.
They're fine for general sawing after though.
Oh and cut as thick as possible for the original thickness, taking into account the kerf thickness. Unless you know that particular timber is very mild cutting, getting an extra piece out of a board is generally a mistake.

 

[Mickjay]

Also forgot to add that I've ordered an new Axminster GT blade - 13mm thick (max machine capacity) and 4 tpi - hopefully suited to my use of resawing hardwood boards 10-12cm wide.
And a UKJ bandsaw buddy tool as well.

Looks like a nice Christmas present!
It's a bit too late now, but the consensus by most on this forum is Tuffsaws as the supplier of choice for the best bandsaw blades.

 

[RonnieI]

Looks like a nice Christmas present!
It's a bit too late now, but the consensus by most on this forum is Tuffsaws as the supplier of choice for the best bandsaw blades.

Seconded for Tuffsaws. Great blades and company to deal with.

 

[Bumble]

I said somewhere before; I think our journeys are not too far apart. I too, got my first bandsaw about four weeks ago. I also learned from the Alex video (assuming this is one of the videos you watched) about set up on the advice of forum members on older threads. The apprehension on start up for myself was how you described.
I made my first test resaws on some island maple I purchased about thirty months ago; either through inappropriate storage or other reasons it had warped so I decided to salvage by cutting it in to smaller pieces and resawing for box making.

It is now resting in the house and I'm waiting to see how it turns out. If after a couple more weeks it seems to be behaving, I'll resaw the the remaining stock (another five lengths) and will make some boxes later this year.

Go, go HC!