Old Startrite Bandsaw

[Yeldoow]

I have recently acquired a old Startrite bandsaw from eBay, however I cannot find any information on this particular model anywhere.

Does anyone recognise this model? I was hoping I might be able to find some specs for it or even an old manual online, but I've found nothing.

I'd love to know how old it is and what the fence it would have come with was like.

 

[Ttrees]

Hello Yeldoow
I would take a guess your cast iron bandsaw would be Italian, but I found no results with a search.
I have seen Startrite crudly badge a Centauro CO600 before.
I would guess if it was English, it would have a cast name on it.
I see Davla written on the bottom door, but no results with a search.
Is there a nameplate on the back ? and what motor does it have ?
It might shed some clues if you type it in along with Italian keywords ...
Sega a nastro macchine italia

The rail would make a good basis for constructing a fence around, In my opinion to be the handiest type as you can lift it off,
or attach other brackets like in this video...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bUoHHdLex0
Good luck with your new vintage saw !
Tom

 

[memzey]

The rail looks similar to that found on a 352. That might be a good place to look if you want to design something from scratch or maybe even find a part.

 

[Ttrees]

Indeed
Have a look at this one for instance at 8:15 into the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPRBmd_nvLU
Have fun with it, looks to be a nice wee saw.
Tom

 

[Yeldoow]

Thanks for the replies. I had 10 minutes last night to try and find any other any nameplate or distinguishing marks and I've attached a couple of pictures.

As a stroke of luck however (and I don't know why I didn't think of it before) I have already got a Startrite table saw that I got from a friends dad just before Christmas. I dug out the fence for that last night (everything is chaos in my garage/workshop at the moment which is probably why I didn't think about it) and the fence system is the same on both the table saw and the bandsaw so the fence fits both!

Hopefully at the weekend I'll have some time to start cleaning it up and I can take some pictures of it and the table saw.

 

[Yeldoow]

A couple of pictures of the table saw.

I had a bit of time at the weekend to get some work done on the bandsaw. I've taken the table mount off and cleaned up the blade guides (top and bottom), and disassembled the top wheel mount and started cleaning all of that. I've primed the table mount and the chunk of metal that holds the top blade guides to see if this cheap primer I have is going to be any good.

I also stated cleaning up the table itself and it's starting to look a lot better.

The top wheel mount was a bit grim.

The tyres don't look to be in the best shape but I don't think I'm going to be able to replace them, and there is a large groove cut into the inside of the case presumable from some past blade failure.

I still need to decide what colour to spray it, any suggestions?

 

[Bm101]

I wonder if that last picture shows a long term imbalance of the top wheel rubbing against the side? Seems very deep for a blade failure in cast. Just an amateur guess mind, you seem to have far more idea what you're doing than I do. Nice to see you doing a good job on a the saw. I have been looking at old pillar drills on ebay a fair bit and recall seeing that exact same 'startet' button very recently. It struck me as unusual which is why I remember it but I can't remember for the life of me what machine it was on, I've had another look but can't find it, sorry. If I come across it again in my internet travels I will give you a shout. Might give a clue about your machine.
(Personally) I'd just choose a colour you like unless you want to do a historically accurate renovation. There's lots of Wadkin etc restorations on here so have a search, maybe worth looking for Startrite restoration enthusiasts on the web. If it was me I might just find the best paint type and match the colour. It's rather nice.
Good luck.
Cheers
Chris

PS> Crikey. Those tyres!

 

[Beau]

"The tyres don't look to be in the best shape but I don't think I'm going to be able to replace them"

Scott and Sargent sell cork on a roll which should be perfect for covering the wheels. Used it on my old Wadkin and worked a treat and not too tricky a job.

Good luck with the restoration. She should be a beauty when your all done.

 

[ScottandSargeant]

It's really old! We have sold Startrite for 30 years and even that long ago yours would have looked old! I reckon it's a child of the 60's... I have some ancient Parrys catalogues from the 60s/70's ... I will see if I can find a similar or same Startrite model

Cheers
Paul

 

[Yeldoow]

I wonder if that last picture shows a long term imbalance of the top wheel rubbing against the side? Seems very deep for a blade failure in cast. Just an amateur guess mind, you seem to have far more idea what you're doing than I do. Nice to see you doing a good job on a the saw.

I have no idea what I'm doing! This is the first machine I've tried to restore, and only the second bandsaw I've owned. I am watching lots of restoration videos and reading everything I can find on the subject.

It's really old! We have sold Startrite for 30 years and even that long ago yours would have looked old! I reckon it's a child of the 60's... I have some ancient Parrys catalogues from the 60s/70's ... I will see if I can find a similar or same Startrite model

Cheers
Paul

I got it from an older gentleman who told me it was his father in laws, so I guessed it was quite old.

Anything you find would be great to see.

 

[dickm]

Can't recall seeing anything like that from Startrite in the 1960s; my guess would be much older than that, probably early 50s.

 

[wallace]

I would say that switch is 40's not specific to startrite they are really nice quality. I've got a couple in my stash, they clean up really nice. I'm pretty envious because its a cracking little bandsaw. I've been looking for a while for a little one instead of firing up the big one.
Keep the pics coming

 

[Yeldoow]

I would say that switch is 40's not specific to startrite they are really nice quality. I've got a couple in my stash, they clean up really nice. I'm pretty envious because its a cracking little bandsaw. I've been looking for a while for a little one instead of firing up the big one.
Keep the pics coming

It's a really nice looking switch but it's not the most convenient to use with the buttons recessed into the front of the case.

Here's some pictures of the top wheel mount (mostly) disassembled, and the block that holds the top blade guides.

I haven't been that impressed with the quality of some of the casting so far, I sprayed the top blade guide block (I thought grey but it turned out to be silver) and it really shows all the imperfections. I don't like the silver so I'll rub it back again (that was why I tried it on the smallest piece first), and then I think I'll try to sand the lumps and bumps out of it a bit more.

This is the thrust bearing for the bottom blade guide. I'm no expert on bearings so does anyone know what sort of bearing this is?

 

[dickm]

That thrust bearing is surprìsing. Suggests that after trying that arrangement, Startrite must have decided (unlike many makers) that putting a thrust sideways on a standard bearing was a da*n silly idea and went over to the stellite tipped rod used on most 352s

 

[Ttrees]

I would call that a roller and not a bearing, as found on plenty modern machines.
Normally connected by a bronze bush like modern GL bandsaw guides.
Their looks to be a load of fractures in the picture with the cereal number.
Are some of these just casting marks ?
I would get the welder out on it.
I like the colour it is ...one tip
Make sure its a gloss enamel and not left with a primer coat, as primer gets dirty with hands from an oiled table.
And a matt finish really allows sawdust to cling onto it.
Good luck
Tom

 

[Yeldoow]

I would call that a roller and not a bearing, as found on plenty modern machines.
Normally connected by a bronze bush like modern GL bandsaw guides.
Their looks to be a load of fractures in the picture with the cereal number.
Are some of these just casting marks ?
I would get the welder out on it.
I like the colour it is ...one tip
Make sure its a gloss enamel and not left with a primer coat, as primer gets dirty with hands from an oiled table.
And a matt finish really allows sawdust to cling onto it.
Good luck
Tom

They don't appear to be cracks so I'm assuming they are casting marks.

I liked the colour it was/is but I couldn't find a good match for it at the weekend and I didn't have the patience to get something online so I've gone with a dark green.

I'd ordered some blades from Tuff Saws and they arrived on Friday, so I whilst there's still lots of work to do to get the saw up to the standard I want I also wanted to get it running and try it out. I haven't been able to get the bottom wheel off either and I'm going to either need to get a different gear puller or modify the one I have.

So First I tried the colour out on the block that holds the top blade guides first to see if I liked it.

Then I reassembled the top wheel assembly. I'll spray the inside of the case at a later date when I've got the bottom wheel and motor off.

Then I rubbed back the front of the case, primed and painted it. I put a blade on and sorted the tracking and blade tension and got the table back on. The table still needs a lot more cleaning but I wanted to make a cut

The table still needs a lot more cleaning but I wanted to make a cut!

The saw marks are a lot clearer in the picture than it real life, and I'm very happy given that I've not done anything with the tyres yet. I think the colour looks good (the light of the picture makes it look patchy at the bottom but its not, but I want to paint the Startrite logo red so it stands out.

Now to take it all back apart and finish the table and the lower wheel!

 

[worn thumbs]

It looks like a very nice and robust machine.I have worked with at least 5 Startrites and they all did a good job,except for the 18-T-10 that some clown put the drive belt on wrongly and which kept throwing blades off.It was an easy fix once spotted.

 

[MilesH]

I've recently bought a similar bandsaw. Will post pictures of it later.
The body castings are aluminium alloy (I'm sure yours will be too).
I think this type was introduced in about 1952.
I found the attached catalogue page on Graces Guide https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Main_Page

 

[JimmyStartrite]

Hi, New here
I currently work for the remnants of Startrite and was a service engineer for 10 years fixing only Startrites, across the whole range, that is not actually a Startrite and was imported, badged and tagged, they didnt make their own machines properly until after the war, I think a previos post is right about it being Italian, as are the 'current range' of Startrite imports.

 

[johnbaz]

Hi all
Dragging up an old thread, I 'won' one of these ole heavyweight Bandsaws on fleabay auction for fifty quid some years ago! My lads were both out when I brought it home so I had to get it out of the car by myself (Two big strapping young lads loaded it in to my car), I could only just close the tailgate to to the length/height of the thing!
I removed the base to make it slightly easier!

The guides had siezed solid but freed off without too much trouble, The saw is in excellent condition, I was shocked when no one else bid and I got it for the opening bid!!

I have no room to set it up but have struggled a couple of times when rough cutting timber to make boxes, The table needs de rusting too, I recently found the fence and cleaned it up and oiled the screws..

When I plugged the machine in it kept tripping quite quickly, I had to bend something in the switch (Can't remember what it was now as it was years ago!) but it worked fine after!!

I really need to get rid of some rubbish and get the old MG Midget under a tarp on the drive so that I can get my stuff set out to use now that i've done having to go to work daily!!


Cheers, John