OPINION SOUGHT ON DW 3401 BAND SAW.
- Thread starter ciderman
- Start date
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graduate_owner
Established Member
I have one, it's an Elu but same thing. The main complaint I have is the cr@ppy fence. Mine has a rear blade bearing so clearly yours has bits missing - you can get an exploded diagram to see exactly what. Mine wouldn't tension and the reason was the plastic tensioning knob was slipping on it's thread. If this happens to yours then DON'T try to remove the top wheel, it doesn't help or give any better access, and is a bit tricky to replace. I had to pull the plastic tensioning knob off by force usi g a bearing pullers, which wrecked it. However I replaced the stripped thread (a 6mm rod about 8" long) with a length of 8mm rod, to give more strength than 6mm. I replaced the plastic knob with a 8mm nut welded to a length of steel rod ( bit difficult to describe) and so replaced the original tensioning arrangement.
The only downside of this arrangement is I can tension but not compress the blade, so to change blades I need to compress the spring using a bar clamp, not a big deal. Also I don't have a tension scale but they are not accurats anyway.
Overall I think it's quite a nice little saw.
K
The only downside of this arrangement is I can tension but not compress the blade, so to change blades I need to compress the spring using a bar clamp, not a big deal. Also I don't have a tension scale but they are not accurats anyway.
Overall I think it's quite a nice little saw.
K
Alexam
Bandsaw Boxmaker
I had one when I started woodworking a few years ago. Once tuned up and with Tuffsaw blades it worked very well indeed. Only changed it when I went for a much larger machine. Agree with above, the fence was not so hot, but I added a plywood larger table top and used a 3 x 2 with clamps as a fence when wanting to work with larger timbers. I can send you some photos if you want, just PM me your e-mail address, As long as you tune it up correctly, you should be pleased with your purchase. Do not bother about co-planar of top & botton wheels, just tune it like this
THE BEST FROM A BANDSAW 'Alex Snodgrass of Carter Industries has an excellent video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU on a tune up method that works well, but if you want to get the best use of your bandsaw on an ongoing basis, then the Steve Maskery DVD's will show you far more and they are a real investment. http://www.workshopessentials.com/shop/ '.
For checking the tension of your blade - A Flutter test Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8zZuDosSy0
All the best
Malcolm
THE BEST FROM A BANDSAW 'Alex Snodgrass of Carter Industries has an excellent video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU on a tune up method that works well, but if you want to get the best use of your bandsaw on an ongoing basis, then the Steve Maskery DVD's will show you far more and they are a real investment. http://www.workshopessentials.com/shop/ '.
For checking the tension of your blade - A Flutter test Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8zZuDosSy0
All the best
Malcolm
lurker
Le dullard de la commune
Mine works fine
Without the bearing it's never going to be any good.
If you decide to scrap it I may be interested in it for spares
Without the bearing it's never going to be any good.
If you decide to scrap it I may be interested in it for spares
lurker
Le dullard de la commune
What puzzles me is how those parts have gone missing
Is the rod still in there?
I can see the bearing may have disintegrated
Like I said in your other post the bearing would be easy to replace.
Is the rod still in there?
I can see the bearing may have disintegrated
Like I said in your other post the bearing would be easy to replace.
lurker
Le dullard de la commune
Regarding the noise
With the blade removed does the wheel spin smooth
Ditto bottom wheel without the belt.
The bearings on mine got a bit rumbley but some oil seemed to have solved it
With the blade removed does the wheel spin smooth
Ditto bottom wheel without the belt.
The bearings on mine got a bit rumbley but some oil seemed to have solved it
Lons
Established Member
What the others said.
I bought one new about 1990 ( mine was the 3015 variable speed model), and only sold it 18 months ago when I got the chance of a Startrite 352. It served me well and apart from the fence and limited capacity it was a good little saw. I bought at cost but think the retail price in those days was around £300. I got £150 for mine when I sold though it was in very good condition.
It's never going to resaw large hardwood blanks but I managed 5" bowl blanks without problem using a good blade.
Definitely should be a back support bearing top and bottom and shouldn't be too difficult or expensive to sort out. There's quite a lot on YouTube that might help you improve or replace the fence as well.
Have you checked the side support blocks btw as they used to squeal like hell if not properly adjusted
Bob
I bought one new about 1990 ( mine was the 3015 variable speed model), and only sold it 18 months ago when I got the chance of a Startrite 352. It served me well and apart from the fence and limited capacity it was a good little saw. I bought at cost but think the retail price in those days was around £300. I got £150 for mine when I sold though it was in very good condition.
It's never going to resaw large hardwood blanks but I managed 5" bowl blanks without problem using a good blade.
Definitely should be a back support bearing top and bottom and shouldn't be too difficult or expensive to sort out. There's quite a lot on YouTube that might help you improve or replace the fence as well.
Have you checked the side support blocks btw as they used to squeal like hell if not properly adjusted
Bob
graduate_owner
Established Member
That is so obviously wrong. If someone needed a bandsaw you would think they mght realise that it is set up wrong. Perhape it belonged to a person who shouldn't be allowed near power tools - for their own safety.
K
K
lurker
Le dullard de la commune
Yeh but
Initially logic would suggest the blade runs on the rim of the bearing if you know no better.
Anyway you are ok now
Maybe the reason it was sold (I assume cheap) is he could not get it to work
So you win ciderman :lol:
Guess it's quieter and faster now?
Treat yourself to a tuff saw blade and be amazed!
Initially logic would suggest the blade runs on the rim of the bearing if you know no better.
Anyway you are ok now
Maybe the reason it was sold (I assume cheap) is he could not get it to work
So you win ciderman :lol:
Guess it's quieter and faster now?
Treat yourself to a tuff saw blade and be amazed!
Lons
Established Member
Presumably the previous owner either didn't read the manual or didn't have one and didn't bother to get it.
