Picked up a woodster 2 (Inca euro 260) today

[julianf]

I've been setting up for template routing, but had no good way of making the blanks.

I've had my eye closely on the various second hand selling sites and collected a saw today.

I've done nothing to it so far apart from put the blade on the right way up (the seller said they were using the saw only last weekend!) and I'm really quite impressed.


My last bandsaw was one of the much larger ones that are marketed under the jet brand as well as warco and one other that I can't remember, but I never really got on with it, even with various improvements.

Even after 5 mins of use I can see why they command a premium on eBay.

I should print out the manual and try and work out how to set it up nicely but am impressed out of the box (or rather out of the sellers shed...)

I'll take some photos later. One thing I can't initially work out is how to move the blade to the edge of the upper wheel.

At present the teeth are hanging over the edge of the lower tyre, which I think is correct for this saw, but running far more central on the upper wheel.

There is also a fair amount of vibration from the whole machine, which, I suspect is related. (The vibration was not there when the blade was upside down, so me rotating the blade has certainly caused it - I guess it could just be that the blade is welded the wrong way and you can't just swap over blades like that, but I'm not experienced enough to know?)

Thank you.

 

[Bm101]

I'm certainly no expert but if the Woodster runs like my inca with no crowns on the tyres then the teeth overhang the edge of the wheels. To set a blade I get the top wheel loose enough to seat the blade. With power off (!) I turn the wheel by hand and adjust tension on the top wheel until the blade stays in position. I give it another half turn and ping the blade and listen for tension.
The top tension screw gets dusty too so that's a fair indicator replacing a blade as well as counting half turns etc. of course replacing a different size blade will require a different tension.
I've got a feeling I'm answering a question you didn't ask *embarrassed beginner face* but if the Woodster is anything like the inca machines there a reason they have fan clubs.
When I set my inca up for the first time I kept waiting for a disaster. But it just was that easy.

 

[samhay]

I have had no trouble turning blades inside out to work on my Inca.
Is the tracking knob (on the back above the wheel axle) tight?

 

[julianf]

Thank you both.

So far as I can tell the woodster is an Inca, but just with a different sticker. I don't even think it's a rip off, but actually made in the same factory, and simply branded differently.

So, yes, any advice I can get from Inca users will, I think, be applicable.

We had a (virtual) engagement this evening that's just finished, and I literally had about 15 mins with it before, so have not investigated the tracking wheel at all. I will have a look tomorrow.

I made some cuts on 20mm oak board and was just impressed at how easy it was. I mean I knew it would cut bit I thought I would need to go much slower and I was impressed at how easy I could change direction, but also how little the cut actually changed direction by itself. My old bandsaw always seemed to be a balancing act of overshooting one way or the other.

I will investigate tomorrow as to the blade position on the top wheel. Like I say it looks good on the bottom wheel, which is curious.

Thanks again.

 

[julianf]

Some photos below, most of them after adjustment.

Now that the blade is in roughly the right position on both wheels, the guides are way too far back. I assume I loosen the rear knurled wheel and then bring the guide / bearing assembly forwards using the second knurled wheel, which, at present, is seized solid?

I've left some penetrating oil on it and come back inside.

One bit that I can't work out - the cross head screw, with tube, sticking out of the bottom of the guard / guides assembly - what's that for?

Thank you again.

Cross head screw and tube visible above ^^

 

[samhay]

Looks like an Inca.
The knob that winds the guides in/out is a split configuration with a locking nut, loosen the outer one and then use the inner one for adjustment.
The rusty flat head screw bolt in the second to last photo is to adjust the thrust bearing. Loosen it to push/pull the bearing, which is on a rod that there screw bolt tightens onto. The lower guides should be the same.
I don't know what the cross head screw is for. Perhaps it's a handle to move the guard up and down?

 

[julianf]

Ive just been out again, and have managed to adjust the guide assembly forwards.

The nut was siezed, and, i eventually resorted to the blow torch, and its free now, which im pleased about. (this is the bit at the left of the photo below - the locking nut was fine, but the actual adjustment one was solid - the same setup on the underside of the table was fine, just hand adjustable)

The only issue is that the guide block securing screws restrict the assembly comming any further forwards by conflicting with the yellow guard.

The photo below (from last night) shows the small gap - well that gap is gone and then some now that ive moved it all forwards.

Im still getting some overlap of the guides on the blade, so its not terminal, just not as id ideally like. Ive seen photos of the saw with the bottom of the fence bent forwards, which, i assume, is to compensate for this issue, but, if it ever bothered me that much, i think i would just change the screws for ones with a slimmer head.

Im really very pleased with the saw so far. I dont need to chop thick material on it, but i grabbed a 3" oak offcut and cross cut that with no bother at all.

 

[Tanglefoot20]

Hello... I have a ELU 3401.....paid £150 for it..... works a treat and is similar to yours but cutting is the other way round.....ie clearance to the right...
Dual speed too......

 

[powertools]

I t looks like an Inca but the blade guide is different to mine.
The 2 spare holes in the photo are for the blade guard screws but I have taken that off for the moment there is no place for that extra bit to fit on mine.

 

[julianf]

I t looks like an Inca but the blade guide is different to mine.
The 2 spare holes in the photo are for the blade guard screws but I have taken that off for the moment there is no place for that extra bit to fit on mine.

View attachment 108508

Yep, theyre almost identical, but mine has a thumb screw to secure the bearing position, and thumb, rather than (i assume) allen to secure the guides.

Ive been looking at a load of photos, and theres some variation with the incas also.

Im fairly convinced all these units came from the same source. Ive seen part numbers on the wheels, but, if i happen to spot one on the casting itself, ill note it down - i suspect it will match with the incas.

Its not important either way though, just a curiosity.


I used the saw earlier today to rough cut these, and then it was the first proper test of the router table. The corners of the edges are not profiled, nor is there any sanding of the surface, so they still look pretty ropey, however, the parts that the bandsaw and router worked on are fairly good for a first go, i think.

Steel templates can be seen at the back of the photo.