Purchase of bandsaw... Noob Question

[projekct]

Hi,
I am looking at purchasing a Bandsaw and am looking for guidance and advice on the subject.

Pretty much light work, with the plane to become more productive as I improve. I am a time served carpenter, but havnt been on the tools in 20 yrs.

Anyway, I was considering the following:

Record BS350S

Scheppach Basato 4

I would love to hear your opinions on these two products and any issues you may have or had with them.

No doubt this is the first of many silly questions, but I appreciate your time.

Archie

 

[Peter T]

Don't know anything about the Record, but I had a Basato 4 for a while and didn't get on with it.

It was a solid enough saw but a lot of the details were poorly designed and irritating. I spent more time fettling the saw than cutting wood. The table mounting was particularly frustrating.

Also, don't count on too much help from the instruction manual. It seemed to have been written by someone whose first language was neither English or German!

You might want to look at the Axminster machines before making a choice.

Good luck,

 

[Mike.S]

I've had a Basato 4 for a few months - my first bandsaw - and after the initial fettling (it was second hand) it's given trouble free service. So, unlike Peter's experience, I'd recommend it.

 

[Stormer1940]

Budget? Judging by the saws you have mentioned looks around 600 - 800....

The make Startrite and the numbers 352 spring to mind and you will pick a used one up for cheaper than the ones you have mentioned.

What are you types of jobs are you looking at doing with the bandsaw?

The startrite is obviously an older machine so you may have to wait for one at a decent price on ebay....

 

[projekct]

I would like to continue with my furniture making, and hopefully use the saw to cut my blanks for guitar building. Its not really gonna cut anything too hefty and although I would love to spend +1k I dont know if i can justify it (My wife wont let me :shock: ).

Currently I have nothing as I ditched the table saw due to being huge in my small garage... but have a trade show coming up this month, so I may even get a discount!

I love Record power stuff, and even looked at the BS400, my mate Ben @ Crimson Guitars uses one, and he loves it. I have use RP kit in the past, but a long time ago. Scheppach stuff gets good press, but i have also read some bad too, so I am a bit bogged down.

I will consider any makers that you feel would be more suitable, and thanks for all who spend time in guidance.

 

[projekct]

Don't know anything about the Record, but I had a Basato 4 for a while and didn't get on with it.

It was a solid enough saw but a lot of the details were poorly designed and irritating. I spent more time fettling the saw than cutting wood. The table mounting was particularly frustrating.

Also, don't count on too much help from the instruction manual. It seemed to have been written by someone whose first language was neither English or German!

You might want to look at the Axminster machines before making a choice.

Good luck,

Thanks Peter.

 

[gregmcateer]

Archie,
Don't know where you are located but the woodworking machinery show is on at the NEC from today (Sun) till Wed 10th - May be useful for info, demos and poss discounts
HTH
Greg

 

[projekct]

Archie,
Don't know where you are located but the woodworking machinery show is on at the NEC from today (Sun) till Wed 10th - May be useful for info, demos and poss discounts
HTH
Greg

Hi Greg, Based in Stirlingshire, so a bit of a journey although i do enjoy any time I am in the Midlands, however the earliest one is this one...

http://www.nelton.co.uk/scottish-woodcraft-show.html

Plus it has a guy who made a wooden hat :roll:

 

[gregmcateer]

That should be good.
Hope they are better at wood than they are at designing advertising sites - How many colours and fonts!?!

 

[devonwoody]

After considering the cutting requirements of above saws, in my opinion the next most important requirement is the ease of setting the guide bearings below the table, if a model is difficult find another model.

I purchased an Axminster model last year and I am not keen in changing a blade size during a project because mine takes quite a few minutes.

Consequently when I cut the aperture of my tissue boxes (the ellipse type) I use a jigsaw to avoid blade changing.

 

[Steve Maskery]

I'd echo the comments about checking ease of access to the blade guides.
I'm currently helping out at a Community Workshop where we have a Startrite 352. It's a beast of a machine and will tackle anything thrown at it.
BUT
Changing the blade is a PITA because the lower guides are adjusted with an Allen key, the line of which is blocked by the rest of the saw. So you have to use a ball-ended one and insert it at an angle, or grind the short arm of a standard Allen key to be even shorter, in order to get it in straight. Plus, the same screw in the upper guide points upwards and so gets filled with sawdust and muck, making it impossible to insert the Allen key cleanly in there either. It really is an appalling design. It's a fairly old machine, so I would hope that they have improved it since this one was made. It actually requires a flat-bladed screwdriver, a spanner as well as the Allen key just to adjust the guides! Ludicrous. In all other respects it's a superb saw.
I have the big Basato 5 and I do like it. There is a review of it somewhere in the Buying Advice forum.
Whatever you buy, your first task should be to fit one of Ian John's Tuffsaw blades. They are simply the best and it really does make a difference to how successfully your machine will perform.
HTH
Steve

 

[projekct]

I'd echo the comments about checking ease of access to the blade guides.
I'm currently helping out at a Community Workshop where we have a Startrite 352. It's a beast of a machine and will tackle anything thrown at it.
BUT
Changing the blade is a PITA because the lower guides are adjusted with an Allen key, the line of which is blocked by the rest of the saw. So you have to use a ball-ended one and insert it at an angle, or grind the short arm of a standard Allen key to be even shorter, in order to get it in straight. Plus, the same screw in the upper guide points upwards and so gets filled with sawdust and muck, making it impossible to insert the Allen key cleanly in there either. It really is an appalling design. It's a fairly old machine, so I would hope that they have improved it since this one was made. It actually requires a flat-bladed screwdriver, a spanner as well as the Allen key just to adjust the guides! Ludicrous. In all other respects it's a superb saw.
I have the big Basato 5 and I do like it. There is a review of it somewhere in the Buying Advice forum.
Whatever you buy, your first task should be to fit one of Ian John's Tuffsaw blades. They are simply the best and it really does make a difference to how successfully your machine will perform.
HTH
Steve

Thanks Steve.. I am enjoying your DVDs very much indeed. I noted you were using the Scheppach, but like most things for an extra couple of quid I could get this has crept in.

Functionally the BS350s is good for what I need, however I love German engineering, hence the Scheppach. But my mate Ben (@crimsonguitars) used the BS400 and swears by it... lol my poor head.

I got in touch with Ian @ tuffsaws and as soon as I decide what machine I want I will have a set of his blades.

Thanks again.

 

[devonwoody]

btw, the Axminster 450n is ok just a sod to change blade because of the lower bearing but easier than the record one I used to have.

I must get round to have long extensions on allen keys.

 

[mike0910]

I recently bought my first full size bandsaw. After considering the Record and Scheppach ranges, I chose a Jet JWBS-14Q. It's a beautifully built machine that is easy to set up and cuts very accurately. One factor that swung it for me is that the table is quick to remove and replace which makes setting the bottom guides much less painful. I'm very pleased with the Jet, which is still on special offer at Axminster. (After that, I suppose I should say that I have no relationship with Axminster or Jet, except as a customer.)