Record Power BS400

[Dr Al]

Yep, I'm a happy bunny indeed

I got it unloaded (in bits) when I got home but it was too hot to do much with it then. I put it together on Sunday morning and even managed to weld up a simple replacement base for it before the heat got too oppressive: the standard "wheel kit" is very good, but I've got so little space that if I want to turn the bandsaw around I'd have to wheel it out of the garage (onto a rough gravel drive), turn it round and then wheel it back in again.

With these four workbench castors (which lift off the ground for stability when in use) I can spin it on its axis and manoeuvre it into a relatively out-of-the-way space when not in use.

I did have a chance for one quick test (after a very cursory "Snodgrassing" of it ):

This is what those pieces looked like on one edge:

and t'other:

Nay bad for a very quick attempt at lining it up. I'll do some more experimentation once the workshop has returned to a more civilised temperature.

 

[bp122]

Another happy owner of the bs400 here. Wish I could nick your wheel dolly thing. I need to build one for mine. I can't have it too high like a traditionally dolly as it will hit the garage door when it opens. Can't have it with small wheels as the ridges in the concrete floor are a real pain. Still scratching my head for a solution!

 

[Dr Al]

Another happy owner of the bs400 here. Wish I could nick your wheel dolly thing. I need to build one for mine. I can't have it too high like a traditionally dolly as it will hit the garage door when it opens. Can't have it with small wheels as the ridges in the concrete floor are a real pain. Still scratching my head for a solution!

For what it's worth, the retractable castors I used were only £40 and, if you don't have welding gear then wood would probably be strong enough.

Alternatively, do it properly & fit a roller garage door: then you'll have loads more headroom and some extra overhead storage space too!

 

[Jaydee]

Or you could buy some cheap self leveling floor screed and smooth out the floor. I did and it’s one of the best things I did. Much easier to sweep up, and everything on casters just glides around the floor. On a standard garage I used 4 bags and I think it was £15 a bag. Wickes have offers on now and again.

 

[Dr Al]

I thought I'd post a little update on the bandsaw. It has settled into its spot nicely and the castors are working well when I need to move it out the way (for example when I wanted to use the milling machine to make my new shooting handle).

I haven't used it a great deal yet as I had a lot of tidying up and other half-finished jobs to get on with, but I've been adding a few bits and bobs. Firstly, a taller fence for when I'm resawing wide stock (with a cut-out for the guide thingy):

I also made a very simple plywood cover to protect the table when I do quick jobs on the milling machine and can't be bothered to move the bandsaw:

The 3D printer has also been very busy "accessorising" the bandsaw.

Firstly, I 3D printed (with 100% infill) some inserts for the throat: they seem to be sold for about £14 each, whereas I can print three of them for 80p so that seemed a better option:

I also made a (magnetically attached) cover for the on/off switches to remind me to flip the cam tension lever before starting the saw:

 

[Dr Al]

Finally, I 3D printed a Maskery pattern dust extractor:

... and yes, I could have made it out of 40 mm pipe and brackets like Steve did in his video, but that would have involved going to a shop, and where's the fun in that?

The three brackets each have two very strong 20 mm diameter, 6 mm deep magnets glued into the back face (which is curved to match the shape of the door: a 1.5 metre radius curve!)

The bottom piece (printed in black) is shaped at the end to match all the other bits and pieces in my garage (actually based on the outside diameter of the tools that came with vacuum cleaner, so I can still use those without disconnecting the dust box).

Close-up of the top bit to show how it works for those too lazy to watch Steve's video (the sawdust you can see on the underside of the table was there before I fitted the dust catcher):

I was far too lazy to do as thorough a test as Steve did in his video, but I thought it was worth resawing a bit of 150 mm poplar in half and seeing what happened:

Not perfect, but pretty darn good:

 

[Jarno]

Pretty nifty additions using 3d printing!
Did you add them to Thingiverse?

 

[Dr Al]

Pretty nifty additions using 3d printing!
Did you add them to Thingiverse?

Not yet, but I'll try to get them posted somewhere in the next week or so and will add a link here for anyone who's interested.

 

[Jarno]

Searched but couldn't find a sort of collection topic for interesting 3d files, so created one:

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/thread...inting-files-relevant-for-woodworking.138009/

 

[Spectric]

Record sell the later Sabre fence as an upgrade for the BS400 88888 Sabre Bandsaw Fence Upgrade Kit

But I find the Kreg aftermarket one better, Kreg Precision Bandsaw Fence but either make it easier to position the fence on the other side of the blade.