Second bandsaw advice

[jam3s]

Hello all

Been looking at bandsaws and the various old threads. Seen that the startrite 352 are super popular but the price seems to have gone up with some asking around the 600 or more. For an extra few hundred I see I can get a wadkin bzb or mzf.

Is it worth spending thr extra for the wadkin over the startrite for the extra quality?

My pllan was to power a three phase saw from eirher a vfd or phase converter like the clarke box. The number of 240v units seems limited and was thinking with the clarke box it opens up for purchasing a thickness planner later on.

i want to do resawing of small blocks with probs 6 inch oak being the max.

Thanks for any help in advanced

 

[Fitzroy]

I had a Startrite 352 with a 3 phase 750w motor running from a 1.5kw VFD and found it under powered, it would struggle with oak at 200mm depth unless the blade was fresh out the box. Others seem to have better experience, but I'd turn up with a block of what you want to cut and test the machine and make sure you are happy before parting with your cash.

 

[Spectric]

750 watts seems small for any machine, most bandsaws seem to be around the 2000 watts input on single phase. With old machinery then three phase is more common and having a decent digital phase convertor would open up many possibilities especially with you looking for a P/T. With some P/T's they have two motors so here the convertor is the much better route and with Dc brakes which might need the right type of convertor.

The clarke convertors would be ok for the bandsaw but check suitability with a P/T due to the higher inrush current and maybe a better option would be this 5.5Kw convertor from JFK who would be able to advise on suitability better than some bod at machine mart.

https://www.jfkelectricalni.com/product/digital-phase-converter-5-5kw-7-5hp-240v-in-400v-out/

If looking at future proofing the workshop then maybe look for something larger and even a pure sinewave convertor.

 

[jam3s]

I think wading mzf is also 1hp so maybe that might be underpowered as well?

Il have a look at the jfk as well