Startrite 351 Bandsaw Problems.

[Worthtrying]

Hi everybody, as a virgin member, this is my first foray on the UKW Forum. My problem is regarding my Startrite 351 bandsaw, with which I'm trying to cut 38mm thick oak discs (worktop offcuts) in sizes ranging from 100mm - 400mm diameter. Surface finish isn't important in this instance as they're just rough blanks for woodturning. I'm using 3/8" wide x .025", 6TPI skip-tooth blades without much success. The motor labours, the wood smokes, & eventually the switch trips off. I can resume work after a couple of minutes but usually with the same results. I'm assuming that the task I'm trying to carry out is within the capacity of the machine but would like to here from any other 351 owners who might have experienced similar problems. I'm also considering ordering a couple of 3TPI skip-tooth blades but any advice or suggestions from other UKW members would be much appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Trevanion]

Is it a new blade or one that came with the machine when you bought it? Sounds like a dull blade problem to me.

 

[Ttrees]

Less TPI is the answer, and securing your round log to avoid the blade kinking in the cut.
Good idea to put a hand on your motor, if its tripping your breaker.
You could be really heating it up.
Welcome to the forum
Tom

 

[CHJ]

Definitely sounds like poor blade,
UNLESS;- it has happened before, are the blade teeth facing the correct way, would not be the first time a blade has turned inside out in folding or releasing.

 

[Worthtrying]

Yes, thanks for all your comments. I'll check the motor out tomorrow & try a 3 tpi blade. I've had the 351 a while, after buying it second-hand, but this is the first time I've used it for cutting thick hardwood .

 

[sunnybob]

Are you freehanding the cutting? A common cause of all your problems is just pushing the wood through too quickly.
You definitely need less TPI though, I would use somewhere between 4 and 10 TPI for that.
Its very easy to make a circle cutting jig, there are many on utube.

 

[Worthtrying]

Thanks sunnybob. Yes, I'm using a circle cutting jig but the cut just refuses to progress. These particular blanks are 110 dia. & maybe some of the charring is being caused by blade wear reducing the kerf width & the tight radius binding on the back of the blade.

 

[CHJ]

A 3/8" blade should be fine down to a 65-70mm diameter circle.
See the Tuff Saw Guide

For turning blanks I would say it is totally unnecessary to use a circle cutting jig.
Just use your circle jig to cut some marking/guide discs and use these to mark your blanks or tack them on to act as a rough guide.

If you are using a Circle Jig to cut blanks it is absolutely essential that you have the pivot point perfectly aligned with the front of the teeth in an East-West plane.
If not your blade will attempt to cut a spiral, either inwards If the blade front is behind the line or outwards if it is in front of the line and this will rapidly apply side pressure to the blade and cause binding as it tries to force the blade sideways.

Edit:- Jig in use.

 

[AJB Temple]

Personally, for turning, I cut by hand on the band saw and as long as it is roughly a circle (by which I mean it could be a dodecadron - 12 sides) as soon as it is on the lathe it is trued up in 20 seconds. I don't worry about it much and have never had a problem.

I wouldn't bother trying to get circles of 100mm or whatever. Generally I am happy to try that from octagonal stock - or frankly square with the corners knocked off.

 

[Keith 66]

38mm is under 2" thick, a sharp 6tpi blade should go through that in no time.
Sounds to me like the blade is inside out so the teeth are facing upwards, i have seen this done, we didnt let the bloke forget in a hurry!