Any bandsaw users here ?

Emp_Fab

I picked up a cheap 250w B&Q bandsaw from a car boot, fixed the on/off switch and cleaned it all up and it works....  but....  it has the power of a small bee.  I can barely cut through a 5mm bit of laminate without the blade slowly coming to a halt.  I'm presuming this isn't normal for a 250w machine ? I know 250w is low powered but surely it should cut better than this ?....but as I've never used a bandsaw before, I don't really know !

Can a motor fail in a mode that it still runs at its correct speed but has very little power ?

TTony

Is the blade blunt?

I've got a mega-machine, but that'll still burn (rather than cut) itway through wood if the blade is blunt, or if it's the wrong blade for the job.

Justbandsawblades.co.uk

Misterg

Mine's a cheapy 260W one acquired during mildly inebriated ebaying. It managed OK (actually better than OK - perfectly well) with this (~4" thick):

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh143/werdnayarg/webstuf/Firedoor/DSC_1761.jpg


1) Get a new blade - I was recommended one that turned out to be excellent (can do some digging if you need).

2) Make sure the blade guides & bearings are clean, free running and properly adjusted

3) Don't push - you never need to push....

The blade on mine was on backwards when I got it - the teeth pointed up because someone had turned the blade inside out before fitting it...

WezV

Yeah, new blade, oil the bearings and let the blade do its job as said above.

I am still using a little old clarke bandsaw that I was given about 12 years ago.

When set up well it still cuts 4" of maple fairly well.

Emp_Fab

Hmmm.. ok... I get that the blade is probably buggered - (I had to emery-cloth the rust of the sides of it !) - but the teeth feel sharp.  However.... what is bothering me is the ease at which I can get it to stall the motor - if I press against the side of the blade with a stick of wood, it doesn't take a huge amount of pressure to stop the thing from running.  I reckon I could probably just about manage to stop it with my fingers, with gloves on, if I squeezed hard enough - but obviously I'm not going to risk trying that !

I'll try a new blade - if I can get one that fits.  I'll have a google and in the meantime, I'd be grateful if @Misterg, you could find out what blade it was that you were recommended.

I have no idea what type of blade to get - it's going to be used for slicing driftwood and I don't care about how clean or straight the cut is - rough as hell but quick will be fine !

I've just read the label and it says '1400mm x 6.35mm x 0.35mm, 6TPI: 900m/min'.

Emp_Fab

I've just measured the blade that's on it and it's 3TPI, 12mm x 0.5mm (I'm presuming the length must be correct !).

Maybe that doesn't help !

WezV

Is the blade tensioned properly?

TTony

Try the site I quoted way back up there ^^^

That'll tell you what blades you need based on the make/model of the saw.

Emp_Fab

WezV said:

Is the blade tensioned properly?

I haven't got a clue what is supposed to be 'proper' !

jd0272

......tell us it's a different floor..........

Emp_Fab

Ha ha !  No... I was just testing it with some offcuts from when I laid the floor.

Misterg

Emp_Fab said:

...if I press against the side of the blade with a stick of wood, it doesn't take a huge amount of pressure to stop the thing from running.  I reckon I could probably just about manage to stop it with my fingers, with gloves on, if I squeezed hard enough - but obviously I'm not going to risk trying that !

I'll try a new blade - if I can get one that fits.  I'll have a google and in the meantime, I'd be grateful if @Misterg, you could find out what blade it was that you were recommended.

I was recommended Hakansson Silco blades. My saw looks the same as the Clarke / Machine mart one and takes a 56 1/8" long blade between 1/8" and 3/8" wide, but like TTony said - you need to find the specific blade length for your saw (website or manual). If you have  a choice of blade thicknesses: thinner cuts faster but is more fragile. If you have a choice of blade widths: wider (e.g. 12mm) is better for straight lines, narrower (e.g. 4mm) is better for curves, but again, more fragile. High TPI for thin stuff, low TPI for thicker stuff. 6TPI worked OK for me.

The ease with which you can stop the blade sounds about right, particularly if the blade and the guides are rusty, dry and maybe not properly set up.

Have you got the manual for yours? The manual for my saw is here. Page 10 onwards explains how to set the blade tension and tracking, and then how to adjust the upper and lower side guides and the bearing behind the blade. All of this needs to be right for it to cut well and needs to be adjusted if/when you change the blade. Of course, your saw may differ...

It's worth taking the time out to set it up from scratch IMHO.

holnrew

Might be worth stripping down and checking the motor runs well solo.

chillidoggy

There's some sound advice here. And if all else fails, you could always sell it. I've heard that car boot sales are a good way to offload shite on unsuspecting buyers.

Emp_Fab

Hey... I didn't buy it...  it was my sister-in-law who knew Mrs Fab needed a bandsaw.  Though, having said that, I would have bought it for a tenner too.

I remember years ago she needed an electric typewriter and we picked one up from the car boot.  The sellers had typed up a test page and put it in the machine to 'prove' it worked.  When we got it home, it was buggered.  It took me a few days to repair it (you try bypassing multiple cracked tracks in a thin plastic multi-way edge connector ! - fucking nightmare.)  When I finally got it working, the font was different from the 'test page' the sellers had attached to the machine at the car boot.  What utter cunts.  How can anyone think like that ?  "Here - let's get a few quid for this broken thing...  I know, let's stick a sheet of paper in it so the unsuspecting buyer will think it works !".

I'd like to think scum like that get their comeuppance in the end, but I doubt they do.

VimFuego

I think it may have been a clue when the test page was written in crayon.

ESBlonde

As has been written above, first get a good quality blade (or a set of blades) not just the cheapest. That will make all the difference. Then set up the saw correctly (there is no shortage of ewechoob vids on how to do this). Finally, feed the work in gently so as not to flex the blade and get wobble cuts.
Nearly all the 'budget' DIY band saws need this doing to them, the fact that you got a bargain makes no difference. Even Pro quality saws need setting up properly, it's just easier to do that's all.

chillidoggy

PSA: Please be aware that this could well be a long-running thread.

ESBlonde

chillidoggy said:

PSA: Please be aware that this could well be a long-running thread.

I think not running is more the problem.