Bandsaw Choice

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Bandsaw Choice

This topic has 85 replies, 34 voices, and was last updated 13 July 2014 at 21:15 by Bazyle.

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14 February 2012 at 11:52 #84728
ChrisH
Participant
@chrish
I am at the ‘pondering’ stage. I had considered I might make a power hacksaw from bits I have in the ‘shop’. Then I saw comments on power hacksaw threads recently that suggested a bandsaw would be the better bet. A bandsaw had been on the wish list before I considered making a power hacksaw.

I have but a very small ‘shop’, so a very small bandsaw (small footprint, light weight as it would live under a bench) would be required. I am considering 3 on my shortlist:

The Warco CY90, the Chester H80, and the Axminster MCB100A.

All seem to have similar capacities, motor sizes and weights, but the first 2 would be about £170 delivered or less and the Axminster £287 ( I would collect so no delivery). The Axminster looks like a slightly smaller overall package.

I am a complete beginner here, having never owned or even used one before, so:

What does the team think about the shortlist – does anyone have any ownership or working knowledge of these machines? Can they be recommended?

ChrisH
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14 February 2012 at 11:52 #5955
ChrisH
Participant
@chrish
14 February 2012 at 13:47 #84741
John Hinkley
Participant
@johnhinkley26699
Chris,

I had a Warco CY90 bandsaw delivered to a relative and picked it up last time I was in the UK. It fitted easily in the car and was manageable weight-wise. It has a limited capacity as described in the adverts, but it does the job well enough, although I would suggest that you invest in a bimetallic blade. The supplied ones aren’t the best and I believe don’t stand the test of time. Mine didn’t make an accurate vertical cut straight out of the box and required a bit of fettling to get it to my satisfaction. I see there’s an article in the latest MEW, detailing mods to these bandsaws, they could certainly do with the jaw extensions for smaller pieces of material. Go ahead, I say, I don’t think you’ll regret it!

John
14 February 2012 at 15:07 #84746
Metalhacker
Participant
@metalhacker
I bought the CY90 in August and have few complaints. The instructions leave a lot to be desired but I got a set for a german version of the same thing from Dias Costa by PM and they are much better. The Jaws can be both ‘bodged’ to increase capacity or use the mods in this months and previous MEW’s to help out. It gets used about once a week and has saved a lot of elbow grease over the Armstrong method. I too would say go for it, but check out the instructions from each brand first. Warco are poor. I don’t know how the others stack up. Functionally no complaints and unlike John, mine does cut pretty square.

BW

Andries
14 February 2012 at 15:13 #84749
Bazyle
Participant
@bazyle
Axminster put the manual online but the other’s don’t.

Note the C & W have 3 speeds – anyone comment on this?

The next bigger Warco advertises a table for vertical cutting not mentioned on the smaller ones or the equivalent Chester. This larger size is sold by Grizzly as the G0622 (Americans don’t do small) which I mention as they have the manual online.
14 February 2012 at 16:03 #84753
Keith Long
Participant
@keithlong89920
Hi Chris

I’ve got the Chester H80, and while I haven’t used it much (yet) I’ve been pleased with it when I have made cuts. The manual is rubbish but the saw is pretty simple to sort out anyway and the general comments about getting blade guide set etc apply just the same. Mine cuts nice and squarely, managed to cut a 2mm thick slice from the end of a 25mm dia steel bar without drama or problem. This saw and the Warco equivalent cannot be used in vertical mode as bought, but I think it might be possible to adapt them to that. Also the Chester version does not have any auto cut off at the completion of the cut, I can’t speak for any other version. I intend to fit that as a mod to mine.

The means of getting angled cuts is different on the small saws to the larger models in that on the small ones the saw head swings round to get the angle, rather than rotating the vice. This means that the material path into the saw is always the same, but you can wind up with the blade a long way from the vice jaws, so a supplementary vice is something to look at. On the other hand if you want to cut a 45 deg. on the end of some long stock then you don’t have the problem of the “spare” end of the stock needing to be swung round in a great arc, or having to wrestle a weighty saw into place to get enough room.

I’ve boxed in the stand legs on mine with hardboard which gives a more rigid frame and also fitted a shelf at half height. I’ve also bolted the whole machine onto a baseboard of OSB (could be ply) and it is now on castors to make moving it easier.

Keith
14 February 2012 at 18:37 #84767
michael howarth 1
Participant
@michaelhowarth1
I also have a Chester H80 and agree with everything that Keith says above. There have been loads of useful mods published for this model but since I fitted it with Starrett bimetal blades it’s performance is much enhanced.
14 February 2012 at 19:43 #84773
Sub Mandrel
Participant
@submandrel
I have either a Chester h80 or the Clarke equivalent (it hasn’t got a label on it) but I have a vague idea I may have bought it from Machine Mart. It’s blue and yellow.

I too agree with Keith and Mick, I even use a Starrett bimetal blade too and it’s brilliant. It happily chopped slices off 2 1/4″ EN1A PB and lots of tougher materials including stainless steel and silver steel.

I might add an automatic stop by wiring an extra microswitch with the stop button.

I have only put a shelf underneath, not boxed it in.

One mistake – I replaced the feet with medium duty castors – but teh angled bits for the feet aren’t welded in place and bent! I will follow Keith’s advice and add a sheet of coard underneath. For the short while the wheels worked it was very handy as it has quite a footprint in use, but when not used it tucks away next to a bench.

Neil
14 February 2012 at 22:49 #84805
ChrisH
Participant
@chrish
Hi, many thanks for the informed comments. No one has commented on the Axminster machine, I was wondering how the extra ?100 or so quid was justified! Sounds like the cheaper machines will do OK.
ChrisH
14 February 2012 at 23:10 #84806
Gone Away
Participant
@goneaway
There are some small, hand-held bandsaws around that can be mounted to a base with minimal effort and are relatively inexpensive – see pic.

I did this originally until I got a used 6 x 4 and then sold this one. It worked satisfyingly well. At the time it cost me $40 (on sale) at HarborFreight in the US when I was on vacation there.
15 February 2012 at 00:16 #84808
alan frost
Participant
@alanfrost17805
We all can only give opinion -heres mine for what its worth. A bandsaw usually becomes the most used and most useful machine in the shop. I have had a Chester H80 for about 10 years and have been delighted with it. Its a bit smaller than a standard 4X6 but even so I’ve several times sawn through standard BR track which is quite a test . Mine is heavily modified ( vertical cutting table, supplementary vice, transport handle which jacks down two castors when lifted, swarf removal brush, jacking screw for vice, extra 2 shelves) None of these mods were expensive and are par for the course. Needed a bit of improvement in setting up and also buying better blades, but again par for the course.

Axminster, IMO, have slightly better quality than Warco and Chesters lower end products such as the H80. From what I remember of the Axminster saw it differred slightly in design and my memory of it was that it was a better design. Given a bit of ingenuity and perusal of the various 4X6 mods available on the internet you can probably cut anything on these slightly smaller machines that a 4X6 would tackle but if I had a bit more room I’d still go for a 4X6.
15 February 2012 at 00:27 #84809
alan frost
Participant
@alanfrost17805
Refreshed my memory and had another look at the Axminster. Definitely a different animal to the other two, with no stand and looks to me , from the picture, a significantly higher quality machine although it won’t handle as big parts as the Chester and Warco. In this instance I would go for the Chester. IMO always go for the biggest machine you can afford and fit in the space you have. I have found the Warco blades better than Chester, so far.

Edited By alan frost on 15/02/2012 00:28:55
15 February 2012 at 09:48 #84816
Ian S C
Participant
@iansc
I mentioned on another saw thread the other day about building my own power hacksaw out of junk. Even if you buy a band saw, its quite a worthwhile project, and if you don’t have room for it, and you make a good enough job, you can flog it off for a few bob. You can make it to take ordenary hacksaw blades, or industrial size, and a 1/4hp motor is quite adequate, and about 70/80 strokes per min. Ian S C
16 February 2012 at 23:48 #84996
David Haynes
Participant
@davidhaynes53962
Hi ChrisH,

Which were the recent threads that suggest bandsaws are better than power hacksaws?

Dave
17 February 2012 at 11:24 #85028
James fortin
Participant
@jamesfortin46829
i dont know about the mcb 100 from axminster

but i bought the swivel head model a while back and the build quality was shocking. lots of bits were damaged and didnt fit together properly (even with a bit of TLC it wouldnt even cut straight), i asked for a replacment but that was exaclty the same- in the end i asked for a refund.

if i end up buying a bandsaw again it will probably be a well built profesional model

james
17 February 2012 at 19:15 #85097
ChrisH
Participant
@chrish
Dave,

Small Power Hacksaw was one thread that had comments suggesting the bandsaw might be the better bet – there was another but can't remember which one. To be fair, there were also comments that suggested that bandsaws are not so good, so I guess "you pays yer money and yer takes yer choice" as the saying goes.

Why do you ask, do you have strong views either way? I just wanted a means to cut material other than by hand that wasn't too costly to buy nor to big to stow out the way, but I am not sure I could find the time to make one (a powered hacksaw) unless it was very simple and I greatly improved my welding skills!

ChrisH

Edited By ChrisH on 17/02/2012 19:17:39
17 February 2012 at 23:45 #85136
ChrisH
Participant
@chrish
A query to those of you who have a Warco CY90 or a Chester H80 bandsaw.

Can the bandsaw be locked in the vertical position to enable it to be used as a vertical bandsaw as well as a horizontal one? I appreciate some mods would be needed like a table for instance.

And I presume the drive is via belts not gears. Is this a problem in obtaining smoothness of cut? I ask as a brief look at the Axminster manual on-line would suggest that the Axminster machine's gear drive is claimed to give a smoother cut than a belt drive would.

ChrisH
18 February 2012 at 00:05 #85139
Keith Long
Participant
@keithlong89920
Hi Chris

The Chester H80 as bought doesn't lift up to the vertical position. I haven't taken any measurements buit I THINK it COULD be persuaded to – might need to do a bit of trimming to some bits of the saw around the area of the pivot. As you say, you'd then need to make a suitable table and mounting, which again I think should be do-able.

The saw has three speeds and is belt drive from the motor to a worm reduction gear box so I don't see why it should not be as smooth as the Axminster unit – I suspect a bit of "marketing" in the claim to be honest!

Keith
18 February 2012 at 04:20 #85145
Springbok
Participant
@springbok
If you want a decent manual and not chingalese go to grizzly.com pick out the your bit of kit they mostly come out of the same factory just different coulours and badging. and download a manual, as American can be a bit OTT elf and safety.

Bob
18 February 2012 at 15:07 #85182
alan frost
Participant
@alanfrost17805
Hi, ChrisH. Have modified my C80 so it cuts in vertical position. Keith is quite right it needs some persuasion. I had to cut away part of the belt guard, which would otherwise foul the end of the base. I used an old table from a belt grinder as the table and mounted it on a plate that replaces the gearbox cover and gives a very rigid mounting. I incorporated a pivot arrangement with a screwed adjustment that enables me to adjust the angle of cut so as to get the blade cutting exactly square to the table, or slightly offset for fine tapers . My mounting also allows adjustment to the table angle to give small angled cuts in the plane of the table. An adjustable support bar can be screwed into the cast iron section of the base to give extra table rigidity when very heavy parts need to be sawn.

This mod considerably increases the capacity of the saw and is the most useful mod. I have done to the saw. I also fitted a lift handle which when lifted forces two castors into contact with the ground, via push rods enabling the saw to be moved in wheel barrow fashion, out from its storage position. This works admirably and IMO is far superior to other castor arrangements I have seen (and tried ) on the internet forums. My mods were built out of scrapbinium and skipalloy and are not particularly pretty but work really well.

The bandsaw does not lock in the vertical cutting position the weight distribution being such that gravity holds the saw firmly vertical.

Another mod. I have in mind, but have not yet had occasion to fit , is to use one of those hydraulically operated door stops (most useful devices which can often be found in skips or bought cheaply second hand ) as the motive force to automatically feed stock into the blade when cutting vertically. (via a wire cord ).

I am reluctant to offer to post photos as I know how user unfriendly this site can be but if pushed will try and do so. (I have managed it before but had to invoke sorcery and the black arts and not sure I can remember all the spells. I also need the sweat of two young virgins , which I am running low on but could certainly be persuaded to attempt the photo posting spell if anyone could forward a gallon or two, or even better two young virginal maidens.

)

Edited By alan frost on 18/02/2012 15:08:50

Edited By alan frost on 18/02/2012 15:21:22

Edited By alan frost on 18/02/2012 15:32:25
18 February 2012 at 18:55 #85202
ChrisH
Participant
@chrish
Hi Alan, thanks for the info, most interesting. I am right out of young virgin maidens right now, think there is a world shortage or something, but if you do find any then photos would be great, a picture's worth a thousand words and all that, and I for one would appreciate them.

Managed a trip to Axminster this afternoon by suggesting to the Memsahib that she might like to browse shops there – a usual winner I admit – and spent some time examining the Axminster MCB100A bandsaw. For the benefit of others, it seems well made, comes with a bi-metal blade (which begins to offset the price differential), has a very slightly bigger size capability, is set up for vertical mode as standard, has auto cut-out as standard too and has a quick action vice. That said, the vice seemed a bit sloppy both on the moving jaw and in the thread nut but perhaps it hadn't been set-up properly. It's also compact coming as it does without the trolley which would be an advantage in a small (read cramped) workshop like mine. So now I'm no further forward really!!!

Why is nothing ever easy?

ChrisH

Edited By ChrisH on 18/02/2012 18:58:26
19 February 2012 at 18:32 #85258
alan frost
Participant
@alanfrost17805
Right, Chris, I will pick a day next week when no young children are in earshot and attempt photos. I have been lead to believe that dragon breath condensate is a reasonable substitute for virgin sweat so will try that.

Last time I attempted the photo posting spell my mother-in -law had a rough landing and complained of power loss in the air. Her cat (which was riding pillion and got the worst of the turbulence) kept looking at me suspiciously and if they had ever connected the loss of broomstick power with a side effect of my spells I fear that at best I would have ended my days as a frog. Despite writing to her consumer magazine "Witch" ,they never managed to prove anything.

Never the less in the interests of clarity I will try and repeat the feat (but no guarantees of success ).

Edited By alan frost on 19/02/2012 18:36:31

Edited By alan frost on 19/02/2012 18:41:02
26 April 2012 at 23:37 #89789
ChrisH
Participant
@chrish
Thought I ought to 'square the circle' or something and report back on what I ended up buying.

I settled in the end for the Axminster bandsaw, even though it was more than I wanted to pay, partly because of it's size and weight and that it didn't come with a trolley so it would fit under my workbench out the way, partly because it already had the vertical operation mode built into together with the auto-stop, and partly because it was well made and local.

However, the auto stop is currently not working as it needs adjustment, I haven't had the time to fix it yet. Although the online manual says it comes with a bi-metal blade (a good selling point) I have my doubts, especially as Axminster think so highly of the makers blade that they supply one of their locally made blades as a FOC spare. The jury is still out on the vice too, as the jaws are quite long and the screw is offset away from the blade end and the whole lot seems a bit wobbley.

That said, the vice does seem to work well although when holding short lengths you need a distance piece the other end of the vice to ensure the vice holds squarely. The bandsaw itself I am very pleased with indeed. It works very well, not too noisy, cuts very straight and very square with a very good finish, most of the swarf goes into the holder supplied, in fact, I now catch myself muttering "how did I ever manage without it". It has rapidly got itself into the 'workshop essential tool' catagory and I would certainly recommend it. Cut a fair few lengths of flat today an awful lot faster and more effortless than doing it by hand, and it did a lot better job too – it was a joy to use.

Chris

Edited By ChrisH on 26/04/2012 23:39:28
27 December 2012 at 19:34 #107284
Kevin F
Participant
@kevinf
Posted by Sid Herbage on 14/02/2012 23:10:46:

There are some small, hand-held bandsaws around that can be mounted to a base with minimal effort and are relatively inexpensive – see pic.

I did this originally until I got a used 6 x 4 and then sold this one. It worked satisfyingly well. At the time it cost me $40 (on sale) at HarborFreight in the US when I was on vacation there.

Im on the look out for a bandsaw, I went to machine mart today and looked at the Clark bandsaw they have on sale, not a bad machine but I only have a small work shop 10*8 shed to be precise ,I was thinking about making something like the above ,I need a bandsaw I can put under my workbench and take it out when needed, has anyone used a chop saw ? How loud are they ? Any advice appriciated thanks Kev

Edited By Kevin Fenrich on 27/12/2012 19:34:53

Edited By Kevin Fenrich on 27/12/2012 19:35:21

Edited By Kevin Fenrich on 27/12/2012 19:36:00
27 December 2012 at 19:51 #107285
ChrisH
Participant
@chrish
Hi – I haven't used a chop saw but seen one used in anger a lot of times. They do the business OK, but are very noisy – anti-socially so – and messy in use with the dust that comes off. If you have one it needs to be used outside the workshop, but that makes the noise worse for the neighbours! As I said earlier, I think the Axminster compact bandsaw to be a very good machine.

Chrish
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