Bandsaw Choice

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Posted by Douglas Johnston on 31/12/2012 09:33:59:

Over £25 per blade including postage for the bimetal ones on ebay seems rather expensive but I suppose you get what you pay for.

Doug

That is expensive.

I only pay a tad more than that for 12'6" x 1" ones to fit my big bandsaw that can take 13" round.

After trying all different makes over the years I only buy Lennox blades from J&L as experience has shown these will out perform any others.

I used to have one of the early Generic Chinese 4 x 6's, bought from Graham Engineering it was that long ago. Awesome machine, probably did more work than any other machine in the shop as it prepped all the material for the lathes, millers, fabrication etc.

I only got rid of it as I was literally falling over it all the while after buying the larger saw.

[john fletcher 1Participant @johnfletcher1]

£25 for a blade seems a lot of money.We get together as a group and buy from a local nut/bolt/screw/washer etc dealer. We pay up front and they deliver within 3 days, we usually buy 12 or more and can mix and match regarding teeth per inch. The blades are Bi-metalic made by an Internationally known manufacturers of blades on the Scottish Boarders for about £12 each.So I suggest you link up with several other users and save money. Happy New Year.ted

[John HinkleyParticipant @johnhinkley26699]

I've just ordered two bi-metal blades from TuffSaws for my Warco CY90 after the two supplied blades went ping one after the other. Cost: £14.50 each (plus £5.00 air mail), which is about the cheapest I could find through an internet trawl. I just hope they're as good as they're cracked up to be!

John

[Sandy MortonParticipant @sandymorton10620]

Thanks for the help guys. I've ordered one from the ebay supplier and I'll keep my fingers crossed – if it's OK it's worth the money.

[Michael Cox 1Participant @michaelcox1]

I have been buying blades for my 6 x 4 bandsaw from Toolstation at about £5 a time. This cut well and last a very long time.

Mike

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

I have just taken delivery of a WARCO CY90 band saw and apart from shortening the legs (to fit under the bench) and fitting castors I have not even powered it up. The thing is, having read many posts on band saws I have not found one which mentions the need for cutting oil / soluble oil. I did my "time" in the sixties and seventies and remember that cut off saws always used mystic. Have the modern blades got that good that they don't need it?

PS My Chinese lathe has yet to be delivered but I hope its cosmetic build quality is somewhat better than this band saw. It may well do a decent job but she is one ugly b**ch!

Rik

[Chris HeapyParticipant @chrisheapy71135]

I use straight cutting oil but only when I have to – stainless steel mainly. On my saw adding cutting oil can make the blade slip off its wheels which means the messy job of opening it up and re-fitting it. The blade very rarely (if ever) slips off otherwise.

I've got through quite a few blades on my saw over the years, at least a dozen coarse 10tpi blades which I used for cutting aluminium, I didn't have a lot of luck with 10tpi and can't recommend them because, although they cut faster, they seem prone to breaking far more often. However my current standard blade has been on for at least a couple of years, sometimes you get one that seems to last forever.

I keep a fine sharp blade especially for cutting brass – well, large section brass anyway (I can't be bothered changing it for the odd bit of rod). A blade that has been used on steel struggles to cut if it is later used on brass.

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

Hi all,

I bought one from Machine Mart during their VAT free days after Xmas & initially seem to cut ok but I decide to check the blade guide alignment anyhow after reading other comments on this thread.I ended up machining the back blade guide as the tongue was well out of true even though the initial test cut seemed to be ok, I also drilled & tapped the guide for lateral adjustment(4mm hex bolts) to allow extra movement. Having reset the blade square to the bed as per directions, reset the bearings to just bear on the blade & rotate, I had to change one of the bearings as there was a definate rumble & it was sticking,took off the shield & found some chrome had come off the bearing cage, the bearing was replaced under warranty, thanks MM, Have some pics somewhere but need to sort my album out !

I cleaned out the old bearing, regreased with Lithium base grease & have now used it for my little quick truing device, works just fine. I digress!.. on reassembley & true up the saw cuts just fine, with the original blade as well! I test cut a 1mm sliver off the end of a 19mm square ms bar and all 4 corners measured out equal to within .001" on one corner..damn well good enough for me considering the ends of any material will be machined true anyhow.

Have tried it on ally, brass & ms, using WD 40 as coolant for the ally' soluble for the ms (intermittent spray) & dry for the brass (& a piece of CI IIRC) all have cut well, & still having the original 14 tpi blade in. I did buy a pack of spare original blades as an 'on offer' at the same time but so far still have the original blade on although I haven't cut any 'large pieces' yet, although I did cut a piece from a 11/2" round and it was square enough, but then a one off might differ from multiples? must have struck lucky, again ! so I can't really complain on this piece of kit, does what I ask & saved a bit of 'elbow grease', fingers crossed etc.

Cheers

George

[Chris HeapyParticipant @chrisheapy71135]

I've never had an issue with the blade guide bearings other than adjustment, but have to admit ball bearings are not the best solution. The larger models use carbide blade guides which are more accurate.

These 6×4 saws are incredibly tough wearing, I've cut 6" stainless bar – not once but many, many times (but I had to turn the piece around to cut all the way through of course). One blade would last maybe 6 cuts before it was too blunt to use (or it snapped) and the motor tended to get a tad warm-ish These 2" slices were sawn from 6" bar to make telescope counterweights and after sawing them off my poor little Myford was then pressed into service boring them out and turning all over to a nice finish. The saw cuts were accurate enough that maybe 20thou had to come off to true them up – depends how accurately I managed to line the cuts up after turning the bar. I know I should have used a bigger/beefier saw but I didn't have room for one, but it shows that if it doesn't fall apart shortly after buying it then one of these saws will likely last many years.

Edited By Chris Heapy on 03/06/2013 17:08:13

Edited By Chris Heapy on 03/06/2013 17:08:42

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

My local Metals Supermarket cuts alloys with a dry blade and only uses coolant on larger/tougher steel sections.

They cut a lot of metal and have a nice big professional bandsaw.

Neil

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I believe that the 6×4 horizontal/vertical bandsaw was designed in the USA somewhere about the early 1950s for one of the larger retail chain stores. Ian S C

[Chris HeapyParticipant @chrisheapy71135]

It might be an old design but it is the newer bi-metal blades which make them work well. The old carbon steel blades never did take kindly to being continually bent around the wheels and guides and would snap regularly – especially if over-tightened to the least degree.

The saws (the blade guides) do need careful setting up to cut accurately though, I use a parallel length of barstock I slit up the center for an inch on the mill, then drilled a hole for a clamp screw. This is then clamped onto the blade and a square placed on the vice bed will then indicate whether it is set orthogonal to the vice. You have to do this near each blade guide, and the guide assemblies themselves are crude affairs requiring judicious taps with a hammer (after loosening the bolts) to get them lined up. However, once done the saw will do its stuff and cut very accurately.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I do the lathe work, plus some of the other stuff, building a tow along machine for feeding out large square bales of hay, over the last 10 or 12 years we have built over 60 of them, all the steel has been cut on a 6x 4 bandsaw, we burned out a motor one day I wasn't there, the boss left it cutting,and went away to do something else, the blade jambed, and when he came back 1/2hr later there was a fare bit of smoke, and plastic insulation coming out of the motor case. New motor and it looks as if it could do another 60 machines, sure at times it gets off square, but mostly its OK, less than 1 mm out on 50 x 100 x5 mm RSJ, I cut a bit of 35 mm steel bar on it the other day, and it was within .005". We started using bi metal blades about 8yrs ago. Ian S C

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

CY90 band saw – 'scuse my ignorance but reading the Warco manual I can see no way how to adjust the downward cutting pressure. I see the spring to the rear of the machine but cannot see any means of adjustment. The reason I would like to adjust is that the first (and only) cut I made with it on a piece of .750" thick walled tube caused enough vibration for me to manually take the weight thus controlling the downward force. Also, I thought these saws came equipped with a cut-out switch at the end of a cut, if mine has one it is not working.

The overall finish of my new saw does not inspire confidence in me. The grub screw in the vice which grips the repetitive cut stop will not grip simply because its threaded hole has not been machined deep enough. I have only given the machine a quick once over so I am hoping I'll not expose even more grot later. I am NOT a fussy bloke and providing the saw saws and carries on sawing I'll be quite happy. I just hope the new lathe – yet to be delivered – is not chucked together like this offering.

Rik

[Douglas JohnstonParticipant @douglasjohnston98463]

I have had a 6 by 4 bandsaw for years and have only ever used ordinary blades and they do seem to last quite well on mild steel and aluminium. I am using my last stock blade and was thinking of giving the bandsaw a treat by buying a bimetal blade because I will be cutting some stainless bar in the near future. Is there a good UK supplier that people have used and can recommend for these blades?

Doug

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

Blade slips off wheels? My Warco Bandsaw has cast iron drive wheels and just occasionally, the blade comes off.

I notice that the "Wood-butchers" Bandsaws have drive wheels covered with a rubber tread which prevents them shedding blades.

Wonder why same precaution is not added by metal cutting saw makers?

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Hi DMB

Might be poor wheel alignment, I used to have the same trouble but slightly adjusting the angle stopped it. Note that the blade tries to ride up a slope, not slip down one.

Neil

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I think the reason for not using a rubber tire is that it would soon become embeded with metal chip. I agree with Neil , the non driving wheel on the 6 x 4 machines, and I presume the same goes for the other machines, is adjustable. On my saw I replaced the two bits of steel that the front wheel slides back and forth on, as the origionals were too thin, allowing things to wobble about. I also lengthened the adjusting slot to allow short blades to be used. Ian S C

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

Pardon my lack of bandsaw knowledge but what does 6×4 refer to? Does this pair of dimensions apply to my WARCO CY90 or is it different? — Rik

[TD4Participant @td4]

I bought a Sealy 6×4 band saw for £90. When I went to collect it I was I was shocked at the condition, it was running in a workshop I had to wait as he had to cut 2 more pieces of 2" hollow section.I had no doubt it was working. The chap had rebuilt she stand as it was not strong enough. I brought it home, stripped it down cleaned and sprayed it, then set it up using a blog (Mikes workshop) I think. Now I wonder how I managed without it. I looked at the Clarke in MM last time I was in UK but thought the stand very flinsey and took up too much room. Malcolm

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Yes the stand is flimsy as bought. 6 x 4 ? the vice jaws open 6", and 4" is the hight of the material in the vice. Remove the vice, and you can clam work on the table, I think I have put a bit of steel about 10" x 1/2" on this way, and we regularly cut 160 mm dia pipe, by cutting, then turning and cutting again. Ian S C

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

Rik

Looking at my copy of Warcos catalogue It does not mention a cut off switch is provided, nor does the pic show one fitted, also the same on their website. If you need a cut off switch then you will have to relocate & rewire the on/off switch to a plunger of some description near to the frame end (IIRC there was a write up of this mod on a similar thread.. here or on another forum).

The tension on the spring should be adjusted by turning the rubber handled shaft that the spring is fitted to; the best way is to lift the saw frame vertical to release any tension on the spring, then you should be able to either unscrew / screw the shaft ..Anti clockwise to release tension, clockwise to increase tension so when you lower the frame the spring will take up any preset tension, as you have probably found out, you will have difficulty adjusting the spring once tension is set as the spring is stretched, &, as is with my M/Mart 6×4, these are pretty hefty springs & I can't adjust mine when the frame is down.

The finish on all these Chinese machines leave a lot to be desired, even the mills & lathes could be much better finished (re. your new mill ?) my 250V-F doesn't have the greatest of finishes. I looked at all the machine finishes, amongst comparing other bits 'n' pieces, when at H'gate exhib' this year & wouldn't say any of them were top class (Warcos, Chesters, Amadeals), if you had this standard of paintwork on your new car you'd demand a complete respray, but, as the adage goes …' you pays your money ' ! so if any existing / future customers want to see improvements or a better product the the only way is to send feedback to the dealer (firstly, then comments in forums like these)  in sufficient quantities re QA/QC, poor assembly etc,etc, then there might eventually be improvements… but I wouldn't bank on it just yet.

George

Edited By mechman48 on 05/06/2013 19:59:53

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

Thanks George – the twisty handle to adjust the spring download cutting force is absent on my version of the band saw as is the cut-off switch. My downloaded handbook for a similar looking GRIZZLY saw shows it is fitted with both, so I understand the jist of your advice. As far as I can see there is no way to adjust the downward force on my WARCO offering. In saying that though, I needed some vice securing clamps for the new mill and this afternoon cut up 4no. bits of 3/4" x 1/4" with no trouble so maybe the factory preset spring tension will be OK.

Oh and by the way, it was so nice to watch a "slave" chop up these bits whilst taking the strain off these old arthritic shoulder joints. Thanks for your help George.

Rik

[TD4Participant @td4]

Just 2 points,Mechman48 talked about a cut out switch, when I collected mine the switch was on the body of the saw, it was an easy job to move it to the bed and drill and tap a finger to the body to cut out after the final cut through. As my saw was from a workshop they had removed the Sealy vice and fabricated a set of jaws out of 1/2 plate, with a 10" ope. wonder what they intended to cut. Malcolm.

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

TD4

Thanks; precisely what I meant, sometimes the old grey matter tends to forget what was meant to be said..even though I always try ..KISS.

Rik, We must belong to the same club ! .. arthritis in my left shoulder, left knee, base of spine, now signs of it in my right shoulder.. tried using WD40 to ease it but somehow doesn't seem to work ..have to revert to prescription linament rub.

G.

[Author]

Posts