Chester H80 band saw capacity

[David CambridgeParticipant @davidcambridge45658]

Chester H80 band saw capacity

[David CambridgeParticipant @davidcambridge45658]

Hello All

I’ve just taken delivery of a Chester H80 band saw. According to the Chester web site it has a maximum cutting capacity of 120 mm by 90 mm, but now I’ve got it the two dimensions in green (below) are around 90 mm each. It’s the dimension in red that’s about 120 mm. I’ve spoken to Chester and they say the H80 actually has a maximum capacity of about 85 mm square. They are apologetic and happy to arrange collection and refund.

However, can I just check I’m not missing something stupid and that without performing major surgery on the machine I can’t cut at the advertised capacity.

Can I also ask if anybody has the Warco CY90, with an advertised cutting capacity of 90 mm x 130mm, what’s the actuall cutting capacity.

David

[John RuddParticipant @johnrudd16576]

David,

I have checked mine which is the Warco variant…..max height is 90 and max cut horizontally is a shade under 105…. You could get a bit more by extending the elongated slot in the rear blade guide so it moves further back, but max jaw width is wider than the 105…..

hth….

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

I have one – will cut 100 x 6 or similar but not much wider – catch is that as widen the cut the sawblade tends to move even more away from vertical
For price charged it’s fine and saves much effort but the method of fixing blade verticaly could do with improvement – mine didn’t appreciate cutting stainless when a lower speed + some means of suppling cutting fluid would be needed – the weld on blade gave!

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

Surely the maximum width of cut is determined by the maximum distance between the blade guides, which on my CY90 is 140mm. Don't forget that the saw is rotatable to give an angled cut which will be longer than the maximum width that the vice jaws will hold. The quoted figures therefore seem reasonable to me.

Cheers,

Rod

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

if you look at photo then the saw mechanism rotates in a horizontal plane about the socket head directly under the rh end of the red line thus for an angled cut the stock must be narrower (eg 45deg means 70mm wide max

[Enough!Participant @enough]

Posted by John Rudd on 03/06/2015 16:36:17:

I have checked mine which is the Warco variant…..max height is 90 and max cut horizontally is a shade under 105…. You could get a bit more by extending the elongated slot in the rear blade guide so it moves further back, but max jaw width is wider than the 105…..

 

Can't really comment specifically on this model but on my 6 x 4 bandsaw (which may or may not be similar), the rear blade guide hits the housing long before it gets to the end of its slot. Rather topical actually because just this weekend I built a blade cleaner brush assembly and needed just a little more adjustment to fit it (I attacked the housing with a hacksaw in the end).

Also, surely the limit on material width at that end is set by the fixed vice jaw so that if the rear blade guide can be set beyond that, further adjustment doesn't help. Or am I missing something …. if the vice position is adjustable, that might not apply …. my vice is fixed other than angular adjustment.

Edited By Bandersnatch on 03/06/2015 18:23:06

[Keith LongParticipant @keithlong89920]

Hi David – I've just been and run a tape measure over my Chester H80. My figures pretty much agree with yours, but if you were to do some mods you could get very close to the 130×90 dimension. You would need to make the front blade guide move further forward, as built it's limited by the length of the slot in the adjuster bracket and by the blade guard (the red bit under the front guide) hitting the front wheel inside the top assembly. This blade guard is only held on by a single bolt. If you were trying to cut to the full 130, then I don't think the removal of that guard would present much if any of an additional hazard as the front guide would then be right up against the head assembly of the machine so no extra blade would be exposed. To get that extra movement you'd need to extend the slot in the front guide bracket, again at first sight, I dont see a problem with that as the bracket is pretty substantial.

I've looked at other mods to make to my saw and they look feasible. One is to make it so that the blade arm assembly can be raised into a truly vertical position, to faciliate using the saw in a vertical mode as you can with the bigger versions. The other mod I'm looking at is to replace the bolt that the saw lands on at the end of it's cut with something incorporating a switch to shut the machine off – again looks very possible as the electrics for the machine use a sustained relay to switch the motor so cutting the relay coil supply will cut the power to the motor.

Keith

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

I looked at an auto off switch for the H80 – decided easiest was to replace the M10 (with a small head)which acts as landing ground for the saw by an insulating 20mm dia plastic rod (acetal?) with an M10 thread and an small M8 set in upper end – by using a circuit formed by frame(+ saw) + the head of the upper set screw could use a low voltage relay to switch off a mains relay thus tripping the no volt switch – looked at the no volt switch fitted but couldn’t see any easy way get to internal wiring to break the holding current for that switch (which is in effect a self held relay)- didn’t fancy trying to fit a mains rated micro-switch which would be easiest but cable needs protection and needs careful placement to operate when blade has dropped below the clam –

Putting the relays in a box with controlled 13A socket on side in a box with a jackplug low voltage connection also allows same box to be used as a foot operated off switch for other equipment when not used for saw as the mains relay can switch 10A

Edited By Frances IoM on 03/06/2015 20:51:59

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

Sorry forgot – suspect if you try to widen gap between supports you will run into problems with forcing the sawblade into too tight an angle coming off the guide wheel – I think the short length blade is already close to its twist limit as set

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Don't know what you were looking at but web site says capacity is 90×90? I have also got a paper catalogue that must be at least a year old and that gives 90mm dia or 85x85mm for square

Edited By JasonB on 03/06/2015 20:29:24

[David CambridgeParticipant @davidcambridge45658]

Wow – if nothing else Chester are quick off the mark! here is a screen shot from their web site taken at 14:40 today and just before I called them !

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Looks like it was a typo on the web site as the paper catalogue (2012) had it right.

J

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

It's very easy to increase the length of the slots in the guides, but bear in mind that longer cuts need more pressure on the saw or they will take forever…

Lots of mods you can make to these saws, the best I have done are:

Weld reinforcing pieces to the bottom of the legs and fit castors

To remove the plate from the fixed jaw and fix it to the moving jaw so you can hold short items much closer to the blade.

Fit a little shelf to extend support under the blade (allow the blade to cut a groove in this, but adjust the stop so it doesn't cut right through! No more disasters from work twisting in the vice.

Check all gears and wheels are properly aligned and adjusted.

Fit a long screw to the left side of the moving jaw to act as a jack when holding short stock.

File the tension adjustment slot to give you a bit more movement (allows use of a slightly short repaired blade).

Longer slots in the guide supports.

Consider moving the vice nearer to the motor end (I haven't done this yet as I haven't needed to).

Best of all: buy a really good quality blade!

Neil

[Boiler BriParticipant @boilerbri]

I am currently looking at wood working bandsaws for cutting brass sheet. I know nothing about them. There are lots to choose from and as usual I suppose you get what you pay for. The main issue seems to be tracking of the blade which I assume will not be insurmountable.

Are they any good for said purpose with the correct blade fitted?

Bri

[Gordon TarlingParticipant @gordontarling37126]

Bri – I've often used my woodcutting bandsaw(s) to cut thin brass and aluminium sheet. I have to say that my current Scheppach is much better at this than my previous Axminster one. I have cut material up to 2mm thick, which they do quite well with the correct blade. I've never tried them on thicker metals.

Edited By Gordon Tarling 1 on 24/06/2015 13:54:17

[Boiler BriParticipant @boilerbri]

Thank you Gordon.

Brian

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