Metal cutting bandsaw

[JohnFParticipant @johnf59703]

Plus 2 for the Femi, costs a bit more well worth the extra cash in my opinion, had min for a fair few years easy to move small footprint and works pretty well with the vertical table accessory.

[BrevaParticipant @breva]

Whatever you do, steer clear of one of these, sold under various brand names. Mine was WoodStar.

With space issues. I searched widely and found that these had been converted to a table mounted saw by at least one respected member on another Forum. So, I got one. It comes as a portable saw with no mounting system for table use.

I went to considerable effort to fabricate the yellow and grey hinging mechanism seen in the photo which was problematic, added an auto cut-off switch, got good bimetal blades and was very pleased that I had a light portable saw. However, within a short while blade tracking became a problem. I added extra guides. Eventually the blade slipping off chewed up the wheel-bands and driving wheel and the saw became unusable.

Annoyingly 90% of the saw was reasonably well made but they had fitted PLASTIC wheels, which began to flex……..It was directly gear driven from the motor with one gear moulded into the plastic wheel so not easy to remedy. The ha'pworth of tar syndrome.

So you live and learn. I now have a second-hand Clarke model CBS45MD. I have done enough mods and fixes on it to write a whole chapter. It cuts straight and square in both planes and is a great addition to any workshop.

I hope my experience might save others from wasting their efforts on this type of machine.

John

[AjohnwParticipant @ajohnw51620]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 04/01/2017 19:08:43:

In a previous thread(s) you will see my link to an excellent PDF on setting up one of the smaller saws.

Common mistake is to set the tension too low, also many people don't understand how the tracking adjustment works (i.e. don't realise it can be adjusted!) Without the tracking right you will be lucky not to regularly throw blades.

Neil

I think the drive wheels are a little too close together for it's capacity and it's important to tension the blade enough to make sure it's vertical to the cut.

Would I be happy if I had bought a Femi – no because I have used it to cut material that the femi wont take several times. In fact I have had to turn bar over to cut completely through it at times.

Personally if some one is thinking about buying one and the size isn't a problem I would think long and hard about that aspect.

On price didn't Neil mention that the cheaper version of the Machine Mart and probably the Axminster one is more flimsy ?

The biggest problem with them as I see it is the size of the chunk of material needed in the vice. That could be a useful mod.

John

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Edited By Ajohnw on 04/01/2017 23:54:04

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Posted by Ajohnw on 04/01/2017 23:53:28:

Would I be happy if I had bought a Femi – no because I have used it to cut material that the femi wont take several times. In fact I have had to turn bar over to cut completely through it at times.

The 780 and 782 are the smallest in the extensive Femi range, if I had felt I would be regularly cutting larger stock I could have bought a larger machine.

At the start of this thread I said my Femi had cut 140mm stuff yet it is sold as 102×102 capacity, could have done more without turning it over if I wanted to.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

My 6" x 4 1/2" H/V saw will if you remove the vice, and clamp the material to the bed, cut a little over 7".

Ian S C

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Neil, please could you link to that thread?

[AjohnwParticipant @ajohnw51620]

Posted by Ian S C on 05/01/2017 09:51:51:

My 6" x 4 1/2" H/V saw will if you remove the vice, and clamp the material to the bed, cut a little over 7".

Ian S C

LOL Yours is bigger than his. Mine is too.

I'd noticed that too Ian and thought it might take a little more than that if needed.

There is one aspect that has struck me on size. Usually when material is being bought it's priced on the basis of being sold in lengths cut to size. Last time I wanted some larger material I needed some al disks about 4" dia. by 1/2" thick. Several of them so I ordered them cut to size, 5/8 thick because a piece for the saw would have been more expensive due to the extra length needed. Since I have seen a Boxford part off material larger than that I might buy a length now.

There used to be people around here that sold bar ends at a little over scrap prices. Most stick it on a rack now and wait for some one to want that length. Sometimes material turns up at a good price. I also think that the supplier wasn't too happy about cutting my thin disks. One more expensive supplier wouldn't be bothered or shouldn't be.

Anyway. I have had mine for rather a long time and there wasn't much choice when I bought it. The small Femi would cope with the vast majority of what I have cut on it. A few times it wouldn't have and I'd hate to have to use a hacksaw. 4" square isn't that bad a limit though. I've made use of the 6" limit several times usually with thick plate sections rather than bar. A thread cropped up once on here from people complaining about the 6×4 1/2. I've no idea what the cheaper one is like. Some objected to the complaints. The other isn't an industrial machine but what I have found is that it's way better than expected.

John

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[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Ask them which is best after they have cut a 6" dia steel bar with an armstrong hacksaw, while you do similar with a 4.5 x 6 bandsaw, both will need a skim off the face to square them. I know who will not have a tired arm.

I cut all the 2" x 1/4" angle iron for my lathe bench by hand, that inspired me to design, and build a power hacksaw that I used for a number of years.

Ian S C

Edited By Ian S C on 06/01/2017 10:47:47

[The Novice EngineerParticipant @thenoviceengineer]

Looking for a better way to part off 3" Aluminium [too deep for my parting tools!] and the Kennedy Hexacut hacksaw is only good for 2" .

Looking on this Forum and else where I came across this

https://www.aldi.co.uk/workzone-240v-portable-bandsaw/p/086075229503400

and another version

https://www.scheppach.com/product-details/Bandsaege-MBS1100-scheppach—220-240V-50Hz-1100W.aspx

Its getting packed in my workshop so size is a consideration

Its got to be worth a punt so I've ordered one.

Anybody else used one ?

Steve

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

It really comes down to three factors :

Price.

The space you have to store it .

The maximum capacity you will or may need .

I have a similar unit that is in Neil’s second link and there are probably millions of these units out there. I did some mods like the hydraulic ram to control the feed and added roller bearings to the top wheel that the blade runs around but other than that I have had 20yrs of loyal service from my saw and I have given it a flogging over the years !

One thing to also look at is the blades as some are just rubbish so make sure what ever saw you buy that you can get decent blades for . I use bimetal blades from a local manufacturer that I have found over the years they make blades that outlast the starrett units sold by the place I bought the saw from by about five to one and they are the same price !

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

To save on space (of which I have little left) I tuck my WARCO CY-90 band saw between the end of a bench and one of the lathes. I shortened the 4 legs by 3” and fitted castors so it can be swung out when needed.

[Chris Taylor 3Participant @christaylor3]

I bought the Aldi machine and I'm very happy with it for the price. The only criticism is the "vice" supplied with it, it's ok for holding big chunks, but the overhang is too great for smaller sections. I fitted an old machine vice with modified base and jaws which works well, see photos.

[The Novice EngineerParticipant @thenoviceengineer]

Posted by Chris Taylor 3 on 27/01/2019 14:52:26:

I bought the Aldi machine and I'm very happy with it for the price. The only criticism is the "vice" supplied with it, it's ok for holding big chunks, but the overhang is too great for smaller sections. I fitted an old machine vice with modified base and jaws which works well, see photos.

Having bought the Aldi Bandsaw I agree that for the price it is very effective, though as you say the vice leaves something to be desired holding small and irregular items.

I have modified the vice using the body and fitting larger jaws and a threaded rod. With a bit of fettling to clear the saw it meets my needs. Cutting steel sock and sections & aluminium castings are no problem.

[Chris Nicholls 1Participant @chrisnicholls1]

I have just bought the Aldi saw seen above.

After about 10 minutes of use out of the box, with the blade tensioner fully tightened, the blade wandered off the wheels and proceeded to cut its way out of the plastic blade cover. Luckily nothing I can't fix.

After a lot of head scratching I realised that this could be prevented by backing off the blade's tension to the point where it tracked on the wheels correctly.

Am I right that the blade tensioner should not be fully closed and needs to be adjusted to get the blade to track? The manual is not helpful on this point.

Secondly, I noticed that the non-motorised idler wheel has a lot of play when the tensioner is tightened; that is, it rocks on its vertical axis. Is this deliberate so that the wheel can self-align to the correct tracking angle, or do you think the unit is damaged?

The saw generally seems to work right now but I'm keen to avoid storing up trouble for the future by misusing it.

Many thanks in advance

-Chris

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

My upright bandsaw has a tension adjuster & a tracking adjuster separately.

Steve.

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