taiwanese/ chinese B/Saw

[Arthur Alchin]

I am on a next to zero budget and have been given a 1987 (year) ?chinese?TW bandsaw to try and buy is satisfied. I find it labours badly through 120mm douglas fir (ripping or is the term resawing).

Is their any point continuing with this machine: it appears quite good on thinner materials. Is resawing 120mm softwood a big ask of any machine?

The machine itself appears to be very strong and sturdy.

It is green in colour and is either craftsman or craftmaster(can't check as the shed keys are in the bedroom and the wife is asleep, would'nt like to wake her.

Arthur

Arthur

[Iain]

Given that it was given, I would suggest the first thing to look at is the blade, what may appear to be sharp may be blunt and this is really frustrating.
Bandsaws in general are an uncmplicated piece of machinery and I would suggest that this would be the major cause of labouring.
For the princely sum of about $15-20 I imagine your problem would be solved.
Also, loosen off all the guides with the blade under tension (and switched off and unplugged) and reset the lot, if the back bearing on top or bottom guide is out the blade will travel through the guides and take the edge off the blade in 0ne rpm.
Just have the teeth protruding through the guide blocks so the set is clear.
You may also want to consider getting rid of the cast guide blocks, either a $40 investment in cool blocks or pieces of redgum, I use the latter. Should your blade inadvertently go back through the blocks the teeth will survive.
That should keep you going for today http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/biggrin.gif

------------------
: http://community.webshots.com/user/iain49

[ubeaut]

When feeding thicker stock you need to use an almost painfully slow feed rate especially with the cheaper saw otherwise the labouring will throw the motor back on to the starter winding or starter solenoid (I think that's what it is called) and eventually burn it out.

Most of the motors on these bandsaws are rated for about 6 starts per hour and if the motor is continually running back onto the starter the end result will be NO GO. This is easily overcome by purchasing a new solenoid with a heavy usage rating, I did it with mine and have never had a problem since.

Also make sure that the timber is not closing up in the blade causing extra drag. This can be fixed by inserting a wedge into the end of the cut and giving it a tap with a hammer. This will open up the cut and stop jamming.

As Ian says a good sharp blade is a must, it would be a good idea to use something like a 3 tpi skip tooth or hooked tooth blade for the opporation, this will speed things up somewhat.

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers - Neil http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/smile.gif

[Zsteve]

I have had a machine just like it for years, (but am now looking to spend up big on a larger one).

Not too bad a machine for the price, but on ours like any it works best with a sharp blade and you need to make sure the guides and thrust bearing are adjusted correctly.

Stephen

[Rod Smith]

G'day Arthur
If the basics suggested above aren't the problem, maybe the motor could be replaced. Keep a look out for something secondhand. I was told once that some or all of the chinese motors don't have much inside the cover.
cheers
Rod

[Arthur Alchin]

Thankyou.

I have replaced the blade but all the local guys had was 6tpi ($20). The guide blocks will be replaced and I replaced the bottom rear bearing as it was seized up ($5.40).

I will perservere and see if my skills improve: that may be the problem.