Bandsaws

[Bazza]

G'day all,

I am interested in buying a bandsaw and have been looking at the 14 inch Taiwanese model with a 3/4 hp motor sold by Carba-tec etc.for $499.00

I intend to use it for cutting blanks for woodturning (hobby use)and was wondering if this machine is ok, or should I keep saving for the better machines with a 1hp motor $600.00+.

Any help would be appreciated.

Bazza

[Rod Smith]

Hi Bazza. I was thinking along the same lines a while ago but couldn't quite come at the imported units, specially after being a little dissapointed with my TS. I ended up with a Woodfast 18", cost me $500 all up after I fully reconditioned it. I feel that I have something far superior for the same price as the imported crap. Perhaps the Jet is a cut above, but so's the price. Be patient and get the papers early. Good luck. Rod

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[Neil Ellis]

G'day Bazza

I have had a (slightly better than) cheap and nasty Taiwanese 3/4hp 14" for 17 years. It has done many thousands of hours work and the only problem I have ever had was with the starting capacitor being too small, a $40 replacement fixed that.

It will cut accurate veneer slices as thin as 2mm - 6" high, and has resawn many thousands of metres of timber accurately and quickly. I could not recommend it more highly.

I said slightly better than cheap and nasty because mine cost a little over $400 17 years ago. But the bulk of the ones around today are still cast from the same patterns, but have slightly less sophisticated adjusting mechanisms. They don't seem to have changed a lot in price over that time and most of the them seem to be pretty good value for money but you really do need to take the time to fine tune them correctly before you use them. If this is done then there should be no reason why they won't give the same service that mine has.

Hope this is of some help

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

PS The extra 1/4 hp would come in handy from time to time and be a decided advantage.


[This message has been edited by Neil Ellis (edited 12 December 1999).]

[Bazza]

Thank you Rod & Neil.
I have been looking for a 2nd bandsaw but they are hard to find.
Neil, the bandsaw you've had for 17 years is it a craft master?.
Bazza

[Neil Ellis]

Bazza

It is badged as Universal but they were bringing them into the country in container loads and selling them unbadged. It could just as well be labeled as Craft Master, Mastercraft or for that matter Woodfast.

I remember at one time around then someone was bringing in a clone of the Shopmaster (lathe, come drill, saw, etc, etc.) and they actually had it badged as Shodmaster.

It is quite possible that Craft Master and Universal are one in the same.

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

[RETIRED]

Gooday.

Thought this site made interesting reading re band saws.

http://www.highland-hardware.com/HighlandH/wood/slice.html



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Ian () Robertson
"We do good turns every day"