Bandsaw (something cheap 'n dirty)

[dubrosa22]

G'day, after retiring my old Burgess three-wheel bandsaw I've been scrounging the usual places for a cheap but reliable bandsaw.

I've had no less than three sales on Gumtree fall through in the past month for Hyco and Paulcall saws because of seller 'misbehaviour'. Frankly I'm really tired of the Gumtree shenanigans and timewasting. eBay isn't much better and I don't want anything from Aldi or Bunnings.

I'm after anything up to a 12" bandsaw of generally reliable disposition - doesn't have to be pretty or too precise by any means. I only really use it for making turning blanks and ripping old boards for my landscaping/outdoor furniture projects quickly. My shoulder can't handle doing it all by handsaw anymore.

My budget is small - up to $200 - so I'm strictly after what's laying dormant in the back of the shed. Older the better really.

I'm in the Blue Mountains NSW but can drive any direction 100kms to pick up.

Cheers,
Vaughan

[dubrosa22]

Finally some luck! :D

After swearing off Gumtree I had a saw pop up on the South Coast that was perfect. Dubious of driving down there for nought I determined the seller was legit (in his 70s and selling his father-in-laws bandsaw he'd inherited many years ago) and willing to hold it for me until this afternoon. No usual Gumtree BS.

So this morning, quite keen, I checked it out.
A 1950s Paulco 12" bandsaw with a metal and wood base (with its Hoover 1/2hp motor and belt crudely hidden behind chipboard guards). The old boy fired it up and it ran soundly and cut smoothly and with gusto.

There's surface rust on everything not painted but it is mostly clean and tidy. Looked much worse in the sellers photos (see below)

All the adjusters, guides, wheel tyre rubbers and belts are looking/working fine, only the motors belt is suffering from wear and cracking. I'll probably replace the motor soon anyway for a 1hp or more to handle desert hardwoods.

Obviously driving a fair distance makes me fairly easily swayed into buying but I didn't think the $130 asking price was too steep. Not for quality Aussie machinery!

So now it's wrapped up in the back of my car now so here's the sellers pics:

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The brand Paulco I've learned is the same make/seller as Paulcall (the badges look almost identical) both brands registered in 1948 for Paul's hardware and tool merchants in Sydney. 'Paulco' registered in Australia; 'Paulcall' registered in NZ.
(I've got a decent Dawn-clone Paulco engineers vise from the 1960s or 70s)

Here's an ad for the same Paulco 12" bandsaw from a WA newspaper in 1950:
435446

I can't wait to give it a mild restoration and get it humming in the workshop :)

V