TTIT
20th December 2006, 10:10 AM
The original upper guide system on my release of the BP-16A was next to useless - wasn't square to the blade (or anything else!), couldn't be adjusted finely, broke 2 adjuster clamps and the whole thing is supported in a piece of flimsy aluminium by 2 tiny self-tappers :mad::mad: USELESS.
After a very long wait, I finally have the upgrade kit from H&F that the current model uses.....
Pic 1. The kit! Plan is barely legible and has been hand annotated in english - rough but just enough info.
Pic 2. Removed the blade and old upper guide abortion. Marked out and punched according to the drawing - can't fit it up temporary to check the fit with out holes but fingers crossed.
Pic 3. Used an ordinary electric drill with a unibit to drill the holes in the 3mm plate - too easy:).
Pic 4. Fit up - explains why they prescribed such huge holes for such small bolts - they haven't measured the rack/pinion assembly properly - but it all works and still had enough play to adjust for parallel with the blade.
Pic 5. All done. Replacing the Allen-head bolt that secures the guide assembly to the rack with a grub screw allows the assembly to fit up into the saw body another 10 or 12 mm - cool - but it also means leaving off the small sliding part of the blade guide as it will hit the top wheel. This guard only kicks in when the guides are lowered past halfway and anyone that puts their fingers or anything else around the back of the main guard to get in there wants shootin' anyway. I also replaced the 3xM5 philips-head screws that hold the guard on with Allen-heads so I still only need 1 tool to adjust anything (5mm T-bar allen key which hangs on the saw).
All in all a very worthwhile exercise! Looks and behaves like a 'real' bandsaw now. Nice and solid construction that won't break and flex all over the place like the old system. Positive guide adjustments that are actually square to the blade. Wouldn't put the useless, flimsy old system back on for quids!:D:D:D
After a very long wait, I finally have the upgrade kit from H&F that the current model uses.....
Pic 1. The kit! Plan is barely legible and has been hand annotated in english - rough but just enough info.
Pic 2. Removed the blade and old upper guide abortion. Marked out and punched according to the drawing - can't fit it up temporary to check the fit with out holes but fingers crossed.
Pic 3. Used an ordinary electric drill with a unibit to drill the holes in the 3mm plate - too easy:).
Pic 4. Fit up - explains why they prescribed such huge holes for such small bolts - they haven't measured the rack/pinion assembly properly - but it all works and still had enough play to adjust for parallel with the blade.
Pic 5. All done. Replacing the Allen-head bolt that secures the guide assembly to the rack with a grub screw allows the assembly to fit up into the saw body another 10 or 12 mm - cool - but it also means leaving off the small sliding part of the blade guide as it will hit the top wheel. This guard only kicks in when the guides are lowered past halfway and anyone that puts their fingers or anything else around the back of the main guard to get in there wants shootin' anyway. I also replaced the 3xM5 philips-head screws that hold the guard on with Allen-heads so I still only need 1 tool to adjust anything (5mm T-bar allen key which hangs on the saw).
All in all a very worthwhile exercise! Looks and behaves like a 'real' bandsaw now. Nice and solid construction that won't break and flex all over the place like the old system. Positive guide adjustments that are actually square to the blade. Wouldn't put the useless, flimsy old system back on for quids!:D:D:D