Thread: H & f BP-360

Originally Posted by 62woollybugger

I've been looking at getting a cheaper second hand bandsaw & a H & F BP-360 Just a moment... has come up for sale at a good price. The spec's say 225mm cutting height but I'm wondering, with only 1 1/2HP, will it be powerful enough for re-sawing at thickness close to that limit? Don't know if it matters, but it has a manufacturing date of 06/2016.

Hello, just mentioning you need be more specific should you want an answer.

Re-Resawing at thickness close to limit...
What length of timbers are we talking here, judging from your avatar, wondering if this is for small boxes,
and not wardrobe panels or whatever.

No mention of space constraints, or height restrictions, so I'll keep it simple.
This machine was sitting on ebayUK for some time, gone now though.
Single phase with 2HP motors, would run from the household also.

Guessing you folks don't have Italian machines pop up often, well not the wee saw like below.
I would think it's about the minimum sized machine when someone mentions resawing, should it be concerning anything over shoe box length.

SNAC 440.jpg

Other mentions might be of help, power requirements, how much timber yer goin cuttin,
and whether you have time to work on a machine... which can be taken up in different ways.

i.e If working on a curve cutter, then do you have patience to be keeping an eye on it, and perhaps go through a bit of faffing about with blades, guides which on cheaper machines leave a lot to be desired, and whatnot.

I "ain't got time for that", but would have time for say, hooking up a hundred quid VFD to one,
and having a real decent machine for the same dough,
i.e Used machines (as you've likely seen) are half the price of new, and three phase is half the price of that again.

Just sayin incase something like I've posted doesn't come up too frequently, or should they, perhaps the power requirements are too steep,
since the equivalent Far Eastern machines often don't skimp on their motor ratings, and often have near solid cast iron wheels on the 400mm
wheeled machines, yet some brands still making pot metal/questionable zinc like components in guides, wheels, and tension assembly.


I have a 24" machine with a three phase, 3 horsepower motor, near solid cast iron wheels and run it from my 13a household plug,
the VFD enables an adjustable soft start, so I can go 1 HP larger than I could otherwise,
due to the split second spike a single phase motor will draw.

All too often I see folks who are rather optimistic with their expectations,
t must be very disheartening for them to end up with something that isn't fit for purpose, and not worth investing time into making right either.
I'd have a three phase machine any day of the week, as do others, there's even some running old Startrite machines with them,
even though they could'a swapped the motor out instead, nah the soft start is rather nice.

Not sure if you've looked up three phase machines, but worth mentioning one needs knowing what to look for, easy peasy, which there are many threads about,
i.e something which can run from 240v (low voltage delta configuration)
and is either 2 or a 4 pole motor, which on a wood cuttin bandsaw made in my 38 year lifetime, it will be either spec.

All the best
Tom

I have the BP-360 and use it pretty frequently. It can struggle a bit re-sawing thicker pieces of hardwood (I use it with Salmon Gum, Gidgee and Blackbutt sourced locally and all very hard timbers).
I find that if you take it very slowly, the saw will cut through, but keeping it cutting in a straight line is not always easy. If you push too hard, or try to "force" it to cut straight, it will stall out.
Re-sawing on a sled rather than against the fence seems to work better. A wider blade would definitely be an advantage in re-sawing, but the widest that H&F offer for this saw is 16mm and I suspect that anything wider would not fit - though I might still buy one and try it one of these days.

Overall I'm happy with the saw. I've replaced the cheap & nasty stop/start button on mine - but I've done that on all my equipment bought from H&F plus my home built router table.

I think I've seen the one you are looking at, If it is it looks like its in good nick and bargain priced as well

It looks to be VERY similar to my 14" Sherwood standard BS, if so it will have non standard mitre slots (about 16mm) which can be a PITA

I put a kreg fence on mine, a vast improvement

there is another one for sale on the same site as well, closer to sydney, makes the other one look like brand new

Hodgo

Originally Posted by Hodgo

if so it will have non standard mitre slots (about 16mm) which can be a PITA

I put a kreg fence on mine, a vast improvement

Hodgo

Yes - mine also has non-standard mitre slots. A nuisance that I can't use any of the accessories from my table saw with it. The slots are the same width as the one on my H&F Belt / Disc sander though, so at least the mitre gauges are interchangeable between the two, for what it's worth.

I'd be interested in a decent fence - do you have any info on the Kreg fence you have used.

Originally Posted by BMKal

Yes - mine also has non-standard mitre slots. A nuisance that I can't use any of the accessories from my table saw with it. The slots are the same width as the one on my H&F Belt / Disc sander though, so at least the mitre gauges are interchangeable between the two, for what it's worth.

I'd be interested in a decent fence - do you have any info on the Kreg fence you have used.

Hi Mate
I've been scratching my head about how I could make an upgraded mitre slide, , it would seem that 16mm steel/aluminium bar is not that easy to come by especially up here in the sticks, what did you use for your sled?

I was lucky to pick up one of these: KREG Precision Bandsaw Fence KR-KMS7200 | Total Tools at amazon including the micro adjust for just over $200, they all come with a 450mm fence which to me seemed a bit short, I managed to buy a kreg mitre guide that had a 600mm fence off a forum member which I swapped over, the shorter one is better on the router table mitre slide too

I only had to drill one hole on the edge of the table, then it bolted on perfectly, the micro adj. is a worthwhile extra in my opinion as well

cheers
Hodgo

Picked it up today, complete with mobile base, circle cutting attachment & brand new 6mm x 6TPI blade, at well as the 16mm 3TPI blade fitted, for the grand sum of $400. It was his late fathers & I paid his asking price as I thought it was a bargain anyway. Had a bit of surface rust on the table which a quick rub down with WD-40 & wet & dry had it removed in a few minutes.

20230121_173957.jpg

As the last time I used a bandsaw was a huge metal cutting one, when I was an apprentice, over 40 years ago, I've got a couple of questions.
Being a two speed saw, when do I use the high & low speeds?
Will the two blades I got with it be ok for most work, or are there others I should get?

well done
did you get the manual with it?

mine also came with the circle cutter so it very much sounds like the same beast underneath it all

as far as the 2 speeds go, I've only used mine on low speed which I'm sure is for timber, what I can gather is the higher speed is for aluminium and plastics - I think

I bought some starrett blades from H&F which were ok, but the best performers are the the ones I bought from Henry bros. in Sydney
the one that came with the saw was crap

it pays to blow out the bottom guide bearings periodically, they can become clogged with dust quite quickly and lock up

Hodgo

Originally Posted by 62woollybugger

Being a two speed saw, when do I use the high & low speeds?
Will the two blades I got with it be ok for most work, or are there others I should get?

Definitely high speed for timber, low speed is for brass, copper, aluminium and steel etc.

Originally Posted by Hodgo

as far as the 2 speeds go, I've only used mine on low speed which I'm sure is for timber, what I can gather is the higher speed is for aluminium and plastics

Hodgo, you think incorrectly, low speed is for metal cutting, think you’re might be thinking about sanding speeds of which low speed is better for timber

Originally Posted by DJ’s Timber

Definitely high speed for timber, low speed is for brass, copper, aluminium and steel etc.



Hodgo, you think incorrectly, low speed is for metal cutting, think you’re might be thinking about sanding speeds of which low speed is better for timber

you're probably right, I knew it was one of them, It;s been cutting well so I guess its on the high speed setting

woollybugger : what he said! lol

hodgo

Didn't have the manual, but I've downloaded it & printed it out. Mine was on the low speed, so will put it on the high speed when I set it up & use it.

Originally Posted by Hodgo

Hi Mate
I've been scratching my head about how I could make an upgraded mitre slide, , it would seem that 16mm steel/aluminium bar is not that easy to come by especially up here in the sticks, what did you use for your sled?

cheers
Hodgo

I've got a few bits of 16mm aluminium bar out in the shed - they come from cheap mitre gauges on other Chinese made products, such as belt / disc sanders and also my previous table saw (Ozito). I've used a couple of these for a sled on the bandsaw, but I also make my own runners by cutting some jarrah down to size on the table saw. All of my sleds for the table saw have jarrah runners - I've found it to be easy to cut to size, strong and straight.

I definitely like that fence you have for your bandsaw. Will be keeping my eye out for one of those at the right price if there are any around. The fence I am using at the moment (that came with the saw) leaves a lot to be desired.

Hi Woolly,

Like you I am a new to bandsawing, apart from a heavy duty metal cutter 30 years ago.

I bought my BP360 last year, and so far have been happy with it. Still using the blade supplied - a 12 mm 4 tpi hook tooth one.
There was an issue with the motor drive pulley sliding on its shaft, but once I realized the cause of the knocking tension pulley, it was just a matter of realigning and tightening the grub screw to secure the pulley.

To reduce the thickness of a violin body former by 4mm, at 225 mm width, I decided to try cutting a 2mm ¨veneer¨.
The timber is radiata pine, which I first planed flat with my Stanley no.6IMG_20230524_162233.jpgIMG_20230524_162448.jpg

There was some blade drift, so I adjusted the fence and end-for-ended, which almost made a straight cut.

There was no hint of stalling, because I fed the work very slowly.

You got a great bargain.

Depends on the wood! and the blade as well. Less TPI and avoid Ironbark and such like! keep it slow if it struggles.