Thread: BP16A new model improvements

No comment just want to track this thread for when you get an answer.

H.

Originally Posted by woodbe

Hi,

I was just on H&F's website, and I noticed that they have made some improvements to the BPI:

* New Fence

* Rack and Pinion Top guide height adjustment

* Euro Guides (whatever they are)

* Micro switches on the doors

has anyone seen it? I wonder if the rack and the new guides are an improvement, and if they could be retro-fitted. I've sent off an email to find out.

woodbe.

Yep, my newish BP 16A has got the new bits.

The rack and pinion top guide height adjustment is pretty handy. You just loosen off the lock wheel, then turn the handle to adjust to required cutting height. What did they have before this?

New fence is, well, like most generic Chinese jobs, pretty light and slightly flimsy, but still does the job.. Like all of this Asian machinery, treat it gently, and it will last a long time..

Euro guides:confused: well, they do the job, but are very noisy. I think I will make some timber guides out of snakewood or something similar...old skool word..

Microswitches...yep they work, but you shouldn't really be opening the doors while it is running anyway.

Any more ? let me know...

.....oh, and anyone watching the soccer tonight? I will be, might be some drunken blithering from me later on, consciousness permitting
...........oh no!..Kaka ..........
..wait a minute....Aloisi!!!..

Originally Posted by woodbe

has anyone seen it? I wonder if the rack and the new guides are an improvement, and if they could be retro-fitted. I've sent off an email to find out.
woodbe.

Don't hold your breath Woodbe - I called them a couple of weeks back about it but nobody seemed to know - nor did they have the inclination to find out for me - still waiting to hear back.

PS: Still interested in the fence???

TTIT: Yes, still interested in the fence! I've been looking at alternatives in case you are unable to help though, and there seems to be two: The Kreg, and the Woodhaven. Both well over $100 by the time they get here, and both need mods to fit to the BP16a, but nothing major.

I'm giving H&F a ring now, maybe they'll spark up if they get a bit of interest... Ah, just spoke to Mark, he has my email, and is following up for me. He says he should know in a couple of days. Will post up here if I hear anything.

woodbe.

Originally Posted by martrix

The rack and pinion top guide height adjustment is pretty handy. You just loosen off the lock wheel, then turn the handle to adjust to required cutting height. What did they have before this?

They had a locknut and friction

New fence is, well, like most generic Chinese jobs, pretty light and slightly flimsy, but still does the job.. Like all of this Asian machinery, treat it gently, and it will last a long time..

Yea, not much changed there, it might be slightly better as the old one was pretty agricultural.

Euro guides:confused: well, they do the job, but are very noisy. I think I will make some timber guides out of snakewood or something similar...old skool word..

ooh! You have snakewood?

The problem with the old guides is not that they are noisy, they are fiddly to adjust, and sometimes getting access to the adjustments is difficult. Additionally, the top guides are attached to the rail with a tek screw, things are somewhat loose, and not easily tightened (screw is driven into the end of the aluminium channel) :eek: ...

Microswitches...yep they work, but you shouldn't really be opening the doors while it is running anyway.

Agree with that, you can't be too safe though, especially if anyone else gets into the workshop...

Any more ? let me know...

If you have a camera, could you post some pics of the top and bottom guides, and the height adjuster please? The website photo is pretty vague..

Thanks,

woodbe.

will do

Update...

Had a call from Matt at H&F today. They still don't know, but they just rang to let me know they are working on it. The spare parts dude is away on holidays or something, so we won't know for a little while yet.

That's positive, they rang me

Matrix, about those photos...

woodbe.

I can recommend the Kreg precision bandsaw fence. I fitted one to my Electra Beckum just by drilling a couple of 1/4" holes in the table edge and tapping them to take the locating / securing bolts.

The standard EB fence isn't too bad as these standard fitments go, but the Kreg is leagues ahead. It has a micro adjust facility as well.

Steve, have you seen the Woodhaven fence, I wonder how it compares with the Kreg?



http://www.woodhaven.com/detail.aspx?ID=474

Mik sells them, I don't think there is a distributor for Kreg here...

woodbe.

Sorry about the delay....been cleaning up, trust me it was a big mess!
Any questions, go right ahead...


Height winder video


.

one more

Cool. Thanks Matrix.

Top guide and post look like a great improvement. Lower guide looks to be the same as before. Fence looks to be an improvement too.

Out of all the improvements, the upper guide and post is the pick. The original guide is the weakest part of the machine.

woodbe.

I am also going to do a mod that will allow me to get close to 300mm of re-saw capacity with a substitute table and custom Pink Ivory blade guides.
Not bad seeing as though you need to spend around $2k to get that much blade height compared to the miserly cost of the BP 16A $720

OK overall how do you find the BS with all the mod cons? Any regrets? I know we all want bigger but have many of the current users had a need for something bigger? ... I'm mainly looking to resaw.