Thread: Help Please: Replacing Old ELU 3401 with New

Rikon 10-353, 3 hp, 14”, excellent value for money, well built, and easy to adjust and tune. I recommend it highly.

Thank you; am having a look; also looking at how I would get a heavyish saw into place

If you’re in Melbourne, go to JC Walsh, they would be able to organise delivery and installation etc.

When comparing offerings of the same / identical (???) machine from different suppliers thoroughly assess that they are in fact identical!

Even though they may share the same brand name and even model number and may seem to have identical specifications be warned they could very well be quite "different" in key areas such as band length (DAMHIKT - ) bearings, guides, wheels and tires (tyres?) or may even be single or two speed options; or one may have quick band tension release and the competitors version not have it.

When I purchased a Woodfast BS500 several years ago the retailers obviously separately imported their own "custom versions" to their specifications. I had to make the choice between a version already here in Townsville with "euro guides" and a mobility kit; or paying significantly more ($400+) to land one with my preferred option of "roller bearing guides", no mobility kit plus freight.

I'm not overly happy with the "euro guides" and have "tolerated them" but I'm satisfied that I received "value for money" overall and it has performed well. The "euro" guides are now stuffed so its time to upgrade the guides.

An additional point - have a good think about the bulk of the "work" you want your bandsaw to do. Will it be resaw / break down / rough cut outs / bandsaw boxes / "scroll saw like" cutting etc. Each places quite different demands upon the saw and require quite different setups with blade choice, guide design, tension, blade stability etc. Some band saws perform significantly better in one task than another.

Happy hunting!

ps consider hiring a "workshop engine hoist" or a "HD hand trolley" from say Kennards or such, to move smaller (not tall) bandsaws into your workshop. Often its cheaper in the long run to pay for another to place it into position - no injuries, lost time, doctors bills

Thank you for the Riverbuilder and Mobyturns contributions. In particular the thoughts about moving machines without injury, and frustrating differences between seemingly identical machines make sense for me. There is a real problem - even in Melbourne - in getting to see a real machine (to check the details) before paying money into a website!

Responding to the comments on what I use the bandsaw for: The bulk of the work is careful, precise ripping of 20 to 40 mm timber in making small furniture; e.g. cutting to width and thickness and cutting tenons and gentle shaping curves - using 12mm blades. The ELU has done all this stuff, and the results have been OK - but only after careful fettling and use of spacers to control (e.g.) the position and thickness of tenons. And it needs frequent cleaning to remove dust.

Hence my fixation with the quality of the rip fence and dust extraction on a new machine. It would be good to be able to rotate the table (or the fence) a few degrees to "dial out" the cutting drift. On the ELU I had to do some filing to enlarge the holes for the table studs. I am also very aware of the value of space in my workshop; so I'm happy to live with a 300mm throat/150mm cut machine provided it has enough power etc - particularly if it can be (say) 650mm wide rather than 850.

Three specific queries:
1. What is the experience of the Metabo 318 Bandsaw? Lots of retailers offer them; but finding one in the flesh is a puzzle
2. The rip fence on, in particular, the Sherwood 12" machine looks great; but does it retain its accuracy and stiffness?
3. The debate on blade guides seems to have come full circle: the hardened steel guides on the ELU have been quite OK; bearing rollers look the obvious way to go but maybe pick up sticky dust; and now ceramics are all the go - a bit like hi-tec hardened steel. What is the wisdom?

Thank you again for all the help

Andrew

Like I said, go to JC Walsh at Airport West, they have plenty of machines to look at, touch, and get to know there. The Rikon that I have has the best fence adjustment I’ve ever used. It works.