Thread: Table Bowed on new H&F BP-305 [among other things]

Steve,

I hope you get this combo machine. I wanted to get the one that Grizzly sells but just couldn't ring up enough cash at one time. I ended up buying a planer first and then a jointer. I love both machines except that my jointer is only 6". I do have a trick for jointing up to a 9" board with some jigs I made but would be nice to have the 10" wide.

Bret

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Steve,
I hope you get this combo machine.

It's not bad for the price and the reviews I've read looked good. Can thickness up to 8 1/2" x 10" material, and plane 10". Plenty good enough for me. My spindle sander is a Scheppach, too, and it's a little beauty. That reminds me, I promised to write a review. Must try to fit that in over the next few days.

I do have a trick for jointing up to a 9" board with some jigs I made but would be nice to have the 10" wide.
Bret

Ha, yeah, I jury-rigged an edge-sander with boards and clamps and a thin wedge for adjustment on my belt sander a couple of days ago. Works really well, but looks like 5hit.

Please educate me.
I cannot understand why one would buy a combination machine.
If one breaks down both are useless.
The planing part has no infeed and outfeed tables or very short ones.
Unless it is for lack of floor space I just cannot see the point.
Cheers
Wolffie

Originally Posted by Wolffie

Please educate me.
I cannot understand why one would buy a combination machine.
If one breaks down both are useless.
The planing part has no infeed and outfeed tables or very short ones.
Unless it is for lack of floor space I just cannot see the point.
Cheers
Wolffie

Perhaps you answered your own question.

Lack of floor space, cost of one machine vs two and also it won't be used very often, so two machines would be even more of a waste.

The new table top arrived half an hour ago. Pleasant surprise, I didn't expect it before tomorrow.

The good: - Unwrapped it - looks much nicer than the original. The original even had a casting fault on top. This one also has a much smoother surface finish. The other one gripped the timber like 40 grit.

The bad: - This one is bowed too, in the same place! Only half as bad, it drops off by 2.5-3 mm by the RHS edge. So much for the techs checking it before it was sent. Now I have two bad ones, no good ones.

What to do next? Ask for another? Live with it?
This is very disappointing. I wanted a decent bandsaw, not one with a bunch of faults that I have to live with right from the beginning.

I'll have to get one of the tables machined locally, I guess, for $240. No choice now.
Dunno what to do about H&F. Are they really the best the industry has to offer?

I feel like getting rid of this thing and buying a better bandsaw elsewhere.

My dust extractor still hasn't arrived from H&F either, after a week.

Before you do anything else, I would call Dean up again and talk to him. Give them a chance to make it right before you do anything else.

Originally Posted by petersemple

Before you do anything else, I would call Dean up again and talk to him. Give them a chance to make it right before you do anything else.

Yes, you're right. Already done, seconds ago. Dean promises to make it good, even if I do get it machined locally and they pay. He said he's gone to talk to someone who gets paid more than him, to see what they can do for me. (Upgrade to BP-355 maybe?)

This isn't merely a 'put 5hit on H&F' thread - if they do the right thing I want everyone to know that too.

Edit: I forgot to add, Dean is also going to see what's going on with the dust extractor and give it a hurry-up.

I get the feeling from everything you have posted that H&F will make this good for you in some way. Just hope for your sake that it is sooner rather than later.

Originally Posted by petersemple

I get the feeling from everything you have posted that H&F will make this good for you in some way. Just hope for your sake that it is sooner rather than later.

I agree. Dean was as upset as I was when he heard that the second top was also bowed.
At least this week it's being seen to. Last week was lost time.

Back to waiting within earshot of the phone, so I dragged the drill press inside so I can still get some work done.

Originally Posted by Hermit

so I dragged the drill press inside so I can still get some work done.

Love your dedication.

Originally Posted by two40

Love your dedication.

'Dragged' was perhaps too strong a word. It only weighs 20kg, (45 lb). I carried it in.

As long as they don't keep me waiting too long, or I will be dragging the bandsaw in later as well. Gotta put the chipboard top back on and cut some more bits for the Roadster. (What lounge room?)

Steve thats a bummer situ but not to say it could have been in transit damage. No not making excuses for H&F just know what can happen.

Steve like the previous top does the bow appear to be centralised, as in where the split for the blade is located.

Why do you see or have been told it needs machining? Why not maybe heat treatment?

Yes cast is delicate but done right it maybe the solution.

Originally Posted by wheelinround

Steve thats a bummer situ but not to say it could have been in transit damage. No not making excuses for H&F just know what can happen.

Steve like the previous top does the bow appear to be centralised, as in where the split for the blade is located.

Why do you see or have been told it needs machining? Why not maybe heat treatment?

Yes cast is delicate but done right it maybe the solution.

The bow is exactly where the last one was - along the split line, with a relatively flat table either side. Working with real narrow timber right along the split line is impossible without it rocking left to right a fair bit, messing up the angles. I don't want to use the chipboard top for everything, either, because of the height loss and slight extra blade movement due to the unsupported bit that goes through the chipboard. (That bit is not so important.)

Machining was the first thing that came to mind, for both Dean and myself and probably the only option here in Nowra. The local guy doesn't even have a milling machine large enough and will use a vertical bore if he does it.

I straightened a bowed compound mitre saw fence a few weeks ago, only cast aluminium, but still delicate, so I know it's possible.
I DIY pressed it back just past straight, with a travel limit to help stop it breaking, left it for a couple of hours from memory, then released it and took out the last tiny bit on W&D paper glued to a sheet of perspex, clamped to a flat (kitchen) table.

Yes cast is delicate but done right it maybe the solution

So I should put away the angle-grinder, I guess. Shame, it was gonna be fun.

Edit: I'm currently routing slots either side of the blade slot for the mitre guide, then I'll look at attaching the fence extrusion across the end.

Dean just asked if I want this one: -
Attachment 210132

I said "Yes, please."
Not perfect, with a little dip to the left of the blade, but a damn sight better than the other two.
It looks more than usable for my purposes.
It's on it's way, from Melbourne this time.

Third time lucky.....

Edit: Dean just verified that it's already on it's way, began arrangements to retrieve the other two and back-ordered some free 1/4" blades for me, to match the one I bought last week. They're not in stock at the moment, hence the back-order.

The dust collector left yesterday, too, so will probably arrive tomorrow.
Things are looking sunnier.