Thread: Cleaning up the Barker Bandsaw.

Well done Matty. I reckon that you got a load of satisfaction tidying up the old dear. Then to remake the steel guards, that is the icing on the cake. How is it to use? Does it follow a line easy? I know my Toolex 14" tends to follow the line of least resistance in some woods.
What goes on in the factory you reconditioned the BS? There seemed to be a bit of high-tec going on

Originally Posted by chambezio

How is it to use? Does it follow a line easy?

Rod, its a pleasure to use, the bearings are good, the wheels were re-rubberized (vulcanized) by Welco, Crowned and Balanced by Wolfenden some 20 years ago, and still in great condition today, runs smooth and quiet as a mouse.
I find that with bandsaws a sharp blade and good guides are key to a smooth clean cut, a blunt blade will tend to wonder to one side.

Originally Posted by chambezio

What goes on in the factory you reconditioned the BS? There seemed to be a bit of high-tec going on

Yes, a couple of modern machines, but the biggest is the Dankaert re-saw, it stands very tall and some of the lower part runs in a pit so overall its big, blades are 5+ inches wide !!
At the factory we mostly custom cut oregon to size, I am helping to setting up an area where we can offer custom dressing and molding of timber.

Melbourne Matty.

Thanks for the replys Matty.
Ah, the smell of Oregon.....takes me back to my early Apprenticeship (Carpentry) on multi story work in Sydney in the early 70s. The form workers used Oregon for stiffening the plywood form work. There was always that smell from the timber being wet either by rain of the bleed water coming out during a concrete pour.
Is there still a good supply of old Oregon? Now that I live near Tamworth Oregon is quite "exotic" so we don't see much of it at all

Very nice indeed.

In spotted one of your moulders all set up in the background.
How's all that going?
Keeping you out of mischief I'm sure.

Have fun,
Alli

Originally Posted by L.S.Barker1970

I have had a L.S.Barker bandsaw for many years now, I picked it up from a guy at Morrabbin Airport through the back then Trading post, the pervious owner was using it to cut Aluminum
air craft engines in half for static displays, I recall asking where he had found it and he said from a pattern shop in South Melbourne.
Looking back it was one of the first bigger machines that I had purchased and when it was forked on to the back of my WB holden one tonner I was surprised to see the heavy duty leaf springs bottom out, the guy asked how far did I have to go, wondering if I was going to make it ...lol
Originally it had timber guards but I have since replaced them with steel ones, which never saw paint till now.
The original paint work was in overall good condition, a sand down so the etch primer keyed in was all it needed.

Melbourne Matty.

Yes, I have an old Macson machine which will be a similar restoration project to yours Matt. Nowhere near as big as your Barker - the Macson has a 700mm throat - but requiring similar renovation and attention. It came from a ramshackle joinery in south Sydney. The old fellow had died a few years back and the son was selling off all the old equipment - the Gumtree ad was posted on here at the time. I also bought an old Wadkin bandsaw sharpener (2 photos). I think a guy down Tumut way ended up buying most of the other stuff.



A couple of questions if I may. I would also like to have the wheels re-rubbered but have no idea who would do that these days in Sydney or Newcastle. I see you mention that Welco (Welco Industrial Rubber) had done this for you, but of course they're in Tullamarine. I wonder if anyone one knows of any similar services up North? Not sure whether the wheels will require re-balancing - we did start it up in the old workshop prior to removal and it seemed to run very smoothly & quietly.

As you can see the Macson also has no guards, and I very much like the look of the metal cabinet you have had fabricated for the Barker. Your own work, or did you have it done by a sheet-metalworker?

My projects (quite a few) are all lined up and ready for attention, but it will probably be a few years yet before I get to them.

Regards - Wayne

Edit: Not sure how that image of the stairs was included. A recent project where I modified an existing set of stairs to fit a pair of angled bull-nose treads at the bottom and reposition the newel post etc.

Matty - that looks great!!!

I really like the scripted makers mark and the old GE motor. Nice work on the sheet metal guarding too.

Are the pulleys iron or timber? The larger looks like iron (based on the recess to the hub), and the smaller pulley looks like timber (solid throughout).

A really nicely proportioned and solid machine.

Regards,
John

Originally Posted by chambezio

Is there still a good supply of old Oregon? Now that I live near Tamworth Oregon is quite "exotic" so we don't see much of it at all

Yes, we have a good supply coming through from Canada, BC and Vancouver island.
The there are many grades available, F7, F8, appearance grade, Clears no2, free of heart, free of knot, all depends what your budget is.
Some of the grades we have show the tightest grain, growth rings only milometers apart.
Oh yes, we also stock Kiln dried Oregon as well, in 150x50, 200x50, 250x50 and more ...

Melbourne Matty.

Matty, have you read what Robson Valley thinks of our Oregon? We regard it as something special and he(as well as the Yanks and Kenucks)regard it as an inferior timber!!! They sound like they are glad to get rid of it over here

I suppose one man's rubbish is another man's treasure

Originally Posted by Allison74

Very nice indeed.

In spotted one of your moulders all set up in the background.
How's all that going?
Keeping you out of mischief I'm sure.

Have fun,
Alli

Yes, that's the Bolinda molder in the background !
All good Alli, steaming along well, just setting up all these other machines as well so we can do a good range of dressing and moulding work !
Me ? Mischief ? hehe....

Melbourne Matty.

The Paint looks good Matt, what is the right colour for the cast name on the back , Red ?


Rob

Originally Posted by Hardenfast

The old fellow had died a few years back and the son was selling off all the old equipment - the Gumtree ad was posted on here at the time. I also bought an old Wadkin bandsaw sharpener (2 photos). I think a guy down Tumut way ended up buying most of the other stuff.



Regards - Wayne

To NICE!!
I remember seeing that add , Was it the same one that had a nice early Wolfenden Buzzer ? 12" i think.

Rob

Originally Posted by Hardenfast

A couple of questions if I may. I would also like to have the wheels re-rubbered but have no idea who would do that these days in Sydney or Newcastle. I see you mention that Welco (Welco Industrial Rubber) had done this for you, but of course they're in Tullamarine. I wonder if anyone one knows of any similar services up North? Not sure whether the wheels will require re-balancing - we did start it up in the old workshop prior to removal and it seemed to run very smoothly & quietly.

As you can see the Macson also has no guards, and I very much like the look of the metal cabinet you have had fabricated for the Barker. Your own work, or did you have it done by a sheet-metalworker?

My projects (quite a few) are all lined up and ready for attention, but it will probably be a few years yet before I get to them.

Regards - Wayne

Edit: Not sure how that image of the stairs was included. A recent project where I modified an existing set of stairs to fit a pair of angled bull-nose treads at the bottom and reposition the newel post etc.

Hi Wayne, that's a nice Macson bandsaw, I would say that it is almost a transition machine, from Macson to Barker as there are many similarities to the early Barker machines.
The very Early Macson bandsaws 36 inch at least were very different compared to the L.S.Barker machines.
In Melbourne we have a couple of places that do the rubber work on bandsaw wheels, Welco in Tullamarine, http://www.welcorubber.com.au/ , and ACPL Rollers in Bayswater, http://www.acplco.com.au/.
Some where in NSW, I'm not sure, sorry, best thing to do is an internet search on company's that vulcanize rubber onto rollers etc..
Failing that, I would be more than happy to help organize it down this end for you if your happy to look at the transport.
Those steel guards were made many years ago up by a relative of mine who is a gun welder, he has since shown me much about MIG , ARC welding and fabrication over the years and I can manage most jobs my self now, TIG will be the next frontier ....
I really like the Wadkin bandsaw sharpener, I recall it being for sale but too far for me, glad it fell into good hands !
Oh, the stairs look great too !

Melbourne Matty.

Originally Posted by jcge

Matty - that looks great!!!

I really like the scripted makers mark and the old GE motor. Nice work on the sheet metal guarding too.

Are the pulleys iron or timber? The larger looks like iron (based on the recess to the hub), and the smaller pulley looks like timber (solid throughout).

A really nicely proportioned and solid machine.

Regards,
John

Thanks John !
Its just a clean up nothing too exciting, I would live the time to go all out like you have done on your A.A.Tyson, I'm still pinching my self on that one, just beautiful work you have done, a real credit to you !
John both pulleys are steel and set for three A size V belts, they look flat because I have a wide strip of masking tape around them to stop paint over spray settling in there.
I'm pleased the way it's turned out so far, looking forward to piecing it all back together now.

Melbourne Matty.

Originally Posted by chambezio

Matty, have you read what Robson Valley thinks of our Oregon? We regard it as something special and he(as well as the Yanks and Kenucks)regard it as an inferior timber!!! They sound like they are glad to get rid of it over here

I suppose one man's rubbish is another man's treasure

I remember we imported a heap of hemlock from NZ years ago, plantation grown it did not stand up too well to the weather and dry rot set in very early.
This gave all Oregon a bad name in the building industry for years.
Mind you, we still wood chip in Tassie for the paper industry our beautiful hard woods ?!? ....

Melbourne Matty.