Does any one have either a Rikon 10-321 14” bandsaw or a Hare and Forbes BP310 13” bandsaw? I’d appreciate some feedback if you have either.
I won’t be resawing or cutting veneer.
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Does any one have either a Rikon 10-321 14” bandsaw or a Hare and Forbes BP310 13” bandsaw? I’d appreciate some feedback if you have either.
I won’t be resawing or cutting veneer.
I have a 10-353, 14” professional bandsaw.
Ive grown up using bigger saws like barkers and wallshirts, and this little thing is impressive actually. It’s an absolute dream to set up and tune, has enough power to resaw 10” NGRosewood. Mine even has the dubious fame of having been half submerged in stormwater and all it needed was a clean up and two new bearings, still runs like a watch. I went around all the areas where the dust was escaping with some self adhesive 12 mm wide rubber and now it’s clean as anything, two 4” dust ports work well. The fence is good and has a unique cam adjustment for drift, the best I’ve seen. At $1800, it punches well above it’s weight. A good product in my experience.
Thanks but now at $2500 that’s waaaay above my budget. I have very little space to fit one and I only do light work.
Thanks.
I’ve already got. 1/2hp unit. It’s been great but it’s too small re power for some of the jobs I’m now doing. I want to step up to 1hp unit but keep the footprint small hence the two I have referred to.
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I’ve already got. 1/2hp unit. It’s been great but it’s too small re power for some of the jobs I’m now doing. I want to step up to 1hp unit but keep the footprint small hence the two I have referred to.
This I don't follow.
You are NOT resawing, you are NOT cutting veneer, so what are you cutting that needs more than 1/2 hp?
1/2 hp should be more than enough to drive a blade with the appropriate TPI through 4-3/4" hardwood. So why is 1/2 hp not enough power?
The adverts and the box say 350W - so close to 1/2hp (but not quite ) :cool:
I’ve looked up the specs in the manual and it actually has two ratings.
It’s rated at S1 - 250W S1 continuous duty.
S2 (30 minutes) - 350W - short term duty.
When cutting 40mm hardwood with a 1/4” 6tpi blade, the machine will stall on a moderate curve.
Its a 8” wheel so limited blades are available.
Hope that’s enough information.
Well, I did say "a blade with the appropriate TPI". :wink:
1/4" and 6tpi cutting 40 mm hardwood has almost 9-1/2 teeth in the cut. Have you tried the 4 tpi blade available as a "stocked" item from Henry Brothers at Vineyard? This would bring the "teeth in the cut" down to just over 6.
I suggest you ring and discuss with Henry Bros what blade options are available for your 8" Aldi saw.
I suspect that even at 1/3 hp (continuous duty) Henry Bros have a suitable blade for your saw even if you need to cut 40 mm hardwood.
Henry Bros DO NOT do an appropriate blade for that saw. I have already tried them over a year ago . In actual fact the statement was ”we won’t be doing hobby saw blades as the stock material is too hard to get”
Have a look at the thickness of the stocked blades Ian. Surely a person of your knowledge can see that the stocked blades are too thick for the small wheel radius.
This is one of the reasons I am looking for a 12” or 14” saw - it will give me a greater choice of blades.
Didn't know you had already been in contact with Henry Bros.
You give me far too much credit for my very small knowledge of metallurgy.
Are any of the Henry Bros blades suitable for a 10"saw like the Rikon? I truly don't know.
Are you therefore being forced into considering the additional cost of a 14" saw?
This is a good site that lists wheel diameter and acceptable blade thicknesses.
Choosing and Using Bandsaw Blades - The Tool Corner
It also has other good info.
The only one Henry Bros have for a 10” saw is also 6tpi.
Thank you for that information.
Bugger about the lack of choice re bandsaw blades.
It sort of looks like you have 3 choices.
1. Change your process so that you cut and sand a template that can then be used with a pattern router bit to chew through the 40 mm hardwood. The cutting length of a bearing guided bit will possibly require two passes of the router.
2. get a 14" band saw saw to access the wider selection of blades.
3. learn to live with your 8" Aldi saw
So it gets back to the original question and the name of the Thread.
I looked at both the 10" and 14" Rikon saws when Lee Valley started carrying both saws 4 or 5 years ago.
My impression was that the 10" saw vibrated a lot -- but I note that Rikon have beefed up the 10" saw since then so it is alegedly more akin to their 14" model.
The 14" Rikon saw was very nice. No easily detectable vibration.
But back to Henry Bros and blades suitable for a 10" saw.
I see that Henry can readily get 3/16" x 0.020" strip stock that they then cut teeth into.
I know I'm being repetitive, but have you asked Henry Bros if they can make a 3/16 x 0.020, 3 TPI (or maybe 4 TPI) blade for a 10 in saw? If they can, it would allow you to go with the very sharply priced Rikon 10" model.
No I have not asked them as I don’t have a 10” saw - mine is 8”.
Looking at the specs. I can’t see any real advantage in the 10” over my 8”. About the same power and similar limitation with blades.
Still looking at 12” and 14”