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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Eastern Suburbs Melbourne
    Posts
    218

    Default What size bandsaw?

    Looking at buying the BS4A metal cutting bandsaw from Hare and Forbes. It seems to have the cutting capabilities that I need. Is there any advantage to purchasing the more expensive BS 5 or BS 5 S models? Has anyone regretted buying the 4A and then wished they had spent more on the bigger models? The 4A looks ok but I need to find a spot for it an overcrowded workshop.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    brisbane
    Posts
    245

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Tiger View Post
    Looking at buying the BS4A metal cutting bandsaw from Hare and Forbes. It seems to have the cutting capabilities that I need. Is there any advantage to purchasing the more expensive BS 5 or BS 5 S models? Has anyone regretted buying the 4A and then wished they had spent more on the bigger models? The 4A looks ok but I need to find a spot for it an overcrowded workshop.
    The mitring in the 5S would no doubt be an advantage. With the straight 5 you are paying for the quality advantage of it being Taiwanese rather than chinese with the adjustable guides etc.

    No real capacity differences.

    Obviously bigger is better and I would prefer a 7 but like you space is an issue so the smaller model is there and really for what I do it works fine. Yes it's slow on thick solid stock but the time is free so not an issue.

    You may like to know that H&F have a 3 day sale starting tomorrow and the 4A is $259 and the 5S is $479.
    Cheers

    Craig
    Brisbane

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    16

    Default

    I bought a 4A not long ago on the recomendation of a more experienced friend who assured me that the bandsaw is essential and I now have to agree. Fanstastic.

    Get a good bimetal variable tooth blade so you never have to change the blade.

    On mine 4A there were a few rought "chinese made" issues. Part the main assembly conflicted with the base so it didn't close fully (a bid of filing resolved this) and the set screw threads in the pulleys were not threaded all the way through (so although the set screws were tight, they were not actually holding the pulleys on the shaft and hence spun under load). After fixing those two issues, it has worked wonderfully.

    I have never had the need for a larger saw, but that would depend entirely on what you need to cut...

    One addition my friend made to his saw was a threaded insert and knurled handled screw in the vice so that short pieces can be held in the vice (with the screw near the back of the vice to hold in level, sort of like a machinists jack).

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Eastern Suburbs Melbourne
    Posts
    218

    Default

    Thanks guys, the 4A appears the way to go. I went down to H and F yesterday, they had sold out, they had back orders 10 deep and it will be at least 3 weeks before they get more, but can I wait that long......

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    1

    Default

    Sorry to kind of resurrect the old thread. I want to get into woodwork and metal work and have been examining various options wrt saws.What I'm after is being able to cut mitre cuts for wood and metal (RHS) etc with min noise and mess.

    What I'm curious about is can this one machine substitute for a drop/chop saw and a traditional cold/band saw. I'm not really worried about speed but what advantages one has over the other?

    Anyone know of a place in Sydney which has these on demo?

    TIA

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