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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
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    Melbourne
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    Default Hare and Forbes band saw with blade cutting askew

    G'day all,

    I thought I'd share my experience with my recent purchase the Hare and Forbes BS-4A band saw.

    Assembled the saw, as per the instructions and proceed to cut 100mm X 5mm SHS. Worked okay. 1mm out of square. For what I was doing was okay. Anyway long story short the blade got wrecked. So I swapped it out with a new one. It probably did no more than 30minutes and it started cutting askew, big time! away from the vice. (See below look at all those cuts, its like a spring now) So for the best part of 5 hours over Saturday and Sunday I tried: adjusting the guides so much so that the blade was twisting towards the vice. I used my engineers square to check that the blade was square to the vice. Checked the blade run out over 6inches to see if the pivot arm was damaged. Adjusting the tension. Deburring the 100mm x 5mm SHS. I probably did all those things at least 3 times each.
    So at this stage I did my research on the internet and compared with what others had done on their Harbour freight, Jet, Saber. Nothing that I havent done at least 3 times.
    I seriously though it was busted what did I expect, costing around $400. I was gearing up to return the thing and preparing for a fight. When I stumbled upon someone else with a similar saw said to change the blade. Seeing as mine had only done 30minutes I thought it was a waste of time. But I thought, whats the harm. So it did, set up 100mm x 5mm shs adjusted the guides and proceeded to cut.

    It cuts square and straight!

    I hope this helps other people if they ever buy a 4 x 6 band saw.



    Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    Did you run the blade in?

    If you don't it will fail and run off pretty quickly.


    https://www.starrett.com/docs/saw-re...s.pdf?sfvrsn=2

    By and large you can tell if the blade is cutting well by the shape of the chips - like a cursive c shape. Blade TPI needs to be matched to the wall thickness of what is being cut.
    The old rule is always a minimum of 3 teeth engaged in the wall thickness.


    Grahame

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
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    56
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    1,416

    Default

    I find the starret blades to be good and am going to try the AliExpress bimetal soon.

    I bought my saw second hand 20-25years ago and it was advertised as a power hacksaw. So taking a Gamble and like you being new to them I spent days adjusting thinking the same that the saw was stuffed.
    Bought a new blade and the problem was solved. Take on board about running blades in, it will make them last a lot longer.
    If they start cutting at an angle there going blunt.
    Using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Alexandra Vic
    Age
    69
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    654

    Default

    If a blade is cutting badly off line from new, it is generally related to the set of the teeth not being even. The teeth on one side of the blade cut a wider kerf than the teeth on the other so the cut gradually progresses toward the side cutting wider. Can be caused mechanically by the amount of set applied during manufacture and how it is applied, or can be due to differences in hardness allowing one side to wear faster than the other if heat treatment is not uniform. Switching to another blade may overcome the problem, otherwise switch to a reputable brand of blade. Quite often blades supplied by organisations that are not specialist blade people are the cheapest junk they can get sold slightly below the price of comparable reputable brand blades from specialist suppliers to achieve maximum margin and profit.

    If you continue to have issues with generic blades, consider going to a saw doctor and having blades made to suit the machine and the materials you regularly cut, they may be 10-15% dearer than generics, but will last much longer with moderate care.
    I used to be an engineer, I'm not an engineer any more, but on the really good days I can remember when I was.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    37
    Posts
    18

    Default

    Thanks for your comments. I'm in the process of breaking in the blade. The cheap v belt also had a flat spot on it, so I bought a new Australian made one for $6. So much quieter.

    Where do you buy the starret blades from? I bought new blades from hare and forbes which are 'excision' they dont seem to stock Starret as per there web site.

    Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    These guys listed below carry all many of the top line Brands of bandsaw blades. They have bulk rolls and make the bandsaw blade to the length you give them.

    They supply for industry so they do not sell carp blades. I found I get about 18 months out of a blade that I might use 3-4 times a week. The proviso is that the saw needs to be checked/adjusted often and guides set up well and the blade run in. Generally, when I bugger a blade up, it is when I have got lazy and used the wrong TPI for the material width of cut.

    I have posted the link to their support page where there are the guides to running in blades and blade TPI selection.

    A good thing to save .

    https://unitedproducts.com.au/index....08-24-11-54-15

    Otherwise buy your blade from a local saw doctor who won't sell you a rubbish blade.

    The bottom line is that carp blades give carp results.

    Grahame

  7. #7
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    Default

    Spell check seem to have gotten you with carp blades, instead or crap blades
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  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave J View Post
    Spell check seem to have gotten you with carp blades, instead or crap blades
    Some time in the past,the software used to censor "crap" so for a while a lot of us used carp.I do not know when it was changed.

    Grahame

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
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    56
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    Default

    Feel free to delete my post if you want to change your post
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  10. #10
    jatt's Avatar
    jatt is offline Always within 10 paces from nearest stubby holder
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    Yep now having 4 handsaws, stork recently bought another, couldn't agree more about getting a saw doc to make up your blades. Mind u some folk buy a roll of the blade material and join them selves with success.
    Frisky wife, happy life. ​Then I woke up. Oh well it was fun while it lasted.
    From an early age my father taught me to wear welding gloves . "Its not to protect your hands son, its to put out the fire when u set yourself alight".

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
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    Default

    The price of a bi metal full roll ( 30 METRES) will take you breath away.

    I haven't found an Australian site advertising the rolls but this yank site should should give you an idea.

    https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn/...947+4288236248

    I would have to be doing a lot of cutting to justify that.

    Grahame

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
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    Tennant Creek, Aust
    Age
    61
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    596

    Default

    I had the same problem when I bought my BS-5S Band Saw, tried every thing recommend on this forum, youtube etc, I bought some Starrett blades from H&F, problem solved instantly, cutting spot on now.


    https://www.google.com/url?client=in...Ro7iFSc922b6Ul

    Ratty 05/2004 -05/07/2010 COOPER 01/08/1998-31/01/2012

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