Thread: Steelfast Bandsaw Help - Blades, what to order & more...

Well, I've made a little more progress with my attempt to modernise my bandsaw guides.
I have now mdae and figured out an attachment method that looks to be workable.
I still need to paint it, but here is a couple of pic's of what I have.
Next step is to figure out to achieve something similar for the under table guide.
It wont be an exact copy of the top setup as space is limited.

Hi Oddbod,

Looking at your pictures, it seems that you only need a couple of bearings to replace those brass guides ! Though I must admit that they seem fine enough for the job.

The proposed bottom bearings and the supporting assembly could be reduced in sizing.

What needs to be considered is the table on its maximum swings .

I had a similar woodwork bandsaw that I was going to do wonders on a big stick with it.

Unfortunately in 2008 a big flood got in way. Its on my gunnadoo list still.

I think the saving grace is that the saw band stays in the same plane where it is quite different of the 6x4 type of saws as the
band comes off the drive wheel and is twisted to align into the cut plane at one bearing and then goes back to normal,after it passes the opposite bearing.

I have seen more than one 6 x 4 type band blade rolled out of flat with a hump in it, in my opinion, was due to over adjusted bearings and poor tension. No such problems with the vertical bandsaw, I reckon.
It shall be interesting to follow the progress.

Grahame

Thanks, for your constructive comments gents.
Sorry about the double post previously, I have no idea why or how that happened.

As usual, I am waiting for paint to dry and contemplating my next move.
I am warming to the idea of maintaining the rear bearing as it is and just add a pair of side roller bearings and see how it goes from their.
That way it should save my a lot of time.

More soon.

Leave the bottom guides as they or maybe replace the brass faces with tungsten it is a far superior system.

Originally Posted by Oddbod1

Well, I've made a little more progress with my attempt to modernise my bandsaw guides.
I have now mdae and figured out an attachment method that looks to be workable.
I still need to paint it, but here is a couple of pic's of what I have.
Next step is to figure out to achieve something similar for the under table guide.
It wont be an exact copy of the top setup as space is limited.

Sorry, I've been off the radar for sometime as I hurt my shoulder which has limited my progress.
Anyway, I have managed to make a under table roller bearing guide.
My version really only adds the side bearings and I have stuck with the original configuration of the back of blade bearing at 90 degrees to the blade.
Lack of space was the problem for the back bearing modification.
However if somebody set their mind to it, I am sure it would be possible, just a lot more work involved...

All appears to be ready to go, but as yet I have not been able to give it a run.
I hope to do that soon and report back with any feedback that maybe of help to future modifiers.

Good work.
Suggest replacing the slotted head screws with socked heads as these can be tightened firmer and easier.

Originally Posted by BobL

Good work.
Suggest replacing the slotted head screws with socked heads as these can be tightened firmer and easier.

Thanks Bob and yes a good idea for the bolts/screws.
Just looking around my stash to see if I have any socket heads with matching threads.
I go to buy stuff and later on I discover, I already had the same stuff hidden away for a rainy day.
Hahaha.

Old age, its a challenege at times...

Originally Posted by Oddbod1

Thanks Bob and yes a good idea for the bolts/screws.
Just looking around my stash to see if I have any socket heads with matching threads.
I go to buy stuff and later on I discover, I already had the same stuff hidden away for a rainy day.

If they are imperial threads them expect to pay a more.
Well at least last when I needed 16, 1/4" BSWs I had to settle for NCs and they cost a lot more than metric equivalents.

Originally Posted by BobL

I think I paid $38 for a 1.6m 14TPI bimetal blade but that was some time ago

You could try Hughans
We buy our Timber Mill Band saw blades from them.
Address: 14 Hector Street, Osborne Park WA 6017, Australia
Phone: +61 8 9244 1977
I've also bought blades from Carbide Tools In Wangara. https://www.carbidetool.com.au/products/
Ask them all for a quote.

Thanks Bob, yes that is where I recently purchased my two blades, they run at about $58 each these days.
I guess length and size also influences the cost, I am lead to believe the blade material is from the USA, which is comforting also...

Originally Posted by BobL

If they are imperial threads them expect to pay a more.
Well at least last when I needed 16, 1/4" BSWs I had to settle for NCs and they cost a lot more than metric equivalents.

Yes Bob and some of the nut and bolt places have a minimum charge which kinder irks me...
I'm sure I have some, just need to dig them out.
Probably have surplus from previous minimum charge buys where I end up with a much larger quantity of fasteners to cover what they want as a minimum charge which has varied from betweem $10 and $20 at times.

Still have not had a chance to give my blade mods a trial run as yet, however I found an old bench saw aluminum guide in a scrap bin and decided it maybe useful to one day.

Well, I got to thinking it may well a suitable guide on my bandsaw table.
I made the orange coloured components trimmed the end off as it was a little too long and reduced the sides near to the locking screws for finger clearance and now I have a functional table guide which has got to be better than no guide...

I have also added an extra long chord ro my bandsaw to reach my 3 phase power outlet.
The chord was too loong to store easily when not in use so I made a hook out of some stainless steel flatbar and attached to the saw frame.
I guess it looks OK and is functional.

Well, I guess I'm done with this bandsaw thread for now.
I will post a performance reply when I actually get around to using it.

Right now, I've been distracted putting wheels on a treadle guillotine I acquired recently.
It is something like my bandsaw, that I dont expect to use daily, so it is mice to have it mobile to move out of the way and store.

I put wheels on my bandsaw as well which turned out to be really helpful.
Both the bandsaw and guillotine are qyuite heavy and would be difficult to move around easily or safely

The bandsaw was easy and I just got a ste of locking castor wheels from the local hardware for $35.
However the guillotine seemed much heavier in my book, but I did score a pair of trolly castor wheels used by a school teacher to move something around the school.
They had good double wheels but no locks, and seemed to be capable of carrying decent weight.
So for $20 I bought the two trolleys and cut them up and recycled them into a configuration that would work with my guillotine.

It worked a treat, but I wanted to have a method of locking the unit in place but also take the load off the wheels, especially when using the treadle and an extra 100kg of body weight using the treadle was probably not an idea that would see any longevity of wheel life.

I acquired 2 x 2nd hand trailer jockey wheels for $10 each, chopped off the wheel yoke section and made a floppy foot that could be wound down.

Attached are pic's of my madness...

Originally Posted by China

Leave the bottom guides as they or maybe replace the brass faces with tungsten it is a far superior system.

China is spot on there. With rollers/bearings every bit of swarf is being crushed between the rollers and blade. Different thickness hardened guides scrape the swarf away from the blade.

Originally Posted by Oddbod1

Sorry, I've been off the radar for sometime as I hurt my shoulder which has limited my progress.
Anyway, I have managed to make a under table roller bearing guide.

All appears to be ready to go, but as yet I have not been able to give it a run.
I hope to do that soon and report back with any feedback that maybe of help to future modifiers.

I'll be interested to see your feedback. What you've created there is a hopper situation and if the bearings are properly adjusted to the blade then you have huge problems.