Brilliant Budget Bandsaw Challenge - Part 2

In all its glory!

Bandsaw home and unloaded, ready for phase two. Just like a workbench, there's a sweet spot for the height of a bandsaw. And, just like a workbench there is a rule of thumb but ultimately we tailor it for our own needs.

The chap before had it set up so high that I would be unable to control the work I do. I reduced it to a 39” table height and bolted it to a robust home made cabinet with locking castors. The cabinet acts as a useful store for seldom used items, which in turn provides ballast and stability.

Sadly there is no no longer a manual available for this bandsaw. If you decide to purchase a used bandsaw, always see if you can track a manual down. A manual is very helpful for spare parts and safe usage. In lieu of a manual and if you're in the UK, it's well worth looking up these resources. HSE Narrow band saws, Safe working practices. If you're outside the UK it's likely you have your own national or state level information. And if that's difficult to find, consider looking at Fine Woodworking as a resource for safe use. You may need to pay, but that's fair enough. I'm sure they have plenty of information.

My focus was then to clean and check the condition. Using a class M vacuum cleaner with a small dusting brush allows me to be methodical. There's no genius at work here. I'm just checking to make sure nothing is loose, missing, worn or electrical components damaged with exposed wires. Even if you can’t find a manual for your machine and you need a new drive belt or tyres for the wheels, these can be found online and they are generic. There are plenty of specialists out there selling parts.

Enough to pull the skin off a rice pudding.

Do avoid the trap of getting carried away though. There are aftermarket guides and others such bits and bobs, but don’t go near them until you’re sure they will offer a benefit. Once I had thoroughly checked over my bandsaw I ordered the two most important things. 1/2” wide blade 3tpi skip tooth and 1/4” wide blade 4tpi skip tooth. Just like hand tools, you can go down a rabbit hole with bandsaw blades. I had to look up what I have. Apparently I have “Carbon Flex Back Bandsaw Blades”. Sounds clever right? Here’s more for you bandsaw geeks out there “FlexBack Carbon Bandsaw Blade features the low cost carbon blade, tooth tip hardened to 63 Rc to 65 Rc, and a flexible back advantageous to maintenance shops that have a variety of materials to cut. The style of tooth structure is the skip tooth style, which features a 0-degree rake angle and doubled gullet capacity. Tooth shapes is consistent throughout the blade.” It seems I have basic bandsaw blades, who’d of thought that! I get mine from a local saw doctor but there are plenty of online retailers too.

Seriously though, for my needs a decent sharp bade is fine. My home workshop is not an industrial setting. The reason I use such coarse blades is because I use hand tools. If you’ve tried ripping or “deep cutting” 6” material you’ll know it’s hard going unless you have a frame saw with big rip teeth and you know how to use it. Small bandsaw teeth pack with dust which introduces drift. This is where the bandsaw blade wanders instead of staying straight and true. Although the surface finish is coarse from my blades, the cut is straight so it’s not hard work to true up with the plane. I cut with lots of mechanical sympathy, like I said, I use hand tools. I know how not working to a steady rhythm with the right tool is a recipe for disaster.

Next time out we’ll discuss my basic set up. Once this is done, I have a useful workshop companion that makes light work of ripping up to 6” deep, can cut curves and takes up a minimal footprint in the home workshop.

Push sticks save fingers, make or buy some.