Record BS350S bandsaw- first impressions and pics

[oddsocks]

Yesterday I took advantage of a show offer and bought the record BS350 S, with the promo dvd and pedal wheel kit. I haven't yet got the pedal kit as the dealer had none (Record posting that direct to me).

EDIT -now fitted, photos later in the thread

It's too early to really review the saw (i have only cut 3 bits of wood!) so this post is about the build and photos......

First of all it all comes in one box that weighs 106kg and is approx 458x16x21"....It just fitted on the back seat of a rover 75 saloon (but heavy and awkward). The box includes the standard wheel kit and stand.

For some reason there was no manual in the box, the dealer provided a photocopied manual that looked like a first draft. it had a form to request the 'proper' one. I suspect there had been changes to the spec - it made for some interesting assembly. In all it took me 3-4 hours to get it assembled, set up and the first test cut done. I fitted a dragon saws supplied 3/4" x 3tpi blade (see my post last week on what blades to buy) and tested 'at the deep end' by cutting a 2mm veneer slice off of a 180mm think beech block ....very impressed both with the blade and the saw- the motor never even hinted at being loaded. I had hooked the saw up to a record RPDE2 extractor (the other new toy i bought yesterday) and when I finished ripping the veneer there was lot of dust on the lower guide assemble - but far more in the extractor drum

First activity was to assemble the stand with the basic wheel set. The frame is rigid and was set up stable on the floor, however when I added the bandsaw it came out of square and took a lot of coaxing to get firm again. The saw weighs 100kg and has a large table so using the handle and these wheels it is difficult to move -definitely only for occasional use.

The saw is fixed to the stand by four nuts. next came the fitting of the table which was a different design to that in the manual. its held on with 4 allen bolts - fit the two outside ones first then tilt the table to easily get to the other two. The manual showed the front slot held by a bolt - the supplied table didn't have this but did have a solid bar that is held in with allen bolts... you can see it open in this image

the above image also shows the fence, fence bar and tape measure. The fence bar is a different design to that in the manual as is the fence (both appear to be upgraded). The fence rod is attached by two bolts to the table. With the fence fitted and locked (it grips the bar for about 3/4 of the circumference and is solid) adjust the nuts on the two rod fixing s to get the fence aligned with the blade. Each nut also moves enough to set the fence 90 degrees vertical. There was a bit of test and adjust but overall done in about 5 mins.

First moan.....the fence cannot be fitted or removed from the rod without taking the blade off - It think the older rod had a shorter left hand fixing, but with this rod and fence there's not enough space to the left, all you can do is 'drop' the fence to the left of the table. I've got a call arranged with Record on Monday and will raise this.

EDIT (info later in the thread) - tilt the table to give enough space to remove the fence. if you need to use it on the RHS then there are holes to reposition the fence rod - so about 5-10mins work.

The ruler is not mentioned at all in the manual and for a while I thought it was for the depth of cut (there isn't a depth scale even though on the frame there is an etched mark).


so - more photos....

the table tilt is good quality. the middle knob is the adjuster for the lower thrust bearing

The lower guides - easy to setup, side guides are roller discs

Upper guides - again easy to setup (this was taken before they were set!)

Band tension adjuster knob - in my opinion it's too small and just a plastic push fit - it was hard to tension the 3/4" blade with this. Maybe better to release the quick release tension lever, then adjust this?

good wheels - notice the blade tension indicator bottom left

top and bottom doors open without tools and are safety switched - see the metal tongue on the door that fits in the slot.

Final photo -the assembled top with both fences and the supplied push stick. A good size table. The mitre fence will run in the guide either side of the blade- which may prove useful.

no photo, but the depth of cut adjustment is by a handwheel on the side of the upper frame that drives a good gear assembly with no play - guides stay correctly adjusted.

 

[WellsWood]

Nice one Dave, looks like a great piece of kit, hope you'll be very happy together :wink: I was pretty much all set to haave a go for the BS500 at one of the Record shows, but I got lucky and turned up an Axy4300 on Ebay.
Out of curiosity, any particular reason you went for the open stand version over the cabinet one?

 

[oddsocks]

Out of curiosity, any particular reason you went for the open stand version over the cabinet one?

A number of 'reasons' :

1. The cabinet version wasn't in the show offer leaflet (but record thought the dealer didn't have any open stand versions in stock so was prepared to do the cabinet version at the same price to avoid offering free delivery). It turned out they did have one S version left so i went with it.

2. With the pedal wheel kit (in the show offer but not shown in my photos as I haven't got it yet) the bandsaw is more manouverable -which was a bigger consideration than a cabinet which when I looked in it I thought I would not put much in. I had this discussion with the Record rep and he agreed that the saw was easier to move with the pedal kit than the cabinet wheel version (which itself is far better than the set I have fitted at the moment).

3. The record web page says the cabinet adds to the rigidity, but the open stand seems rigid enough.

4. I like the open look of the stand - trying to maintain the illusion of space in my garage

No doubt if the dealer hadn't had the S version in stock I would have driven away with the cabinet version

 

[gasmansteve]

Hi Dave
I`d echo what Mark says nice piece of kit.
Shame about the manual. Record do have the manuals in .pdf on their web site for all their gear but not really the point when you shell out for a new saw must have been a @#%* to put together without the proper one.
Since looking into bandsaws the Records do get mainly good write ups so I am very tempted since a dealer has come up with a good offer on a new BS300-X which would be fine for my needs and I like the 5yr g/tee which must say something about their faith in the products?.
Maybe the quick release should be loosened before tensioning the blade if you have the correct manual .
Steve

 

[oddsocks]

Hi Dave
... and I like the 5yr g/tee which must say something about their faith in the products?.

Steve

Steve, I agree. I bought the Record CL4 variable lathe earlier this year and the headstock fixed bearing was noisy - now you could argue that it shouldn't have been, but Record shipped a replacement with no hassle at all and gave me the option to have the unit collected and sent back to them to investigate if I wanted. They also reply to emails and calls normally the next business morning, which is something others (e.g Metabo!!) don't do.

 

[woodshavings]

Dave, I have the earlier BS350. I have found releasing the tension lever and then adjusting the tension knob works fine.
John

 

[Anonymous]

Looks nice Dave

Don't know this model. What is the depth of cut and what is a pedal wheel kit?

 

[OPJ]

I've heard that some people are critical of Record Power, but this saw does look very well built indeed. I've got one of their promotional DVDs on using the bandsaw (I think it's also this model?) but sadly, I only have an SIP 12" bandsaw, which I'm beginning to get a little frustrated with it, as my demand for giving it a greater workload increases.

I intend to look at upgrading my bandsaw next year and Record Power will definitley be one for me to look at.

What size motor does it have, by the way? Do you notice any problems running a wide blade on this machine - eg. vibration or the blade 'wobbling' as it runs?

 

[OPJ]

Another point I just thought of...

You mentioned you were having trouble cranking up the tension? Perhaps you could try ordering your blades to be 5mm shorter than the specified length? You might find you needn't have to tighten it up so much. But you may also struggle a little to get it on the wheels, first of all...
It works for me anyway.

 

[oddsocks]

Looks nice Dave

Don't know this model. What is the depth of cut and what is a pedal wheel kit?

The depth of cut is stated as 230mm, I cranked the top guide up to 240mm.
I'll post a picture of the pedal kit when I fit it, but heres one from the record website..
http://www.recordpower.co.uk/index.pl?p=BS300A&a=i

and their description lifted from the BS300 page as up until now I think the 350 has only been available in the X version with cabinet (which is why I went for the open stand and not the cabinet version)

An essential addition to the BS300 bandsaw. This wheelkit makes the machine instantly transportable without the need for a jacking bar or any other form of support. By simply depressing the pedal the machine is lifted on to castors for easy movement around the workshop.

OPJ - the motor is 1.5 HP (1000W). With the 3/4" blade fitted there is no vibration but the blade does move forward a bit at one point in it's travel ( by about 3mm) so I set the the thrust bearing so that it just touches at the 'worst' point in the cycle

 

[DavidE]

Hi there,

Cool - looks good. I have a BS350 and have been pleased with it. I have had to repair the tensioning mechanism once. Then when it went again I upgraded it. It is a strange design as it only uses an M8 thread on the original. It is prone to picking up/flattening. The holes it goes through look like it would take a big machine thread though. I have put an M10 in and it has been better. I also made a T bar style tensioner knob as the other one was hurting my hands/hard to tension 3/4" blades. I'll take a picture of it if you're interested? I keep meaning to try to find some machine thread/ or an old vice as I could really upgrade the mechanism then.

I have resawn 9" Pitch Pine on it and some Oak and have been impressed with the performance (using Dure-edge blades and latterly Dragons).
The other way of getting some extra capacity is too take the top guides off. I've done this once so I could resaw some Pitch Pine at approx 12" (it worked okay -I'm not condoning this though!)

Have fun with the new beast
David

 

[oddsocks]

Hi there,

Cool - looks good. I have a BS350 and have been pleased with it. I have had to repair the tensioning mechanism once. Then when it went again I upgraded it. It is a strange design as it only uses an M8 thread on the original. It is prone to picking up/flattening. The holes it goes through look like it would take a big machine thread though. I have put an M10 in and it has been better.

David, I've just looked at my adjuster thread and its M10 not M8 - so it looks like Record have upgraded it. Would be good for you to post a photo (maybe as a new thread?) to help those with the older version

 

[DavidE]

Hi there,

Okay cool I'm glad they've upgraded it. I did actually send them some feedback via a dealer/direct when it broke the first time as the design meant it was inevitable. I'll take some photos and post the sketch showing how it failed over the next few days. It would be interesting if you could get a picture of the top end of the adjuster. Also out of interest what does the tracking adjustment look like on the top wheel now?

Cheers, David

 

[oddsocks]

Hi there,

Okay cool I'm glad they've upgraded it. I did actually send them some feedback via a dealer/direct when it broke the first time as the design meant it was inevitable. I'll take some photos and post the sketch showing how it failed over the next few days. It would be interesting if you could get a picture of the top end of the adjuster. Also out of interest what does the tracking adjustment look like on the top wheel now?

Cheers, David

photo showing top end of adjuster

also this is how the travel is limited - bar extends through two slots.

I couldn't see the mechanics of the tracking adjuster (its hidden behind the wheel and tension frame). This pic shows the tracker knob (below the tension release lever); it also shows the height adjuster handwheel and the locking knob for it on the left.

 

[DavidE]

Gosh that was quick - it will take me a few days to get the photos sorted!

It looks a lot more beefy now which is good. I don't think the bar you mention limits the travel?(If my memory is working :? ) I think that is controlled by the position of the two nuts locked together on the M10 thread. The quick-release cam raises and lowers that bar to take the tension on/off. Your photo must be taken with the blade de-tensioned?

The tracking knob looks similar. The reason I mentioned that was; on the BS350 it is only a M8 thread. I flattened it adjusting under tension so if I have to adjust it now I use the quick release lever to take the tension off first. Fortunately, if it does go it is easily changed - one of the good things about Record stuff - you can use common and garden parts to repair!

Cheers
David

 

[oddsocks]

Gosh that was quick - it will take me a few days to get the photos sorted!

... I don't think the bar you mention limits the travel?(If my memory is working :? ) I think that is controlled by the position of the two nuts locked together on the M10 thread. The quick-release cam raises and lowers that bar to take the tension on/off. Your photo must be taken with the blade de-tensioned?.

I'm getting quicker with uploading to flickr!
yes the tension is released and thinking about it the two nuts are the limiters, so the bar is the tension release end stops.

 

[white_sw]

I too have the older BS350X (the old one, but with the new fence) with the M8 tension mech. 3 of these have stripped the threads now. However, Record after sales have been great. Every time it has happened, they have sent me a whole new mech (not just the threaded rod) within a day or two. The last time this happened, they sent me out the new M10 mech which is so much better than the old one and much easier to tension 3/4 blade without any problems. All this and not asked for a penny even for postage. In my opion, Record customer service is fantastic.

The only down side to the saw that I have found is the plastic tension adjuster knob (push fit) has broken a couple of times. Not since I have had the M10 mech installed though. This is much smoother and easier to turn under tension. Again, Record have sent me replacements (2 at a time) free of charge.

 

[Another Dave]

On my six month old 350 (with the alloy wheels) it was the pointer for the tension meter that was limiting the travel and would not allow the blades to be tensioned correctly. This was with both Record and Dragon blades. Removing the pointer solved the problem.

Also on my saw the cross shaft shown in your pictures is not held tightly by the left-hand starlock washer and works it way across a little each time the tension lever is operated, and has to be tapped back to its correct position every few days. One day I'll forget to do this though ...........

I have the enclosed cabinet base, with the wheel set and removable handle. This is not a good setup, as it gives a good deal of flex in the base where the wheels are attached when the saw is in use. It is reinforced underneath with welded on angle irons, but they don't meet up with the surrounding frame thus loosing a lot of rigidity.

 

[Shultzy]

oddsocks, I'm considering buying this bandsaw, but I'm puzzled that the fence rod isn't long enough to put the fence on the other side of the blade. As the table usually tilts from left to right, cutting a long mitre means that the wood has to be held up to the fence instead of resting on the fence if it could be put on the other side of the blade.

 

[oddsocks]

oddsocks, I'm considering buying this bandsaw, but I'm puzzled that the fence rod isn't long enough to put the fence on the other side of the blade. As the table usually tilts from left to right, cutting a long mitre means that the wood has to be held up to the fence instead of resting on the fence if it could be put on the other side of the blade.

Good point - i have never done this on my previous bandsaws (on the BAS316 the fence fitting meant it could only be used on the left) so wasn't looking for the capability - I have on a very few occasions fitted a temporary wooden batten fence when using the table top tilted. There are other holes in the table so maybe the fence rod could be repositioned on the other side but that would be effort (not checked to see if the hole spacing permits it).

Record never called me today, if they do call I will mention it. The rod could be longer to the right but not fitted in any additional holes as the blade slot would become captive. You could also make up a longer rod - the two posts are screwed into the rod, not welded