....ordered on line and delivered free the next day. Had been away on hols but got it out of its box yesterday and started to use it....very impressed so far (....considering the price). A good buy....so many thanks for all the positive reviews.
Aldi bandsaw....does anybody have one and can comment?
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devonwoody
Established Member
Got the vacuum cleaner hooked up on mine and the dust extraction beats my two previous large bandsaws and bandsaw is ok with a ripping blade as well.
Cozzer
Established Member
Got an Aldi job a week-or-so ago.
The last time I used a bandsaw was at school many, many years ago, so frankly my opinion is based on the machine itself as opposed to (no doubt, tons better) other units on the market.
I had to look up setup guides on Youtube etc., because as other writers have said, the illustrations in the manual aren't that hot.
I've come across all the usual problems that a new user has - how much tension? Where should the saw band sit on the upper wheel? Should it "co-plane" with the wheel below? etc., etc....
A complete novice, so it took some time to set up....
With the supplied 1/4", 6 tpi band - good, bad orindifferent, I've no idea! - I have spent more time getting it positioned "correctly"on the upper wheel...seems to veer towards the front of the wheel at times (turning by hand) but a few degrees further on, the inside of the tooth rests in the middle...
The little cylindrical guides are a bit rough to position, and their housings are a bit crude, unfinished castings.
The lower support bearing is shot. It simply won't spin "under load", unlike the upper version. Apparently they should not be touched by the rear of the band until some piece is being cut.
I followed some instructions to establish the "drift", and marked the table top accordingly...and then found out that the supplied fence isn't adjustable.
Whether there's any leeway possible to adjust/spin the table around a few degrees, I'm not sure.....or, in fact, whether that would be a solution...?
The last time I used a bandsaw was at school many, many years ago, so frankly my opinion is based on the machine itself as opposed to (no doubt, tons better) other units on the market.
I had to look up setup guides on Youtube etc., because as other writers have said, the illustrations in the manual aren't that hot.
I've come across all the usual problems that a new user has - how much tension? Where should the saw band sit on the upper wheel? Should it "co-plane" with the wheel below? etc., etc....
A complete novice, so it took some time to set up....
With the supplied 1/4", 6 tpi band - good, bad orindifferent, I've no idea! - I have spent more time getting it positioned "correctly"on the upper wheel...seems to veer towards the front of the wheel at times (turning by hand) but a few degrees further on, the inside of the tooth rests in the middle...
The little cylindrical guides are a bit rough to position, and their housings are a bit crude, unfinished castings.
The lower support bearing is shot. It simply won't spin "under load", unlike the upper version. Apparently they should not be touched by the rear of the band until some piece is being cut.
I followed some instructions to establish the "drift", and marked the table top accordingly...and then found out that the supplied fence isn't adjustable.
Whether there's any leeway possible to adjust/spin the table around a few degrees, I'm not sure.....or, in fact, whether that would be a solution...?
devonwoody
Established Member
Cozzer my experience with bandsaws is to get the blade tension right and blade stays in track on wheels, I set mine very tight (and release when I know I will not need it again that day)
The bearings I never seem to worry about as long as they do not touch a blade and mine cuts a straight line OK, I do use Tuff saw blades.
Its early days for you yet, it is the right touch you need to seek imo. The saw works OK.
The bearings I never seem to worry about as long as they do not touch a blade and mine cuts a straight line OK, I do use Tuff saw blades.
Its early days for you yet, it is the right touch you need to seek imo. The saw works OK.
Cozzer
As a new member you possibly have not seen this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU its the standard reference for setting up a bandsaw.
Mike
As a new member you possibly have not seen this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU its the standard reference for setting up a bandsaw.
Mike
devonwoody
Established Member
pcb1962":3ol0hm5v said:
And get the tension right and guides not touching the blade.
I have just reduced a 6mm thick mdf 1.32mtrs long that was 174mm wide in half and no deviation at all along the length of the cut.
Cozzer
Established Member
Grateful thanks for the sound advice from devonwoody, MikeJhn and pcb1962....
Looked at the Tuffsaws site this afternoon, and will be doing something about it this very evening....
Yes, I'd seen that video regarding the setup - very slick! Must be great to know exactly what you're doing!!
Looked at the Tuffsaws site this afternoon, and will be doing something about it this very evening....
Yes, I'd seen that video regarding the setup - very slick! Must be great to know exactly what you're doing!!
Hi all, just had my first problem with this saw. The "guide" would not "wind down". Problem was sawdust "embedded" in the plastic rack. Not a major problem but it did require stripping out the guide unit which also meant removing the top wheel "frame" completely to allow me to get the guide unit out.
Other than that I am still really impressed with what this saw can do, although as and when it does pack up I have convinced myself that I will buy something a bit more "robust"..(Record...)
Other than that I am still really impressed with what this saw can do, although as and when it does pack up I have convinced myself that I will buy something a bit more "robust"..(Record...)
I have a Woodstar sb12 which is much bigger - after having to take the thing apart twice to clean it out I just stripped the winding mechanism out of it completely. Pig of a job, but I don't miss it.
g7g7g7g7
Established Member
I'm looking at buying a bandsaw, normally my philosophy is to buy cheap and use the rest of the money for other things with utility but a bandsaw is a big purchase I could go up to £200 and am looking at this against something like a Scheppach BASA 1.0, axminster hobby or a Record Power 9" and wondering what would be the best way to go.
Hi G7, ..now I have "owned" my first bandsaw (Aldi cheapie), I realise how useful they are. I always wanted one, but was put off by price and space for a "good one". However after using the little Aldi almost continuously since I got it about 4 weeks ago I realise how useful they are!! If / when anything happens to the Aldi (I will probably wear it out at the current rate of usage), I would get a bigger one without any hesitation..I don't think I could live without one now!!.
When I was looking a couple of years ago I found the Record range to be the best value / quality. I would probably get the smaller one on the stand (about £300 I think), but could be tempted to get the next one up..but thats about £500. If I was spending that sort of money quality would be priority, and Record always seems to have the edge on quality when you compare them with the competition......happy hunting...
When I was looking a couple of years ago I found the Record range to be the best value / quality. I would probably get the smaller one on the stand (about £300 I think), but could be tempted to get the next one up..but thats about £500. If I was spending that sort of money quality would be priority, and Record always seems to have the edge on quality when you compare them with the competition......happy hunting...
Cozzer
Established Member
Just an update on my Aldi job...
Took the helpful advice offered by devonwoody, MikeJhn and pcb1962, and ordered both 1/4" and 3/8" (1400mm, 6TPI jobs) from Tuffsaws...yes, I now see what you mean!
The bands looked different/superior to the one it came with, even to my inexperienced eye.
Still had a bit of bother centering the band on the upper wheel, but I suspect that's more my fault than the machine.
Had to adjust the guides and bearings to suit, noticing that there's a certain amount of movement when the allen jobs are tightened. Still have the same problem as before with the lower bearing - it simply doesn't turn when 'under load'.
Bearing in mind the cost of these things, let's be blunt - they're not going to be the Rolls Royce of saws, but the castings that hold the guides and bearings are roughly finished - for example, the top guides are not quite opposite to each other, so while you can get one side 'aimed' behind the band teeth, the other side is a good 2mm out...
I'll give it a better test tomorrow and try to figure whether the drift problem has sorted itself....
In the meantime, thanks again for the advice....
Took the helpful advice offered by devonwoody, MikeJhn and pcb1962, and ordered both 1/4" and 3/8" (1400mm, 6TPI jobs) from Tuffsaws...yes, I now see what you mean!
The bands looked different/superior to the one it came with, even to my inexperienced eye.
Still had a bit of bother centering the band on the upper wheel, but I suspect that's more my fault than the machine.
Had to adjust the guides and bearings to suit, noticing that there's a certain amount of movement when the allen jobs are tightened. Still have the same problem as before with the lower bearing - it simply doesn't turn when 'under load'.
Bearing in mind the cost of these things, let's be blunt - they're not going to be the Rolls Royce of saws, but the castings that hold the guides and bearings are roughly finished - for example, the top guides are not quite opposite to each other, so while you can get one side 'aimed' behind the band teeth, the other side is a good 2mm out...
I'll give it a better test tomorrow and try to figure whether the drift problem has sorted itself....
In the meantime, thanks again for the advice....
devonwoody
Established Member
My experience with bandsaws is not to worry about bearings, I just keep them away from the blade!!!!!!, the backside bearing is more critica,l perhaps you are pushing the timber through to hard, let the blade do the work?.
Cozzer
Established Member
devonwoody":25rlahk7 said:
Oh, there's every chance!
Was just about to test everything with the unit out on the patio...and it's just started to rain...
What's betting it'll stop just as I get everything back in the shed?!
Cozzer
Established Member
Right....managed to get outside and do a few cuts.
Drifting problem still there, but not as bad as with the original blade.
Is the answer to ignore the fence clamping system and just use a C clamp at either end to match the required angle instead?
The manual claims that the max size for a band on this machine is 12mm...but the wheel/tyre is only 17 or 18mm wide, so how could a 1/2" band be used if the teeth gullet is ideally meant to sit in the centre of the tyre?
Wouldn't that mean that the back edge of the blade would overhang the back of the wheel?.....or have I got the wrong end of the stick?!
Drifting problem still there, but not as bad as with the original blade.
Is the answer to ignore the fence clamping system and just use a C clamp at either end to match the required angle instead?
The manual claims that the max size for a band on this machine is 12mm...but the wheel/tyre is only 17 or 18mm wide, so how could a 1/2" band be used if the teeth gullet is ideally meant to sit in the centre of the tyre?
Wouldn't that mean that the back edge of the blade would overhang the back of the wheel?.....or have I got the wrong end of the stick?!
devonwoody
Established Member
Cozzer":27ibzbor said:
On that basis have 2 1/2mm spare each edge of blade.
The reasoning behind putting the blade gullet in the centre of the tyre is that on a crowned tire it gives more support to the teeth of the blade, but you may have to compromise this a bit and just support the teeth as close as you can.
Mike
Mike
I'd think 12mm more than enough for that size of saw.Cozzer":13rqjspu said:
Cozzer
Established Member
phil.p":1rvd80cf said:
Maybe a bit of wishful thinking on the part of the manufacturer!
Suspected as much, so glad I bought a Tuffsaws 3/8" instead.
Yet to try it..still playing with the 1/4"!
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