Another bandsaw question

[reggyboy]

Hi everyone i'm new to this forum so please take it easy on a newbie.I am looking to buy a bandsaw for diy projects and possibly some small items of furniture and having a tight budget have been scouring fleabay and the classifieds (and here for guidance) looking for something half decent.I have just spotted in a secondhand tool shop a Charnwood 721 for £150 which has just recently had the guides replaced.So here's the question ,is it worth the money ? or could i do better.?

THANKS

 

[procell]

I just got a fox 82-186 on Ebay for £130. The advantage of this one is the wider cutting depth. most bench top models seem to only have an 80mm depth where as the 82-186 can cut up to 150mm.
I have ordered a couple of blades from Ian at Tuff Saws which everyone says can help make even a mediocre saw work a lot better.

 

[Steve Maskery]

The bandsaw is a very simple machine. However, there are lots of things that can conspire to work against you, and I suggest that the guides are the least of your concerns.
However:
If the bearings are OK (check for play) and if the motor starts and runs OK and the tires are in good condition (easy to see if they are not) then you can probably make it perform as well as it is capable of. It boils down to whether you want to spend £150 on a bandsaw now, or scour ebay for some indeterminate time.
Whatever, get a suitable blade for the job in hand from Ian at Tuffsaws and learn how to set it up properly. You'll probably be very happy with the results.
At the end of the day, what have you got to lose? If you don't get on with it you can always sell it on and trade up. And if it all works beautifully then you have added to the functionality of your workshop.
S