Axminster SBW4300 bandsaw

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Keith Smith

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Out in the sticks in rural Shropshire
I mentioned I had this machine in another thread and surprise surprise "can I write a review" :roll: :D well here it is.

Axminster’s SBW4300 bandsaw is the smallest of the Axminster Plus Industrial Bandsaws, costing a penny under £800; this saw is also available as the Europac SBW4300.
DSCF0008.jpg

It has a 2Hp, 1.5kW induction motor, maximum cutting width is 410mm, depth 300mm and has the usual tilt of 0-45degrees to the table. Blade length is 3345mm or 131 inches (not 132 as in the Axminster catalogue).

It has a small footprint at 680x450 (the table projects a further 200mm) and because of this it must be securely bolted down.

My first impression of this machine was that it was beautifully made, slender with simple lines and no frills, having used the machine for six months I am still of that opinion. This is a heavy machine at 146kg, which is some measure of its quality, for instance there is no hint of stress on the frame as the blade is tensioned.

Someone has put a lot of thought into this machine, it has just about everything you could ask for in a saw of this size;

well balanced cast iron wheels,
all the adjustments are accessible,
upper and lower blade bearing guides
two small windows in the frame which allow you to check that the blade is tensioned and running correctly without having to open the doors,
quick release tensioning lever which makes blade changing quicker and easier,
gauge to take the guesswork out of tensioning the blade,
height of the upper bearing guides is adjusted by means of a rack and pinion,
doors are released by turning two knobs (no need for screwdrivers),
braked motor,
interlocked doors ensure the motor won’t run with a door open,
table tilt is by means of two of two good sized levers.

DSCF0020.jpg

The rip fence is locked in position by a lever and cam, when released it can be lifted off to position either side of the blade. It has some small provision for adjustment of angle which allows easy and accurate resawing.

DSCF0026.jpg

This is 6inch oak and I have moved the guides up to show the cutting capacity

DSCF0023.jpg


Here I have cut a 2mm board from a 150mm piece of oak using a 3/8” 3tpi blade

Dust extraction is by means of two 100mm ports, so this machine needs some serious extraction to clear all the dust it generates.
DSCF0011.jpg


There are a couple of caveats to this machine, the first is only minor, in that the brake whilst effective is somewhat raucous.

The second is potentially more of a problem. Although the manual states that a 1/8” blade can be used, Axminster technical have discovered that the teeth of narrow blades can rub on the guides. Therefore they recommend that 3/8” is the minimum width of blade to use with this machine.

In use it is very smooth running and quiet, if you don’t need to use narrow width blades, I can thoroughly recommend this machine.


This review should appear in a future edition of The Woodworker so I need to retain copyright.
 
Nice review Keith, thanks.

Although £800 is outside my budget at present, the 300mm cutting depth has me salivating and considering saving a little money :wink:

By the way, that workshop isn't actually larger than Charley's is it?? :mrgreen:

Cheers

Tony
 
Tony":5i8wmdyh said:
By the way, that workshop isn't actually larger than Charley's is it?? :mrgreen:
Cheers Tony

Must be a pipper to heat if it is, given the size of that "ventilation gap" under that door :wink: .

Seriously though, it's a good "mini-review" and if I can move house, it'd certiainly be a machine i'd be considering.

Adam
 
Thanks for the review, Keith, and...

KeithS":30xohby2 said:
This review should appear in a future edition of The Woodworker so I need to retain copyright.
...thanks for giving us the first look!

NeilCFD
 
Keith,
Thank you for the informative and very useful review. I think that machine has now moved to the top of my "I want one" list. I have only got to get it across to my "I need it " list and I'll be in good shape.
 
Tony, Adam, you guys are fast workers, you had read it and posted before I had finished writing it :shock:

Workshops. Does size matter? :lol:

Adam, the bandsaw is in a new part of the workshop, used to be a timber store hence the gap but I also have an open stairwell into the loft where I store all my timber, so heating it is out of the question.

I do have another workroom though, fully insulated, just in case you are worried about me getting a chill in the winter :wink:

Chris I am sure you really need one of these, you can bookmatch panels 600mm wide with only the central joint, how can you live without one :lol:

Keith
 
Thanks Keith - great review.
You've pretty much confirmed that it's the bandsaw I would like - however still can't figure out how to get 150kg up a steep lawn and steps to the back of my garden! So may be forced to go for something lighter.
Cheers
Gidon
 
Hi Keith,

Excellent review. I have been thinking about updating my Elektra Beckum 315 and after reading about this one it will cetainly be on my short list.

The workshop looks first class.

Regards

Mike.C
 
Hi Keith

Thank you for posting your excellent review.

I would just like to say that I am not in the least bit envious of your rather large workshop.

OK, so I lied. :lol:

All the best
Neil
 
KeithS":i0v6fuf9 said:
Chris I am sure you really need one of these, you can bookmatch panels 600mm wide with only the central joint, how can you live without one

Thanks for the notion Keith. Now all I have to do is show LOML a few nice designs and I am on my way!
 
Keith,
Thank you for the informative and very useful review. I think that machine has now moved to the top of my "I want one" list. I have only got to get it across to my "I need it " list and I'll be in good shape.
I have the Europac SBW 4300 which I believe is the same as the Axminster, I need to replace the tyres and have removed the top pulley but the lower one is provng rather more difficult to remove, I have tried gear pullers but the lugs won't grip the boss. Suggestions welcome.
 
I have the Europac SBW 4300 which I believe is the same as the Axminster, I need to replace the tyres and have removed the top pulley but the lower one is provng rather more difficult to remove, I have tried gear pullers but the lugs won't grip the boss. Suggestions welcome.
Not sure if there's a rim either side of the wheel to house the tire, or indeed a groove for a tongue,
not trusting the stock photo on say Scott&Sargeant,
If not, and it's glued on, then I question why not leave the wheel on....

Why, one might ask, well, should there be some runout from the wheel edge/face/lip, and the original tire was glued on, it may have been done with more accuracy than the facing of the wheels.

So unless you've got some method of rigging the wheel up, I suggest it's likely better to leave the wheel on.
SAM_7788.JPG


Having the wheel enclosed in the chassis also has other benefits, as seen here.


Food for thought

Tom
 
I have the same bandsaw and my tyres broke up a couple of years ago they are alloy wheels on that model or mine is anyway. I don't recall having an issue, so cannot recall the process unfortunately. Getting the tyres on a different matter and I have described that elsewhere on here
 
Not sure if there's a rim either side of the wheel to house the tire, or indeed a groove for a tongue,
not trusting the stock photo on say Scott&Sargeant,
If not, and it's glued on, then I question why not leave the wheel on....

Why, one might ask, well, should there be some runout from the wheel edge/face/lip, and the original tire was glued on, it may have been done with more accuracy than the facing of the wheels.

So unless you've got some method of rigging the wheel up, I suggest it's likely better to leave the wheel on.
View attachment 161728

Having the wheel enclosed in the chassis also has other benefits, as seen here.


Food for thought

Tom

Those wheels look the same as on my new bandsaw?!
 
Those wheels look the same as on my new bandsaw?!

Apparently Griggio specified solid wheels on the Star /SNA line,
well...perhaps that might have been at some point, I may have seen spoked wheels on some,
and they seem to throw "star" onto some other machines aswell,
if one spots this in the background on one of ACM's promo video, so pure speculation really.

and I'm not even sure wheels are actually cast in Novellara.
They could all come from the Centauro foundary for all I know.
It could be the case of Centauro making the wheels for mine , and also your Meber machine,
and likewise SCM formula saws aswell?

Be interesting if my wheels turned out to have a groove, but I doubt that very much since they were vulcanized, which on some older Centauro machines is seemingly the case.
Could be that they kept onto their old casting pattern I guess.
Very difficult to find any answers, but one might find the answer on sawmill creek,
under Laguna LT16 in your case.

I haven't seen any footage of the other Italian companies with a foundry.
Doesn't mean they don't exist though.
Screenshot from Centauro Fonderia  Centauro Foundry.mp4.png


That's not to say a wheel might be lesser, if it were not from the Centauro factory!



All the best
Tom
 
Last edited:
I can't bloomin edit my posts, so folks can complain to the management on that,🙃
but to further derail this old post again, which I hope won't displease folks,
but was having a gander at some stuff again relating to the wheels on my machine,
and solid wheels are sold as optional on the ACM saws, (nothing to do with the Axminster machine)
Guessing most of them made for Laguna, and there's no groove in them either.
ACM 440 Bandsaw Range-01.jpeg
 
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