Bandsaw fences

[Spectric]

Hi all

I have a BS400 bandsaw and will be fitting the Kreg fence because it will allow the fence to be positioned either side of the blade. I did look at the Record upgrade of the Sabre fence but it's attachments to the table are the same as the existing fence and with the fence attached to the far end you get some deflection. The Kreg fence attachments are further apart and eliminate this problem but mean that you need to remove one fixing to change the blade, the reason why Record attaches at one end. Why not put the fence and rail on the other side where it can be securely attached without getting in the way of blade changes? It is so obvious that there must be some reasoning behind this otherwise my Kreg fence is going to the other side.

 

[PAC1]

I have a Kreg fence on my BS400. I fitted it to the left of the blade. it is too big a faff to refit the rail every time you change the blade as you need to level it to the table. It is a good fence Very rigid. Get the micro adjuster as well.

 

[Spectric]

Hi PAC

So do you mean the fence is to the rear of the machine? With the Kreg it is simple to move it to the front so as you can cut mitres with the table tilted. I am also looking at fitting the rail to the right hand side of the table so it does not get in the way of blade changes.

 

[PAC1]

Roy, No it is on the front just only to the left. I originally planned the same as you but the only way I could see to achieve that was to cut the rail that fixes to the table in two so that the blade can slide through the gap. It would need another fixing location drilling but that is not a show stopper. Am I missing something

 

[Spectric]

Hi Pac

The way I was going to fit the Kreg to the table was use three fixings, and rather than attach directly I have three spacers that would bring the rail away from the table by approx 25m. Two fixings where the Record normally fixes and one at the other end to provide the extra support needed and for blade changes you just remove this fixing and spacer and the blade can be extracted. As the fence on the Kreg can be mounted either side of the rail mounting to allow easy use either side of the bandsaw blade then fitting the rail on the other side of the table makes no difference. As an engineer if this bandsaw was my design then I would not have even considered fitting the fence on the same side used for blade changes, it is just logical to fit the other side where you can get solid fixings at the ends of the fence rail. The question I cannot reason is why did they fit at the other side, is it just a case of this is how someone did it without thinking way back and it has become the norm or was there some engineering reason? I have thought about it from the users perspective and you feed in from the left so was it just a case of adjust on the left! My only conclusion so far is that they have got it wrong, and soon my Kreg fence will be fiited on the right side (excuse the pun).

Also if you have the Kreg mitre fence for the table saw it is the same extrusion and can be used on the bandsaw fence, it is just longer if you need a longer fence.

 

[Ttrees]

I wonder why all don't have a flat bar rail and lift off fence like what you see on Felder bandsaws?
Often its a good thing to keep a machine original if it's a good design, but sometimes better to look at the leading technology today, before you decide.
Ironically, I'll bet this system wasn't too far from the first bandsaw fence design ever built.

 

[PAC1]

It seems to be a European v USA thing to put the slot for the blade at the front rather than the side on current bandsaws. I agree a side slot would make far more sense.
I would be very interested to see a picture or two when you have finished. As I said that was my original intent but not being much of an engineer I gave up when it started getting complicated.

As for Ttrees suggestion I tried that first as I have a Felder CF741 and thought it would allow me to use Felder accessories etc. You can buy the rail from Felder so I got some to try. The problem was the table casting needs to be 10 mm deeper minimum to allow the system to fix. I did get the Aigner extension table brackets they do work. So my Felder Extension tables now fit the bandsaw.

 

[Spectric]

Hi

The big issue is that the manufacturers should supply machinery that is usable out of the box, it is in their interest to gain the competative edge but so far my table saw needed re-work and aftermarket fence amongst other things, my bandsaw also needs work on the fence to make it more user freindly and my PT107 Record planer needed the ESTA Knife System fitted to allow the blades to be set accurately and with ease rather than driving me insane.

 

[MikeK]

The big issue is that the manufacturers should supply machinery that is usable out of the box, it is in their interest to gain the competative edge but so far my table saw needed re-work and aftermarket fence amongst other things, my bandsaw also needs work on the fence to make it more user freindly and my PT107 Record planer needed the ESTA Knife System fitted to allow the blades to be set accurately and with ease rather than driving me insane.

Unfortunately, you get what you pay for...if you're lucky. I paid about £750 for my Record Power BS350S bandsaw, and I didn't have any expectations that it was going to be anywhere near the quality or ease of use of a Minimax or Felder bandsaw. I have spent a lot of time making modifications to my bandsaw, and it will likely never perform the same as the more expensive bandsaws, but it might be close enough that I'm more likely to use it more often and not hurl it into the river or set it out by the curb for collection.

 

[sunnybob]

My axminster 350 came with faults. So much so that after many discussions with axminster, they changed the advertising and also modified the fence to make removal easier. i got a voucher for my trouble. NOTHING comes fit for purpose.

 

[Spectric]

Hi there

Unfortunately you don't always get what you pay for within a given product range, ie hobby or trade as some cloned machines are more expensive than the other brands clone and I find a good comparison parameter is weight. I know you get better quality if you buy industrial such as Hamer etc but unless the machine is earning its keep then too expensive for us mere hobbyist unless we have a win on the lotto.