buying a Record Power BS350S at a show

[sunnybob]

John; I have documented my bandsaw problems before, but I can never find previous threads, so very briefly;;;;

I have an axminster 350N bandsaw. Within a couple of hours of running, the wheel bearings started clicking. I changed all 4 bearings for japanese automotive ones.
A simple job that took about an hour and cost me less than 15 quid.
After a few more hours (literally a few) the pulley belt that drives the wheel from the motor snapped. I have a lifetimes experience with machinery and motors, and the belt was properly adjusted from day one.
I fitted a new belt. Again, less than an hours work and a fiver.
Really aggravating and I should not have had to do that, but sadly its to be expected nowadays on all new budget machinery.
Since then, my bandsaw is the most brilliant tool I have. It cuts EVERYTHING, and my tuffsaws blade goes on and on and on. I dont even bother to change to bigger blades when I'm cutting long pieces. I use the same blade for 4 foot long ripping, and making my bandsaw boxes.
I dont keep track of how many board foot I cut, because I cut different shapes and woods every time I use it.
The fence is simplicity itself to adjust and set. I've never known it to move regardless of weight pressed against it.

If you have the room, money, time, and expertise, I expect a two ton monster that makes all the street lights go dim would be better for sawing up oak tree trunks(lol), but I will fight anyone who wants to take my bandsaw away from me. :shock:
Hopefully that wont be misunderstood. 8)

 

[Chris152]

Chris, that would be the assembled size. the box would be a fair bit smaller.

Oh yea, I forgot that you don't need to assemble the whole thing including the stand before trying to fit it in the car! The actual body of the saw is about 120 cm tall and that's the longest dimension. And I'd now definitely go for the Sabre based on what I've read on here, as MikeJhn advises.

 

[Glynne]

The Record Power BS350S (I own one) is antiquated with its rubbing discs for blade guides, RP have recognised this, hence the new Sabre range, they should be knocking out the BS range at knock down price's, but seem to think they can get them all sold at the old cost, seems a no brainer to me with the upgraded range, don't waste your time with the old version, get the Sabre.

Mike

+1
I also have a 350S but the difference in the guides and in the fence with the Sabre means it’s the go to machine.
You can get a Sabre fence to fit the 350S (Record are taking orders now) and “unofficially “ you can get the Sabre guide assembly to fit the 350S (means taking the blade guard off) but why would you bother when you can just get the Sabre.

 

[fezman]

I looked at the 350s and the sabre 350 when the sabres came out earlier this year
The sabre is much better. The guy in the shop i went to even advised me to buy the sabre against the 350s knowing he wouldn’t get the sale ( he had 350s in stock but not sabre)
Price wise I paid about 840 delivered for the sabre350, through Yandles, delivered direct from RP. This was a show price from about March time when they held the uk sabre launch.

 

[johnbb99]

SunnyBob, thanks for that; so you need better quality bearings (which bit of what car?) and belts than RP provide. Was the replacement belt from RP, or did you find a suitable one at the car parts supplier?
<Hopefully that wont be misunderstood. > No, I understood you perfectly.
Which is not easy to do in all cases.

Here's a review of the Sabre 350 on the Yandles website:-
------------------------------
By David North on 10th April 2018
"This bandsaw performs very well indeed, even with the stock blade. After tuning up according to Alex Snodgrass' instructions I'm getting very accurate cuts, no drift whatsoever. However, it's let down by the fence. It racks so much while adjusting its hard to dial in the setting you need and the measurements on the bar are more or less useless. Tightening up the fence also tends to cause it to shift its position if you're not very careful. Its solid but primitive and poorly engineered. I'll probably end up fitting a different one. Assembly instructions leave a bit to be desired too. The photos are no help at all. "
Star Rating 4
--------------------------------------
Would anyone who has seen and/or used a Sabre echo his comments about the fence?

It's also onehelluvalot of money, same motor, smaller table, and same max blade size.

John

 

[Ttrees]

Bearings are the least of your worries... just reading the print on the bearing gives you the standard sizes, they're cheap and can be bought from the likes of bearings online etc ...SKF are one if not the top brands,
you will definatly get a quality brand in the size you want cheap, for like under a tenner.

Why do you think its an upgrade though, do you expect for it to do the jobs you wish for it to do jonnb ?

About the belts I was told to go a lawnmower place of something....
My belts needs replacment, I guess there's a standard size for them, and I've heard it onlycosts a few quid...

What size increments do they normally go up in?
Is it like every two inches or what?

Thanks
Tom

 

[sunnybob]

John, I have an AXMINSTER bandsaw, not a record. I have mentioned that a couple of times. If you get a problem with a new machine, obviously you go straight back to the supplier as a first call.
My circumstances are a bit different. I had the machine delivered to me in Cyprus. No way am I going to return it but I knew that and was prepared to do anything needed. I was disappointed how quickly I had to replace stuff though.
I also did not see much point in waiting for axminster to send me replacement parts (which they were prepared to do), as they would obviously be as poorly made as the ones supplied. So I bought named japanese bearings, rather than generic chinese.
Wheel bearings are very easy to buy, on ebay or any automotive parts place. Just read the numbers off the side or take the old one along.
A pulley belt is also available at auto parts store such as halfords. Take the old one with you, they have a very clever little device to measure the inside circumference.
Assuming of course you need to. You may well be a lot luckier than I was.

 

[johnbb99]

Ah, sorry I didn't check who sold your machine. My mistake. It doesn't help that they're all *350S*

It does strike me as odd that the Sabre has better bearings, but a smaller table, no increase in motor power, and the fence may be worse than its predecessor.

 

[johnbb99]

PS If I'm going to spend that much, maybe a RP BS400 is a better bet.

 

[Ttrees]

Still not enough of an upgrade IMO
A 20" machine has still the same footprint as the machine you have allready, due to the splaying legs on it.
These awkward, bendy, bouncy and flimsy splaying legs. combined with the concentric, non spread out, weight...
is the reason your saw is hard to move BTW.
Incidentally are you going to keep the other saw for curves or some other specific task?

Look on eBay and gumtree for bandsaw band saw, and bansaw for a bargain
Good luck

 

[johnbb99]

<and bansaw for a bargain>
But I'll need //a lot// of luck. I'm not sure if you're in the UK, but prices of anything worth considering are sky high. Then I have to travel to see it, and if it's worth the price, I have to find a way to get it home, which involves further cost, and damage to my back, probably. But most that I bothered to go and see won't be worth getting, and I could do with a good machine sooner rather than later.
You probably think I'm being negative, but I promise you Ttrees, I have looked and there are too many downsides for me. Sadly.
BTW, I never said my machine, or the ones I'm considering buying are hard to move, (except possibly to lift into the back of our scratch-free family car.)

 

[OscarG]

Really surprised RP wouldn't do you a discounted show price. I got a discount 2 years ago on a BS250+wheel stand at DJ Evans. They were offering loads of deals, 12" disc sander for £170, normally £200 etc.

Change of strategy from them?

 

[johnbb99]

Despite being about £200 more (the mitre fence is an additional £50...), I'm getting tempted to go for the Sabre, rather than the BS350S .
I would be making my own trolley, as did NickN, as described in his interesting posts, and excellent videos. (Thanks!)
So if someone with a sabre350 would be so kind as to tell me the size of frame to fit around the base (ie the size of the base !) I would be very grateful.
I can get second-hand castors near here that look like they came off hospital trolleys or similar with big [4"?] braked wheels. They are very solid and smooth running. I calculate that any trolley or wheelchair must be designed to take at least 24 stone, which is about 150Kg, so I should be fine. Am I missing something? They cost £1 each!
Can I resist the temptation to break the bank on the way to Sabre ownership? To be continued...

 

[sunnybob]

regarding castors,,,, dont assume the weight loading of a castor, they can vary tremendously, and the cheaper it is the less weight it will hold.
Also, rubber wheels will go flat at the bottom if the machine just sits there for most of its life.
Braked solid nylon wheels are best for tall heavy loads.
and be very careful when you do move it.

 

[Ttrees]

No machine should be resting on casters full stop.
Braked casters are not suitable, unless you are referring to the closest thing to what could be called braked casters which is ...
Great lakes style which are probably at least half the price of the machine in question!
Bob Minchin's retracting casters for a big saw...have a look at that design, I've done it twice.
or the Holmgren design, which RP has utilized.... I can attest also that works well for a small saw.
These would be the only two I designs would choose again if making some up for more bandsaws.

Get that 200kg machine John is my advice.
Tom

 

[johnbb99]

Thanks for your thoughts.
The wheels are not rubber and come from heavy duty equipment designed to take loads of at least 150Kg. (£15-£20 each from the manufacturers)
I'll take a look at those designs if I can find them, thanks.
John

 

[MikeJhn]

The castors supplied with the Record Power lifting frame are useless, they buckle with the weight of the BS350, I replaced them with some from Castors online:

These work much better, but I had to add spacers between the top and bottom of the frame as that buckles under the weight and bends out of position, the lifting frame works OK once modified and sits solidly on the Bandsaw legs as it should.

These are the supplied wheels, as you can see they are very bent.

Mike

 

[Ttrees]

I'm afraid, I foresee endless adjustments and frustration forever, by the way this thread is going...
Buying into the hype into getting an upgrade to the same machine basically, seen it plenty of times.
Get a video of the saw running sent to your phone if you're worried about damage.
The fact is that you dont even need guides on a larger machine as the beam strength will do the work of the guides, so
if a warrenty is what your after, look no further than a good machine from the beginning.

Warrenty is worth nothing if you put a big blade like the max stated and bend the spine, damage the threads on the tracking
adjustment screw, or the tensioning screw.
The answer you will get is ...thats within tolerance ...or something to the extent.

Bearings are no issue, as are belts ...get your self a decent used machine, not of dubious quality
and have a machine that you can rely on.

 

[MikeJhn]

Guys don't feed the Ttrees, sorry I meant Trolls. :roll:

Mike

 

[Robbo3]

Yandles Newsletter today
-http://www.yandles.co.uk/event/8-record-power-roadshow-sale?utm_id=542&utm_source=yandle-sons-ltd&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=record-power-road-show-sale
"Please phone for availability if you have specific requirements as all offers are subject to stock"