Electra Beckum Bandsaw Blade Guides

[SeanG]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post and a question rather than an introduction (sorry), I'll do one of those later on the General forum.

I have an Electra Beckum BAS316 and the lower blade guide assembly has fallen apart (unsurprisingly). A straight replacement is £10 but to upgrade to the Precision Blade Guides is £110 (upper and lower EB's own).

I'd welcome any opinions or a photo of the Precision Guides, Goggle has failed me and the supplier didn't have any more info.


Yours hopefully
Sean Griffiths

 

[stewart]

Hi Sean
I'm afraid I can't help with your question but I do have a question for you! Where did you find a supplier of spare parts for your Elektra Beckum? I have the next model down from yours and need some spare parts but haven't been able to find a supplier.

Welcome to the forum!

Cheers

Stewart

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Sean

Welcome to the forum.

Sorry I can't help you with your EB, but I'm sure that someone will be along soon.

Cheers
Neil

 

[SeanG]

Stewart,

The supplier I called is Jaymac in Derby phone no:01332755799. I've been staring at pic's of Bandsaws on Tinternet and I'm pretty sure that the Axminster (Perform) CCBB uses the same base components as my 316 and the Metabo 317 looks like the same chassis, but the man from Metabo said "Parts from bas 317 are not inter changeable"

Perhaps they would be a possible fit for yours - I'd be happy to send close up pics of any components if you want to compare.

Sean Griffiths

 

[Mike.C]

Stewart,

Here is another dealer who supplys most spare parts for Elektra Beckum machines.

http://www.powertoolspares.com/parts1.p ... cturer.y=9

Cheers

Mike

 

[SeanG]

Update: I went for the precision guides in the end, they required a bit of fettling to fit, but are much easier to adjust than the original ones. On a test piece of pine, using a brand new Meat and Fish blade I cut a 0.4ml veneer 40ml high, the piece only varies by 0.04ml.

All in all I'm pretty pleased with the saw now

 

[WellsWood]

, the piece only varies by 0.04ml.

All in all I'm pretty pleased with the saw now

I should think you jolly well should be - 2/1000" tolerance, in wood!! 8) 8) that's about on a par with my P/T - wonder if they do that upgrade for my old 315 :-k

For a couple of years after Metabo acquired EB you could phone them up with a credit card and they would send spares directly. They'll still put you in touch with your nearest supplier if you phone their head office (02380 732 000), or at least they did last time I needed something. I can't help feeling though that handing the service off to agents so they can add their whack to the prices too is something of a step backwards in terms of CS - although to be fair I can see it makes sense from their POV.

Mark

 

[SeanG]

The part fits the 315 as well (according to the fitting instructions), you'd need to remove the table and drill new fixing holes for the lower trunion (15ml higher to accommodate lower guide), remove the blade guard and saw 45ml off the top. The 316 has all this done in the factory so fitting is easier – I didn't find that out until after I'd taken the guard out though.

I don't attribute the whole success to the new guides (but they are much better than the originals). I also spent hours shimming the table flat, getting the upper wheel parallel, ensuring the blade was at 90 degrees to the table, and aligning the guard bracket parallel with the blade. The blade was brand spanking new (from Hamilton Edge).

So yes, I am very very pleased with the performance – but it wasn't all down to the new guides.

I agree with the use of agents comment, I felt quite 'at arms length' but the people at JayMac were really helpful and the Technical Department at Metabo were prompt with a call-back and supplied accurate info about the fitting.