Hello from a very wet Somerset.

[Oldnut]

Thank you for accepting my application to join, I am a retired 75yr old who has taken 50 years to actually get a workshop up and running, live in West Buckland, Wellington, Somerset. I am really more of a metalworker than a woodworker, my woodworking is better described as 'wood butcher' but it keeps her indoors happy. My 'selfish' reason for joining this group is to see if I can find any more information about the Midsaw minor deepthroat bandsaw I have recently acquired, it has a range of speeds from 50'/min to 4,000'/min so good for both wood and metal. I have googled for hours and can find no information about these units beyond a few advertised for sale, are there any other owners out there willing to share any information?
Best regards
mike.

 

[MikeK]

Welcome to UKW!

I have never seen a MidSaw bandsaw, so I can't help you with tips or tricks, but you might try this source as a starting point for a operator's manual:

https://store.lathes.co.uk/print/mm310a

 

[Oldnut]

Welcome to UKW!

I have never seen a MidSaw bandsaw, so I can't help you with tips or tricks, but you might try this source as a starting point for a operator's manual:

https://store.lathes.co.uk/print/mm310a

Good afternoon Mike, I am aware thank you, of Tony Griifiths Lathes .co, I see him as a last resort, his manuals are 'expensive' especially if you can get advice from other owners, In reality there are no real secrets, I have taken a punt on the gearbox oil, my biggest issue is sourcing the Variable speed V belts, I am in discussion with people like Optibelt, but I have learned over the years, best not re-invent the wheel I am also trying to find a sparky (there be dragons) who might understand the blade welder, it has been disconnected but the welder itself looks ok, got it all freed off but I think perhaps one of the transformers needs a rewind, we shall see.
Best regards
Mike.

 

[baldkev]

Hello from devon

 

[Oldnut]

Hi Kev

 

[Oaktree11]

Hi there, welcome to the group.
I am in Cheddar.
I am very similar to you, a converted mechanical engineer and it t,o until retirement for me to get, my. Workshop built and set up! I am really enjoying the transition to woodwork. It’s very challenging but rewarding and I can really see evidence of my progress. I sold all my metalworking equipment (MYFORD and Harrison lathes, a MYFORD milling machine, welding sets etc.etc) and bought (all the wrong as it turned out) woodworking equipment. As I learned I replaced and refined and am still doing so.
I have found this site really useful along the way. Not as good as an experienced hand working alongside you but I don’t have one of those!
Good luck and enjoy it

 

[TRITON]

Hello from even wetter Scotland
Sorry i know little about that type of saw other than theyre favoured by people you rate accuracy very highly. Startrite make a version and i'd love to own one.

 

[Oldnut]

Hi Oaktree,
My Engineering was heavy Civils in the Tunnelling Industry, I have not forsaken metal work.
I have a Holbrook Lathe, a large (5ton) universal milling machine along with a smaller one, shaper, universal grinder, radial arm drill etc, etc. The woodwork is just for the house. Milwaukee power tools, cut off saw, 12" circ saw, and now the bandsaw.
Rgds Mike

 

[Oldnut]

Hello from even wetter Scotland
Sorry i know little about that type of saw other than theyre favoured by people you rate accuracy very highly. Startrite make a version and i'd love to own one.

Startrite make a whole range of sizes and speeds, from single to 5 speed via belt changes, then same with a two speed gearbox to give 10speeds to vfd ones, they generally command quite high prices. Mine is continouously variable, 50'fpm to 4000fpm

 

[Oaktree11]

Hi Oaktree,
My Engineering was heavy Civils in the Tunnelling Industry, I have not forsaken metal work.
I have a Holbrook Lathe, a large (5ton) universal milling machine along with a smaller one, shaper, universal grinder, radial arm drill etc, etc. The woodwork is just for the house. Milwaukee power tools, cut off saw, 12" circ saw, and now the bandsaw.
Rgds Mike

View attachment 131559

+Hi Mike, actually ‘mechanical engineer’ was stretching it, I am really a mining engineer from Camborne School of Mines! We moved to Cheddar from a much larger house and I had to build my workshop on the bit of the garden allocated to me so it’s too small (10m x 3m) to get everything I would have liked to keep in so hard decisions had to be made! Woodworking won.
john

 

[Oldnut]

Hi John
My life spent in both civil tunnelling and mining, spent 10plus years working for Thyssen shaft sinking and hard rock tunnelling then moved into Civil tunnelling, large TBM plus large natm stuff. I ended up being lucky after 50 years of waiting, we bought an old farm house and buildings, converted a steel frame barn, clad it then built a blockwork 11m x 6m workshop inside it, I do metalwork inside the workshop and woodwork outside the workshop but inside the barn, be good to meet at some point! Worked with a few boys from the school of mines.

 

[MARK.B.]

Hello and Welcome

 

[david123]

Welcome Oldnut
I live in Devon in a village a couple of miles from Exeter,

 

[Austin Branson]

Welcome to the forum, and I look forward to reading about how you progress with that fabulous saw. I live in Normandy, France. Best wishes.

 

[Oldnut]

Welcome to the forum, and I look forward to reading about how you progress with that fabulous saw. I live in Normandy, France. Best wishes.

Thanks Austin, I will order some belts from optibelt when we get back from Egypt next week, they are not quite the same length, I hope there is enough adjustment!
Rgds Mike

 

[Rik]

Hi Mike,
How did you get on with the belts?
I have a similar machine might have the same requirements, but also struggling to get belts and no specifications to begin.
Regards
Richard