Inca bandsaws

[Matt@]

I'm looking to change bandsaws and want something really good quality. I have read much about Inca! Seems they have not been manufactured for 15 yrs so assume only ones available are well secondhand. Also, presumably a few models out there to choose from. Does anyone know what height, depth of cut, throat etc the smallest Inca has and what model it would be?

Leaving aside Inca, is there any other bandsaw on the market that offers similar quality - must be small and quiet running..

thanks

 

[marcros]

i would avoid the smallest one- it doesnt have much depth of cut at all. I think that max depth of cut is 4" at most, and it was a small 3 wheeled thing, although I have never seen one for sale, so they may be quite rare. i have the next but one size up- the euro 260 as is it sometimes called, and 342.186.xx as it is actually labelled. This one is a bench mountable model still and has a depth of cut of 6". The manual is here http://imgur.com/a/MhUvj Between the two, the euro 205 fits into the range- it looks very similar and I believe it has a similar depth of cut, although is 8" wheels rather than 10 1/2".

They also did some big ones but i have never seen them- just seen mentions online. Perhaps they were all for export to the USA. You have to remember that inca were very expensive when new, so things like the very small one were probably priced out of the market by the much cheaer alternatives- either that or they had a very short production run.

Whatever you buy, make sure that it is complete with at least the fence. The mitre gauge is less vital- useful but you are not going to be cutting angles to great accuracy so there are ways around it. There was a good one for sale on here a couple of weeks ago, i am not sure if it sold or not.

You could also look at kity- I dont know the comparable model numbers, but my preference would be the inca.

 

[Alexam]

Hi Matt,
Which bandsaw do you have at present and what is your budget for another bandsaw? No point in recommending something too expensive.

 

[Matt@]

Hi Matt,
Which bandsaw do you have at present and what is your budget for another bandsaw? No point in recommending something too expensive.

I"ve got an Electra Beckum about 15 yrs old at the moment which I bought new. Its lasted ok but a blade guide has broken off. I need something alot smaller now - almost table top size. A big depth of cut isnt essential but would like some good accuracy and quietness in running. Budget I guess is up to £500.00 ish but less would be good! Usually I prefer to buy new but will go secondhand if the machine will not give me problems. I hate fiddling with stuff that is worn out!! I've mentioned Inca due to reading rave reviews - never seen or used one myself and am slightly put off by lack of spares....

Marcros - you mention Kity. I have the 619 benchsaw 15 yrs old again from new. Its served me well but wouldnt rush to by another Kity. One particular niggle is the ally fence is minutely concave so timber leans into the curve very subtly when ripping which is a pain....

 

[marcros]

Hi Matt,
Which bandsaw do you have at present and what is your budget for another bandsaw? No point in recommending something too expensive.

I"ve got an Electra Beckum about 15 yrs old at the moment which I bought new. Its lasted ok but a blade guide has broken off. I need something alot smaller now - almost table top size. A big depth of cut isnt essential but would like some good accuracy and quietness in running. Budget I guess is up to £500.00 ish but less would be good! Usually I prefer to buy new but will go secondhand if the machine will not give me problems. I hate fiddling with stuff that is worn out!! I've mentioned Inca due to reading rave reviews - never seen or used one myself and am slightly put off by lack of spares....

Marcros - you mention Kity. I have the 619 benchsaw 15 yrs old again from new. Its served me well but wouldnt rush to by another Kity. One particular niggle is the ally fence is minutely concave so timber leans into the curve very subtly when ripping which is a pain....

Could you fix a piece of flat hardwood to it as a sub fence? I have the 618, and if it exploded I would give consideration to another. It has the odd niggle, mainly cause by alloy meeting steel on the rise and fall, but I have been impressed with it so far.

What are you wanting to do with the saw- in my opinion, as long as you are operating within the limits- ie not trying to tension too wide a blade, then most of these bandsaws are much of a muchness. The differentiators are in the blade used and the quality of the setup. I would go for the inca (because I rate the brand very highly), which will cost you £100-200 for a decent one, but even if you went for a cheap and cheerful 3 wheeled ebay job, you will probably be fine (if limited on the depth of cut) with a decent blade on it. I have used tuffsaws, which would be my go to if I was buying, but I used a startrite blade that I got with my saw the other day and it performed well. That was on my big axi bandsaw but I am sure that the same applies to the smaller ones.

 

[Alexam]

+1 for the Tuffsaw blades and using hardwood on your fence is the way to go.

I am fairly new to woodworking, so don't have the years of experience of marcros and others, but I would not consider a three wheel bandsaw when there are so any two wheel ones about within your budget range, although the bench top models are fewer.