New 16"bandsaw

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KimBye

Member
Joined
1 Aug 2019
Messages
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Location
Fredrikstad Norway
First off, thanks for letting me join the forum.
I'm looking for a new quality bandsaw. Price range £1500-2000.
I had my eye on the Harvey 616E, but they seem to not be available any more. So I've been looking at Hammer N3800, Jet JWBS15M, Axminster Trade AT3327B. I'm sure there are other saws I should consider too. To me all the saws look very similar. Hammer is a respected brand, but it sucks that the saw doesn't have a quick release tension arm. The Axminster saw looks like a generic China made saw, that doesn't bother me if the QC is good. The Jet is the most expensive and I've always felt that Jet is kinda overpriced.. Any thoughts on these or similar saws?
 
That Harvey has a 3hp/2.2kw motor.
Do you/are you willing to have 16a sockets installed?
Is secondhand not an option?
If it were me, and I had 800 quid, I'd buy a three phase 20" machine, stick a vfd on it, and have it run from my 13a domestic plug.
This might be an answer for you, provided ....
The saw is going into your own private space, and you have no employees working there.
You are willing to spend a small amount of time on the machine.
You are willing to wait possibly up to a few months to get a bargain locally.

Just my 2cents
 
2.2Kw divided by 230volts = 9.56amps if the start up load is too much for your circuit put a motor rated MCB on the circuit, just make sure there is nothing else on the circuit that will take the load above the circuit breaker load threshold, that's the problem with ring circuits.
 
Power is really not a problem, I have 3 16a breakers, 2 of them 1 phase, one 3 phase, I also have a 230/3ph to 400v/3ph step up transformator on a separate breaker for my lathe, I can run another machine on that transformator if I want.
I've searched the secondhand market for a while now and nothing interesting shows up. I'm fine with some minor refurbishment, but a complete teardown and rebuild is something I dont have time for, turnkey ready is best it seems.
 
Not sure what the secondhand market is like in Norway, especially the more secluded parts, but I'm guessing there isn't as many old Wadkins and similar level of gear kicking around as there is here in the UK. I imagine this rarity makes them quite expensive to buy anyway (In an already notoriously expensive country such as Norway :lol:) and you'd probably not be far off similar cash to having a nice new Hammer or Startrite bandsaw.

Speaking of Startrite bandsaws, have you considered the Startrite 403? Looks to be very well built in the same kind of budget you're aiming for. I remember someone saying they're almost identical to the Hammer saws except for a couple of different pieces.
 
Your quite right, it's not easy to find a diamond in the rough over here...
I've looked at Startrite 403 and it looks like a fine saw, but I read some where that if the rubber in the tracking wheels break, you cant just simply change the rubber, you need to buy a whole new cast iron wheel, this sounds odd to me?
I have also looked at the Woodfast BS400 and what I think is a local variant under another name and designation, Luna BBS500. They all look like the same basic machine, with some tweaks here and there. Most are 1.5kw some takes blades up to 30mm with, most stop at 25mm. Some have the blade channel facing you, meaning you have to take off the whole fence guide to change blade and some have the sideways chanel with the leveling pin. Confusing, since there are so few reviews on any of these saws.
 
Sorry did not realise you where in Norway, I assumed you where in the UK and had ring mains, but Norway as France have radial circuits on two pole MCB's, silly assumption on my part as I am in France. #-o
 
Can't speak for the others but the Hammer is a decent option - make sure you look on their 2nd site, machinemarkt and you might get a demo version at a big saving. If the Norwegian site has nothing looking at the German one as its usually got a lot more on it and they can get it for you.
 
I've been comparing all the saws now, and to me it looks like the Axminster saw is the best choice. Nice table size, quick tension arm, 3-25mm blade capacity, two speeds and a nice and solid 175kg weight, wich I think will make it a nice and sturdy machine.
 
Don't put a 25mm blade on it just because it states it can be installed.
I use a 3/4" blade on a 300kg machine, and find its about right.
Just sayin incase you actually wish to have a oversize blade like that on it.

Tom
 
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