New Bandsaw Advice - RP BS400 / 350S / Sabre350

[Alexam]

I have the BS400 Oscar and perhaps I was luck in getting the table square initially, but the four heavy bolts are what holds it down and although most of us would not consider it important, the way they are tensioned can vary and possibly result in some imbalance. Again, most of us never look at a spirit level until we get a problem.

 

[OscarG]

Does it consistently pull it to one side no matter what height it is at?

Mike

Yes. I might be able to put a small washer on the locking bolt to shim it but I just can't get to it! Worried if I keep unscrewing bits I might not be able to put it back together and end up with an unusable machine.

 

[MikeJhn]

Don't bother with the shimming just yet, try this, adjust the thrust bearing out of the way, tension the blade, do up the shaft lock at near max height adjust the guides at that height, undo the lock lower the shaft to approx 50mm above the bed, do up the lock, it should still be in adjustment if its not then you have a problem with the bearing carrier shaft or lock bolt as you say, I will look at the manual to see if it has any adjustment.

Mike

 

[OscarG]

Don't bother with the shimming just yet, try this, adjust the thrust bearing out of the way, tension the blade, do up the shaft lock at near max height adjust the guides at that height, undo the lock lower the shaft to approx 50mm above the bed, do up the lock, it should still be in adjustment if its not then you have a problem with the bearing carrier shaft or lock bolt as you say, I will look at the manual to see if it has any adjustment.

Mike

Cheers fella.

I did take a pic of the guard/guides when approx half way down. You can see it's already offline compared to top.

Top

Middle

 

[OscarG]

Just got a reply from Record Power, not a terribly helpful one.

A) Told me to adjust side guides every time I raise/lower the guard. Seriously? Do you guys do that with your machines?

B) Referred me to manual adjusting table squareness, but that section only deals with left-right alignment, not front-back.

Not v happy.

Sorry guys, realised I've kind of hi-jacked this thread.

 

[Ttrees]

Dont post it here what ever you do! ...
Problem....and you went on the internet? ...

This sounds the case of the blind leading the blind ..
then goin all mad and stuff after a bit :lol:

Thats the quote I got before from them =D>

 

[MikeJhn]

Have you tried with the blade in different positions, also try running the blade without the guides adjusted to see if the blade moves side to side, just a thought.

Mike

 

[OscarG]

Have you tried with the blade in different positions, also try running the blade without the guides adjusted to see if the blade moves side to side, just a thought.

Mike

I have yeah. There's no sideways flutter. Even with a completely new blade it still has same issue.

The guard extrusion is the problem, one that RP seem reluctant to address. With all the talk of their quality and 5 year guarantee their support told me to adjust the side guides every time I raise and lower it. What nonsense.

I can't see me ever buying another RP machine after this.

 

[MikeJhn]

It would seem that your guide rail is not vertical, above and below the rise and fall lock there are two bolts that attache the guide angle, first check those for tightness, then see if you can adjust the guide rail with them, far be it for me to suggest this, but others would be tempted to gently tap the rail into line.

Mike

 

[Sideways]

And if the rise and fall of the guide isn't parallel with the blade and can't be adjusted to become so, then I'd say it's not fit for purpose. I'd be calling them again rather more forcefully for a solution or they can deliver you a replacement...

This machine is probably classed as (light) trade ? No way that anyone using one of these to make a living is going to accept the lost time + wear and tear readjusting guide clearances every time you change the size of plank.

 

[OscarG]

The machine is their 2nd cheapest, think I paid about £280 with the additional wheelbase at one of their shows. I'm ok with it being a hobby machine, I don't expect it to be hugely powerful or large cutting capacity. I do however expect things to be relatively square and usable, even more so with a company that prides itself on quality and it's 5 year guarantee.

I will chase them though. They've basically fobbed me off and not responded to my last message indicating that there's clearly a problem with it.

Ha.. edit.. got a reply from them and I quote...

"having to adjust the blade guide bearings on the rise and fall is quite common as the extrusion is made of aluminium."

Not exactly reassuring of their "quality" is it? Anyone here forced to adjust their side guides whenever they raise/lower their guard? I'm gonna go with a resounding No on that front.

 

[Ttrees]

If they keep at that malarkey, make a youtube video, or tell them you will.
Remember the three R's of retail
Repair, Replace, and if that doesn't work, Refund
It is your statutory right !

This kind of thing should have been sorted out in China, or wherever these machines are assembled afterwards.
Someone probably a manager gave not a care.
I wouldn't hold your breath if your told a Record Power engineer supposedly is meant to call out

Yet there's droves of people who are lining up to buy these because they are a proud British company
I dont see the pride however
Maybe some day, I dont see that happening soon though

 

[MikeJhn]

When you consider how many bandsaws Record Power sell, is it really surprising than a duff one gets to the customer once and a while, a shim on one of the guide rail attachment bolts will probably sort the problem out.

Mike

 

[Ttrees]

It aint about a sub par machine slipping through the QC .
Its about their attitude on the matter, and the false carp I was told by them about the impossibility of the
problem I had with severe misalignments,
Apparently the Startrite machines are totally built around the wheels, on a machine, so its impossible that theirs any
misalignments.

Give that dodgy one to the newbie kind of thing =D>

I do hope that all that is needed is for the guide post to be shimmed, and not some
other issues aswell, like I had
Beware I say, best test the machine as soon as you can, when you get it home !

 

[OscarG]

I don't mind a duff machine slipping through the net. How they deal with it is very telling though.

I do have a problem with them continuously fobbing me off. They've got another person involved now and he's also trying to sell me the line that its normal to have to adjust the side guides when you raise and lower guard. I'm just not having that, it's cobblers.

Regarding the table out of square, they say it's not an issue, would only be a problem if cutting tenons. So if you're cutting 4" thick stock and only the top 2" is in contact with the blade due the table not being square, that's fine!?

I've had the machine 18 months, and they're trying to make an issue of that. Excuse me, RP but isn't your guarantee 5 years?

I'm disappointed with the machine but disgusted with their support.

 

[MikeJhn]

Did you buy this machine from RP or through a retailer, if a retailer, its to them you should be referring your problems, it is up to them to put right any defects irrespective of RP, who they would have to claim against for any costs involved.

Adjusting the guides when lowering them is, as you say not correct.

Table out of square, bit of an exaggeration I feel, two inches out of level, but nevertheless you have addressed this issue with the packing you placed under the attachment bolts, this just needs making permanent with some steel washers.

Guarantees are useless from most manufactures, unless its a component failure, where they can just send you a new part and hope you are capable of fitting it.

Have you tried to adjust out the parallel issue with the two side bolts on the guide?

I realise you are disappointed in the machine, and it does look as though you will not be satisfied until you get a new one, try to suggest to the retailer that you are prepared to pay a contribution to change the machine for a better/bigger model.

Mike

 

[OscarG]

Did you buy this machine from RP or through a retailer

It was an RP show but I guess technically I bought it from the retailer. I would contact them but as it's been over a year, and with the 5 year guarantee I thought I'd go straight to RP.

Table out of square, bit of an exaggeration I feel

Oh absolutely, it isn't that bad. I just used that example to highlight what I thought was an odd comment from RP saying it doesn't matter.

Have you tried to adjust out the parallel issue with the two side bolts on the guide?

I haven't tried that yet. Each one screws into a block which slides up and down in the extrusion. I'm not sure what I can adjust by loosening the bolt, think I'd need to put a shim behind one of the blocks which means taking it all to bits.

I realise you are disappointed in the machine, and it does look as though you will not be satisfied until you get a new one, try to suggest to the retailer that you are prepared to pay a contribution to change the machine for a better/bigger model.

To be honest yeah I am a little disappointed in this machine, it's never felt "quality". It regularly breaks blades (even Tuffsaws ones), it struggles to cut even a 45mm thick bit of ash. I've tried using better choice of blade, being more careful with feed speed, upgrading dust extraction, being more careful with setup (a challenge with this guide issue).

Having said all that, I didn't contact RP with the intent of refund. I just hoped like yourself they might offer some advice how to fettle the machine and get it usuable. Instead they fed me a load of rubbish and I'm now so cheesed off with them/machine I feel like offloading it and buying something else.

Latest reply from RP, same old thing, saying nothing is wrong...

You will find this on any band saw at this level with an aluminium extrusion for the rise and fall.

... but honestly if you speak to people they will tell you the same as we are, this is a standard adjustment on this level of machine

... a machine that we don't believe has a fault....