Price of BS350 bandsaw table inserts!

[ian_in_the_midlands]

I need to replace the insert in my record power BS350 bandsaw.
I can not believe the price: £13.58 plus £6.49 delivery.
That is a very expensive piece of plastic.

Is anyone aware of a cheaper solution?
Maybe another manufacture makes one that fits?
Maybe people make their own? If so what have you made them out of, and how well did they work?

One problem I can see with making my own would be blade clearance when changing the angle of the table.
Probably not a huge issue, but something I do occasionally need to do.

Thanks.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Mine's not an RP but I use a scrap of hardwood - bore a clean hole with an auger or Forstner before taking a 3mm or 4mm (whatever) slice off, cut to fit then saw into the hole from the front.

 

[CHJ]

I make mine (SIP Machine) from old kitchen chopping boards, just rebate sides to fit table recess, seen others use MDF.

 

[RogerP]

With my small Delta I got fed up making inserts from plastic or thin wood (the recess is only about 4mm) so I tightly fitted a piece sheet copper.

It's stayed put and been in use for years.

 

[paulm]

Plastic chopping board or thin ply for me.

Cheers, Paul

 

[woodpig]

I found the original insert on my RP BS300E was a bit too thin so I made my own from some clear plastic, PETG or Polycarbonate I think.

 

[woodpig]

I've just checked some prices on the first hit I found for online plastics suppliers. As a point of interest, If you bought a square metre of this stuff you could get 169 70mm x 5mm inserts out of the sheet. Total material cost per insert Is just under 20p. :wink:

http://www.directplasticsonline.co.uk/H ... tural/5mm/

 

[NickWelford]

Plastic chopping board from pound land would work out cheaper.......

 

[Paul Hannaby]

I found the same with a BS400 so I made my own insert out of corian. I don't think it really matters what you use as long as it is easy to work and not so hard it damages the blade.

For my previous bandsaw, I made the inserts out of wood.

 

[whiskywill]

If he buys some plastic sheet to make an insert, he needs a bandsaw to cut it. If he needs to make an insert to use his bandsaw to cut it ???????????????????????????

 

[woodpig]

I made mine on the Lathe. :wink: A hand saw and a sander would do it. Not sure I'd use a chopping board though, not like the ones I have anyway as they're textured so may cause a buildup of sawdust under the work. Any smooth plastic the right thickness should do it.

 

[ian_in_the_midlands]

I have turned to technology for a solution.
I have drawn out the insert on google sketchup, and printed it out on a 3d printer.
Inserts made this way cost about 20p each.
I will have to use it to see how well it works.
I may need to move the slot over a little bit.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Absolute love it

Could you print me a new brain please?

 

[woodpig]

Very nice job. As long as the thickness is right it should work fine.