Record Power BS500 Bandsaw users

[ndbrown]

Still looking for a bandsaw to fit my needs (furniture making hopefully). Have gone through looking at most of the available bandsaws around £800 on the market (I know from the forum there are a few really good ones).
Had originally looked at a Hammer N4400 but decided that it was too expensive from me, then started looking at the Record BS350 as a few members here speak highly of it. Of all the saws I have looked at, I like the idea of a fence sliding on a round bar and plenty of cast iron (including bandwheels).
I can see the advantage of being able to resaw timber, but the Record rep at the woodworking show I attended at the weekend suggested the BS350 was not up to resawing 8" thick timber, even intermittently for a "hobby" user like me. I asked about the BS500, which looks like it might fit the bill, but he suggested going up again to a Startrite 401 would be ideal. It would mean saving for quite a bit longer and I think it might be overkill for a hobby user, even when considering resawing hardwood.
Question: BS500 users, how good a saw is it, the latest one seems to have a 3hp motor and cast iron bandwheels.

Any advice opinions appreciated
Nigel

 

[whoops!]

Can't say much about the record, but I went to the D+M show at kempton park. They had Startrite's there and the scheppach range. The large scheppach was what I was interested in, But on inspection just seemed to lack the quality in the castings that I was expecting. The Startrite's were in a different league all together, absolute quality.I asked them to cut a 1mm thick section from a 6" block of hardwood, I think it was meranti. The Startrite breezed it, didn't even pause for breath.the accuracy was outstanding too,Having the blade tension gauge would make a huge difference in achieving that level of accuracy.

I wanted to spend £700 on a bandsaw, after that I have decided the startrite is the one for me.It's the same model your after. The scheppach wasn't even in the same game, though to be fair to the scheppach it had had loads of punters probably messing around with all the settings, but that doesn't detract from the startrite's far superior build quality.

Oh, and in the blurge in the startrite advertisement, it says that the table only goes to 20 degree's, not so! They have to say that 'coz they haven't put it through the CE regs yet, or somesuch thing. There is a limiting bolt that if removed allows the full tilt of the table (45 degree's).

Decklan

 

[Chainsaw Nut]

Nigel

I am very happy with mine, used mainly to resaw oak. Was a little confusing to setup as the model had been updated but not the manual, this was not a problem though as I called the Record helpline and despite them not having seen the upgrades themselves talked me through it and even said if it goes wrong you have done what we told you and will repair it if need be!

I use the Dragon 1" blades for resawing and they do seem to do as per their write up. I did also consider the Startrite but I am very pleased that I went the Record route as it does everything I need it to do.

 

[dessoman]

got my bs500 saw today and spent ages setting it up.This saw has excellent resawing capabilities.My first cut of 200mm oak with fence,ripping 50mm produced using digital calipers to test 49.78mm to 50mm.It ripped through it like butter.

 

[OPJ]

If your budget is set at £800 then, have you seen the Startrite 352E?

I recently bought a second-hand 401E and it's an awesome bandsaw. 8) I would've eventually gone for the 352 had the offer of this one not come along.

 

[oddsocks]

I've got the BS350 and resawed 180mm oak last weekend with a 3/4" 3 skip meat and fish blade from Hamilton edge tools. It was easy to cut but I had to go at the pace of the blade. I think I would have been better getting the blades 10mm shorter so that i could tension a bit more.

I don't often resaw thick timber, but did (for example) resawed plenty of 100mm think iroko last April for a garden table (search iroko garden table)- it coped perfectly ok with that (with dragon blade). No doubt the bigger 500 etc would let you cut faster, but the the 350 had no difficulty.

Dave