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Posts: 4266
| I bought a Black and Decker band-saw about 2 or 3 months ago, and I'm ready to toss it in the garbage. At first I thought it was just bad choice of blades, but after going through 3 different types, I checked out the saw more closely.
The things that help keep the blade aligned are almose gone already, and the bearings that the blades are supposed to run against are wobbly and hard to turn. I was cutting some California Redwood, and when I angled across the grain, the blade would hop instead of cutting through. I tried to cut some maple, and it burned more than it cut, and there was no resistance when I pushed the wood against the blade. That is when I noticed the crappy bearings.
What are some good saws, sizes, and blade types? If I knew how to do it, I'd turn this thing into a multi-wheeled drying rack.
Thanks,
Beav |
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Posts: 202
Location: Rhinelander | Beav,
I will try to answer some of your questions. Some good saws are Grizzly (search grizzly tools) and Ridgid (Home Depot). What you want to avoid are smaller saws with 3 wheels. The break blades much easier. A good saw with 2 wheels and a 90" or larger blade is a good choice. A saw should walk through redwood, its pretty soft. Maple is pretty hard, so it will burn unless you have a sharp blade in it. To cut wood you want a 6 tooth per inch (TPI) for softer wood and a rougher cut up to about a 12 TPI blade for fine work. Blade width matters too. 1/4" for lots of curves, up to 1/2" for ripping wood.
Anymore questions let me know.
Bart |
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Posts: 388
| Beav,
I recently replaced my decrepid Ryobi scroll saw with a B&D and have been a bit dissapointed as well. Haven't had the problems you describe but miss the pin holder style blade and can't seem to get the same tension on the blade for making good cuts in maple. Despite the amount of mass in the saw, there seems to be a little too much flex in the cast yoke making precision cuts difficult. Nothing a palm sander cant fix so far though.
Did a bit of research and the 20" DeWalt saw appears to be the cream of the crop if you can spare the $500. If I continue to go through saws every 2 years it may be worth it. I don't make a ton of lures myself, maybe a couple dozen a year. Would be really interested in feedback from those who make lots of them, especially hardwood lures. |
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Posts: 4266
| The more that I looked at the B&D, the things that I liked about it before I bought it, didn't hold up at all. I don't make many lures either, and that is what ticked me off even more. True, you can sand out imperfections, but going from Cedar and Redwood to Maple, you can really see the shortcomings of the saw coming out. But as far as cost goes, I don't have $600 to shell out for a saw to make lures, so I'll have to do the best with what I have. I'm going to get the best blades that I can get and see if I can get replacement parts for the saw I have instead of forking out more money for a hobby.
Beav |
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Posts: 1529
| delta saw. mine is approx 10 years old. it works every day. remember guide set up is very important |
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Posts: 4053
Location: Land of the Musky | Hate to admit it but I have the cheap $99 Ryobi from Home Depot and it works great for me. I did have to go with the expensive band saw blade and that made a world of difference. I have cut about 1000 Grunts out with it on a single blade adn she still wizzzes through my Maple. A little sanding and routering and I am off to the races! |
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| Find a good used one. Look for well known name brands like Delta. They are bulletproof and bandsaws are a great tool to have around. You can always find replacement parts and they're good to keep in the family for years to come. They get sentimental value. |
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Posts: 402
Location: Eagle River, WI | Go to a "real" hardware store and try to find some Lenox blades. They sell them at most contractor supply stores (i.e, Grainger, Lincoln Contractor Supply, etc.) Ask for a good bi-metal flexback blade with a 4-6 tpi.
You can crank the blade tension up pretty high with a good blade because the weld on it will hold more. The tighter the blade tension the less blade deflection you will get. Also, if your bandsaw has the ability to change speeds you can probably crank er up. With the exception of maple all of the woods you listed are pretty soft and it should cut it like butter.
The problem with cutting wood is if you are using to fine of a blade then the teeth will get plugged with tiny wood chips and the blade will basically "burn" through the wood. Also if the blade tension is not high enough or you are trying to make to sharp of a turn then you will wear out your guide bearings quickly.
I could go on and on and I probably already did but just experiment with it and don't be afraid to buy a really good blade. With bandsaw blades you really do get what you pay for. |
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Posts: 4266
| There's a LCS not far from here.
I just ordered some Lenox 6 tpi from their outlet site. I talked to the guy there and he told me the same thing. He said with harder woods you are better off with less teeth so they cut pieces and not dust, just as you said. I went out to the garage and put on a 6 tpi that I had and it wasn't much difference. 2 months old and the saw is beat to crap so it's hard to keep the blade in alignment. Good thing is the blade guide parts are pretty cheap.
Thanks,
Beav |
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Posts: 1106
Location: Muskegon Michigan | I second the Deltas I have two now and one of them is 6 years old and still going strong. Set up is key and keeping the little bearing guides lined up really help to make blades last. Mike |
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| I went out to the garage today and went over the whole thing, squaring up everything and making sure that things were lined up as they should be. Also tightened the motor belt and noticed a difference in performance right away. Can't wait for the new blades to show up and see if it makes a big difference. If not, I know what to ask Santa for.
Beav |
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Posts: 226
Location: W. PA. | Beav, it's kind of hard to find a nice saw in todays made in China market without spending a ton of cash. Dewalt is owned by Black and Decker so I wouldn't go there. Delta isn't bad, but I think most of them are made overseas and I know they started outsourcing their motors several years ago so you're not going to get one with a nice Baldor driving it anymore. Grizzly is ok, but again, made in China. I have one of those cheap little benchtop Deltas and it works ok until I can find something better.
I've given up on buying new and started looking for old ones on craigslist and the free paper around here. I see a lot of guys on the woodworking sites I frequent doing that, as long as the bearings are tight there isn't really a lot that needs done to refurb them. Those guide blocks that sort of pinch the blade you were talking about are a wear item, they are made from soft metal so they don't hurt the blade. With a better saw they make a set of bearings to replace them, another advantage to moving up to a little bigger, better saw. Plus, with all the experimenting you have been doing you can start ripping on one also, that's a big plus if you come across rough cut or even small logs. |
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Posts: 480
| Public school auctions are a great way of getting quality machines at bargin prices. The machines are usually well maintained, lightly run ans easy to get parts for still. I have a 20" YatesAmerican bandsaw from a high school auction I paid $250 for (110/220v). A Delta 10" unisaw ($500) from the late 50's with zero runout. A WalkerTurner drill press for $75 at a U of M laundry auction, that is a top 5 item in my will. A delta shaper from a public television shop with over 50 cutters for $100 likely never used. These aren't deals, they're steals and I'll have them for the rest of my life. In Fridley a few blocks from Thorne Bros. is a second hand tool company called Tried and True. They sell used machinery from busineses and auctions and individuals. You just have to be ready when a steal comes along. |
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Posts: 4266
| The first saw that I used was my Dads old Craftsman, but one of my siblings wrecked the table on it and cracked the white metal on the ears that the table screws onto, so I can't even put a new table top on it. I'm going to look at used ones and slow down at every yard sale that I drive by.
On a good note, I got my new blades today, and I couldn't wait to go try them. I don't know what it was, the tuning of the saw or tightening the motor belt, but I put in a new 6 tpi and it is cutting better than when it was new. I'm going to use those blades with 6 teeth all of the time now. They cut better and that makes it easier to follow a line so I won't have to sand as much. Yup, I took a 2x2 piece of maple and double-cut a pattern in like 5 minutes with no problems. I hope it stays like this. Just like anything you do, it goes better when your tools work the way that they are supposed to.
Beav |
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Posts: 317
Location: Grafton, WI | Completely agree there. Mine is 8 years old and my dad has one even older.
Kingfisher - 4/22/2009 6:40 PM
I second the Deltas I have two now and one of them is 6 years old and still going strong. Set up is key and keeping the little bearing guides lined up really help to make blades last. Mike |
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Posts: 402
Location: Eagle River, WI | I leraned the hard way that expensive blades = good blades. I'm glad everything is working out for you now. |
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Posts: 1529
| if you wear out your carbon guide bloks heres a trik.. cut pieces of oak to gfuide block size. soak in oil overnite . then install them. they last for years. |
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Posts: 4266
| Great idea. The graphite ones wear out in a hurry.
Beav |
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