Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[Tug Fanatic]

What do you think of this? Useful or better alternatives?


https://www.aldi.co.uk/workzone-350w-band-saw/p/074980116410500

[SailorGreg]

I don't know this machine so bear that in mind when reading the following -

It looks and sounds like a reasonably solid piece of kit and is probably no better or worse than similar saws in that price range.  You will almost certainly need to buy a decent blade (under £15 - try http://www.axminster.co.uk/axcaliber-high-carbon-bandsaw-blades-up-to-1-790mm-70-1-2-ax876133) and the fence may not have a facility to adjust the angle to get true 90 degree cuts (nearly all bandsaws, and certainly budget ones, don't cut at 90 degrees to the table edge - a bit of fine tuning is required).  That said, if you aren't after precision cutting this will probably do you fine.  It's always worth spending some time doing some setting up and googling "setting up a bandsaw" will give you lots of Youtube videos and other advice.

Hope that helps.

Greg

[ballastanksian]

It looks about the same as a basic Axminster small bandsaw and given its size you would not want to try and cut large baulks of timber on it, so as long as you use it within its limits it should cut any ply, softwood, and with a good sharp blade, most hardwoods of sensible thickness.

Use the blade supplied to test and experiment while getting used to using it and then get yourself a couple of blades like Greg says.

Try and keep it clean inside and remember how many turns you made of the tensioning wheel when un doing it so you have a better grasp on the tension of the new blade when re-tightening.

Never assume that a blade will last forever, as after a while, the set of the teeth wears and makes it difficult to cut straight or indeed in predictable curves.

The only thing I worry about is the quality of the cast steel parts, as the lower blade guide on mine snapped off. Luckily Axminster had the last one (The saw was discontinued by this time so they were running down stock of old parts) so I could fix mine. It ay be that this model is available from numerous sources but with different badges and colours, so keep an eye out for other 'brands' if you need to get spares.

Murphy's law says that you willalways have a job too big for your machine whatever it is, so don't risk damaging it or yourself. They have done a good thing in providing a Push stick, very resonsible.

[Howard]

I've been looking at a small one and was thinking of buying a Draper one at £134.99 but on checking on this  there both the same just differant names and colours  but at £50 cheaper I'll be getting one of these.


                    Regards Howard.

[tigertiger]

This saw has most of what I could want in a band saw. The only other thing I might want is a slot in the table for a mitre gauge, and the mitre guage.

[Stavros]

Never had a problem with mine


Dave

[Shipmate60]

I use of lot of Workzone tools for those that will not have a hard life.
They are a good price mid range tool.
If you want absolute precision buy a far more expensive tool.
For general use and general model making I find this make is fine, but extremely good value.


Bob

[Tug Fanatic]

All sounds good except that I suspect that I might well want a mitre gauge & slot. Is there a work round or simple to make alternative?

[Howard]

I've ordered one this morning  will get it 3 to 5 days after Thursday so I'll let you know.
Regards Howard

[ballastanksian]

All sounds good except that I suspect that I might well want a mitre gauge & slot. Is there a work round or simple to make alternative?

If you don't mind losing 8mm depth of cut then I remember an old model club friend who had an ancient band saw. He made a 8mm MDF bed with a frame around it that fitted the saw table snugly.

It had a narrower slot cut in it to allow the blade to pass through and routed a slot parralel to that which took a mitre gauge made from a length of steel strip, a semi circular piece of wood and a counter sunk bolt and wing nut arrangement. His fence was a length of batten with a 'T' piece at the end that was Clamped on.

While not fixed in place, it was a snug fit, and sensible use meant it did not try and ride up or distort. It would mean that you could drill holes etc in it to hold home made jigs if you are cutting discs. I don't see why you could not drill some holes in the bed and fix it in place with some short counter sunk screws?

[TailUK]

What do you think of this? Useful or better alternatives?


https://www.aldi.co.uk/workzone-350w-band-saw/p/074980116410500

It's not a bad looking band-saw.  Personally I'd prefer a saw with a cast steel table not pressed steel like this one but it's all about what your budget will stand and like I said it's not a bad looking machine.

[Tug Fanatic]

If you don't mind losing 8mm depth of cut then I remember an old model club friend who had an ancient band saw. He made a 8mm MDF bed with a frame around it that fitted the saw table snugly.

It had a narrower slot cut in it to allow the blade to pass through and routed a slot parralel to that which took a mitre gauge made from a length of steel strip, a semi circular piece of wood and a counter sunk bolt and wing nut arrangement. His fence was a length of batten with a 'T' piece at the end that was Clamped on.

While not fixed in place, it was a snug fit, and sensible use meant it did not try and ride up or distort. It would mean that you could drill holes etc in it to hold home made jigs if you are cutting discs. I don't see why you could not drill some holes in the bed and fix it in place with some short counter sunk screws?

The solution is so obvious after someone has pointed it out - like many problems in life. Thank you.