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Will any bandsaw do?


David Ivy

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1 hour ago, David Ivy said:

I have a 14" central machinery bandsaw from harbor freight, and I am building my first full guitar Made of walnut. I just can't get it to cut throughout the 8/4 walnut.

Besides changing the blade is there anything I could do to get the bandsaw to cut the material?

No bandsaw expert but happy to help.  please describe what is happening?  I can think of a number of things that might be the problem... crappy blade being at the top of that list... but underpowered, not setup correctly, improper technique might all be good contenders. 

walnut is pretty hard... but I know the older cent mach 14" bandsaws were supposed to be pretty good and I would think any 14" should cut thru 8/4 like nothing.  I have a modest craftsman that would cut it like nothing. 

 

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Well I changed the blade but it was too wide for circular cuts.

I just got another blade that is Olson 1/2 3tip but I haven't changed it yet. The bandsaw cuts slow and slowly stops all together.

If I cut and back off then repeate it cuts some. I tightened the tention but it didn't cut. It will cut small pieces okay. But when I tried to cut a neck blank it just stopped as soon as the board hit the blade. Thank you for any help you can give,

.David

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1 hour ago, David Ivy said:

Well I changed the blade but it was too wide for circular cuts.

I just got another blade that is Olson 1/2 3tip but I haven't changed it yet. The bandsaw cuts slow and slowly stops all together.

If I cut and back off then repeate it cuts some. I tightened the tention but it didn't cut. It will cut small pieces okay. But when I tried to cut a neck blank it just stopped as soon as the board hit the blade. Thank you for any help you can give,

.David

stopping like that... well I hope it's that your tires on your wheels are being spun.  If it's actually stopping the motor... oh boy... that motor is not great.  That sure sounds like it's the saw motor.  a sharp blade might help... and olson isn't great as I understand (timber wolf) but shouldn't stop the blade.

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Wow! I was hoping it might not be the motor. Maybe just the setup.

It cut pine bodies pretty good but walnut is much thicker and harder.

If I have to buy another motor, would it just be cheaper to buy a better bandsaw? What name brand bandsaws would do the job in say the $400 range?

Thank you.

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46 minutes ago, David Ivy said:

Wow! I was hoping it might not be the motor. Maybe just the setup.

It cut pine bodies pretty good but walnut is much thicker and harder.

If I have to buy another motor, would it just be cheaper to buy a better bandsaw? What name brand bandsaws would do the job in say the $400 range?

Thank you.

I bought a craftsman ba350 for $150 on craigslist that I've cut through 2" mahog, maple and walnut.  hell I've cut through 2" walnut with my jigsaw!!

i don't know if you can buy a motor... can't imagine it's worth it.  I would say check craigslist, offerup, facebook marketplace... freq see rigid, craftsman and even rikon and grizzly.

I've read that the older harbor freight bandsaws are good... but then you'll find a lot of complaints about them too!

idk on new stuff... maybe wen?  looks like a 14" grizzly is $600ish.  most other decent ones are in the 550-600 range. 

 

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Does the motor stop or is there a belt loose? I know you said you've tightened the blade so that shouldn't slip'n'slide unless there's no rubber applying friction between the blade and the big wheels. But isn't the lower wheel belt driven as well?

Our community workshop has replaced two pillar drills with one and the new one stops when using forstner bits on poplar! To me it sounds like the belt slips before the engine stops, possibly a safety feature to keep the motor from burning.

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5 minutes ago, Bizman62 said:

Does the motor stop or is there a belt loose? I know you said you've tightened the blade so that shouldn't slip'n'slide unless there's no rubber applying friction between the blade and the big wheels. But isn't the lower wheel belt driven as well?

Our community workshop has replaced two pillar drills with one and the new one stops when using forstner bits on poplar! To me it sounds like the belt slips before the engine stops, possibly a safety feature to keep the motor from burning.

that's a good call.  I forgot all about the belts.  def check that... then again I had a little porter cable 10" before I got my craftsman... and you could stop the blade on that pretty easy... and belts were fine.  just a crappy saw.

afa drill press... biz I have an old black and decker from late 70s... could not find a belt for it anywhere... ended up buying a similar size v belt from auto store and it works great.  not stopping that thing at all!  (in case they are having issues finding belts!)

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afa belts, Mike, back in the early 80's my boss bought a new belt for her washing machine from an auto store. B&D doesn't make belts, neither do Whirlpool. Same goes for bearings and other parts. I once went to a bearing shop asking for roughly a certain size bearing. They asked me if I drove an old Opel since the Opel drivers had learned that the bearings were much cheaper there than at the brand repair shop!

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Wow! I was hoping it might not be the motor. Maybe just the setup.

It cut pine bodies pretty good but walnut is much thicker and harder.

If I have to buy another motor, would it just be cheaper to buy a better bandsaw? What name brand bandsaws would do the job in say the $400 range?

Thank you.

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1 hour ago, Bizman62 said:

afa belts, Mike, back in the early 80's my boss bought a new belt for her washing machine from an auto store. B&D doesn't make belts, neither do Whirlpool. Same goes for bearings and other parts. I once went to a bearing shop asking for roughly a certain size bearing. They asked me if I drove an old Opel since the Opel drivers had learned that the bearings were much cheaper there than at the brand repair shop!

hehe... whatever gets ya to the church on time.  at a certain point... all machines will get to where you can't locate a part... at which point you must channel mcguiver!

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10 hours ago, David Ivy said:

If I have to buy another motor, would it just be cheaper to buy a better bandsaw?

If not cheaper, the overall quality might also improve.

Check the big wheels, though, that the big wheels have a rubber coating and that the belt between the motor and the big wheel is both tight and grippy/rubbery. Rubber tends to dry and loose the grip which applies even to car tyres.

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New motor = $100 - $150 plus whatever time and modifications you need to do to make it work if it's not a drop-in replacement.

New bandsaw = $400 upwards

Secondhand motor or bandsaw = $???

Specs on the bandsaw in question:

https://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-4-speed-woodworking-band-saw-60564.html

It appears to have multiple speed options. Have you tried sawing at lower blade speeds (lower cut rate but more grunt)?

Motor specs in the manual are a bit vague, but indicate 7A at 120V which is about 1HP. Should be mountains of power to cut through walnut, particulalry with the 4 speed reduction belt drive that this bandsaw appears to come with.

I'm thinking the issue is one of setup rather than lack of power.

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Definitely check belts, and this sounds funny but I'd be checking the pulleys to make sure they aren't spinning freely on the motor shaft? Something is certainly wrong.

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I think it might be the belts slipping because I cut a pickguard on it last night and it cut fine.

But when I try thicker stock it stops the blade and I turn it off then turn it back on and the motor runs but the blade doesn't turn. I half to use a scrap board to .make the blade move then it will turn and get up to speed. When I go to cut the thick boards again it stops the blade again.

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9 hours ago, David Ivy said:

On ebay.I just finished this guitar.

This is a guitar that I have wanted to build for 2 &1/2 years. Made the body & bought the neck

I had to cut the body out with my jigsaw.

But when I tried to cut a Tele body out red oak it burned up my jigsaw.

1007202158.jpg

right on.  looks lovely.

I had a $20 black and decker jigsaw that I bought at walmart in 2000... I cut 2" mahog on it sev times, then cut some 3" mahog and the piece that holds the blade broke... but the motor kept on turning like new!  guess I was lucky, but bought another black and decker just in case!!

I think you may have gotten better advice from everyone other than me... lots of good places to look  - something it likely spinning itself instead of the blade when that happens.  not enough tension somewhere.  hope you figure it out!!

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9 hours ago, David Ivy said:

Thank you.

That guitar played fine last night I picked it up today when my band came to rehearse and the neck was separating from the body.

I was so disappointed.

happens to the best of us (and me).  chin up - now you've got an opportunity to learn about fixing a neck!  (bright side)

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