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Bandsaw ? 120mm cut depth

PhillH

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Axminster have a special on Axminster Hobby Series AWHBS250N Bandsaw 199 quid

I'm wondering if 120 mm cut depth is enough, probably is as I couldn't get a much bigger Bowl blank on my lathe anyway.

Opinions on this saw anyone?
 

Woody

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Axminster have a special on Axminster Hobby Series AWHBS250N Bandsaw 199 quid

I'm wondering if 120 mm cut depth is enough, probably is as I couldn't get a much bigger Bowl blank on my lathe anyway.

Opinions on this saw anyone?

Personally Phil I would never buy a hobby rated machine a friend ask me the same question some years ago about an Axminster hobby band saw not the one you are looking at and I told him the same but he purchased it anyway and what a load of rubbish it was and he expected me to sort out all the problems with it HUH.
At the end of the day Phil you only get what you pay for
 

silver

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Axminster have a special on Axminster Hobby Series AWHBS250N Bandsaw 199 quid

I'm wondering if 120 mm cut depth is enough, probably is as I couldn't get a much bigger Bowl blank on my lathe anyway.

Opinions on this saw anyone?

12" should be OK, I have a 14" SIP PRO and that is not big enough for some jobs I do, but very good build and superb reliability.

The hobby series is just that, meant for the hobbyist to do small jobs and its not used that frequently. I would suggest that they are marketed just for that purpose. If you push their boundaries then they wont last that long or perform to what you need it for. If you can go for a trade series or Pro then you do get a much better machine.

As you title is Pro turner now you might want to look at the tools to go with it..:face:
 

PhillH

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Thanks guys, had a nasty feeling you were gonna say that !

Looks like its the 400 quid one then or a different make. It'll have to wait a few weeks.

Ah well, will be building up my right arm for a while longer :funny::funny:
 

MarkW

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Well to throw a spanner in the works I have this exact saw and it does a great job for the money, good table, fairly decent fence and slices through 4" oak with a good blade with no problem. It is rated hobby but imho at the top end of hobby
 

Neil

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Mark, I have the same spanner, however............

The 250N is a great machine for cutting pen blanks and up to about 3 inches of medium density wood. I have this morning tried to saw a four inch deep piece of zebrano and it did it about the speed of a reliant robin. I think that a good rule of thumb is that you should buy a bandsaw twice the cutting depth of the material you intend to use it to cut for 90% of the time. IE it will cut the maximum depth in the sales brochure but dont make a habit of it as lifes too short to stand against a bandsaw! I use the 250N alongside a 450N that I can get a near 14 inch cut from.

I use a 25mm blade on the 450N, and using the maxim of three teeth in the cut as a minimum, keep a coarse blade on the 450N and a 12mm 4tpi on the 250N for small stuff.

This suits my set up as I cut an enormous amount of pen blanks and convert quite a few logs on the 450N into bowl blanks and large spindle blanks.

The 250N is a good machine in my opinion, I've had great service from mine.
 

PhillH

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So, if I want it for cutting pen blanks predominantly and the occasional bowl blank probably max 3 inches or so then you reckon it's OK ?

Bear in mind I will probably turn 1 or 2 bowls a month and those will be usually from ready prepped blanks.

The idea was for doing some segmenting, celtic crosses and suchlike and maybe converting the odd board now and again.

I just get fed up sawing 2 inch thick lumps of wood by hand.
 

Grump

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Phil everyone is right here there are no wrongs.
The questions to ask your self is how much do you envisage using it and what do you intend to use it for.
I have the 250N and that was an upgrade for me from a little benchtop bandsaw which I missed when I got rid, the upgrade has been more than adequate in fact I am over the moon with it.
I have never pushed it to its limits unlike Neil who has smoke coming from his and still it keeps going, I am also lucky to have him live nearby so anything big I need cutting he has done for me which reminds me I must collect some from him before it all gets sold on his stall, stool whatever.
For a a hobby turner the Axminster range are excellent quality and good value for money but they are exactly that, if you want to use it all day go for the pro range
 

PhillH

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Like I said, it's certainly not going to get the kind of use that Neil probably puts his to.

The odd board converted into blanks now and again and then it would be max 2 inch thick boards probably.

I'm beginning to wonder if I need one now that I think how little use it may actually get :funny::funny::funny::funny:

I was thinking things like Celtic crosses would be easier ( more accurate )
 

Doug

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Phill, only you know what you expect of a new machine.

If I`m honest Axminsters definition of hobby doesn't fill me with confidence, taken from their site.

"Great value, easy-to-use machines that are perfect for home use. Light build specification, suitable for light work by a single person with an expected maximum use of 100 hours annually."

They don`t say how many years they expect the machine to last but less than 2 hours a week would be no good for me.

I would also add that the friend who took me to Axminster the other week has quite a lot of their gear, he was shocked in how the quality of their machines has dropped in the few years he has owned his, this can only mean they have either re-spec`ed their machines or are sourcing their machines from different companies in china, or indeed both.Certainly they had changed the livery in the short time he`d owned his. So I would say be cautious, a new machine with the same code as a 2 year old machine may not be of the same quality.

This is true of other brands as well, when I upgraded my bandsaw I was going to buy a Hammer machine as I`d been using one on site & was impressed with it, when I saw the new version at a show I was surprised how they had down graded (in my opinion) some of the components so didn`t end up buying one.
 

PhillH

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Ah, I can't say I'd seen that small print.

Hmmm, 100 hours a year doesn't sound a lot when you think it through.

I'd bet money on a china manufacture.

Maybe I'll have a look around although most of them do seem to be remarkably similar looking, just different colours.

I don't have a tool shop near here that I know I could trust which is a shame, that's why I came to you lot first !

I don't seem to be able to find a decent one on fleabay either :sob:

More porridge it seems may be the answer and keep doing them by hand :nooidea:
 

Neil

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I wouldn't bet against a certainty. They are made in China, and I think they have been for a while. The chucks were outsourced firstly to Poland and then INdia but have now been brought back in house and are made in Axminster again. I am sure that they would have nothing to hide, phone up the technical department and ask them, they'll probably tell you where they are made, not everything from China comes with nonsensical instructions and falls apart before you've managed to destroy the packaging.

I would point out that the "Hobby" rating and use of a machine up to 100 hours a year is quite reasonable if you think about it. As Phil concluded that's two hours a week. If you spend 10 hours a week turning a week, do you really spend 20% of the time with your bandsaw running under load? I cut 40 blanks for slimlines that I made last week and it took me less than 10 minutes. 100 hours a year under load is a long time for a "hobby" (or should that be non professional) use. If you are cutting pen blanks for personal use I would suggest that you would struggle to get anywhere near the 100 hours a year.

Where Axminster score in my book is their customer service, it is excellent in my opinion. You can through to their tech line almost immediately and have a conversation with a user not an office worker, and their attitude is one of reason and assistance.
 

PhillH

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Oh heck, that puts it in a different perspective again.

I guess the thing would be to get down to Nuneaton and talk to someone, they do seem to be very honest and open in that store. Based on when I bought my lathe anyway.

Once again thanks all for the input, it's this kind of thing that makes this place special.
 

yorkshireman

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Phill, go along to Axminster and take some hardwood with you. They'll let you play with a bandsaw and give professional advice.
 

Jim

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I would think the 100 hours is a guide only? I have never pushed my band saw and doubt that i use mine 2 hours per week, so i wouldn't let this put me off buying a bandsaw with this as a guide .. Especially for what i cut ...
 

sbwertz

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Look around and see if you can find one that is from the 40s or 50s. They are much better made than today's bandsaws, and if properly cared for will go for another 80 years or so. I have two bandsaw, both 14". One is an Ohio Forge with a maximum cut of 5.5 inches and a maximum blade width of 3/8". It is about 20 years old, and did well for me for about three years. Then I inherited my dad's 80 year old bandsaw. It has a riser kit and a 12" cut capacity. I can't believe the difference in the two saws. The old Delta will take a 3/4" blade and cuts through pecan and mulberry (both very hard) like it was butter.

I keep the smaller saw set up for cutting blanks out of slabbed wood, and use the big one for breaking down logs and mulberry crowns. Almost all my wood is "found wood" that I have scavenged myself or traded for. I have a few exotic blanks, but some of the wood from around here is prettier than the exotics. But it means I have to break it down and cut it myself. I was going to get rid of the smaller saw, but decided to keep it set up with a 3/8" blade for small work and keep the big one with the wide aggressive blade so I don't have to be constantly changing blades.

My very first bandsaw was a little three wheeler, and it caused me nothing but trouble.

Sharon
 

yorkshireman

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I've got the same as Steven. It cuts all I want to and the only thing it balks at is a log of pink ivory. Even then take it slow and it gets through.

keith
 
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