A new toy

Nice setup! My next purchase will be a band saw for steel of some kind. I wish I had the room you do, so I'll be going with a porta-bandsaw.
 
to tag on, we sit on it horse style with a pad. The work rest is complete junk thin pressed metal and needs to be replaced by a thick piece of steel. I think we have replaced one set of blade roller bearings. Mine must be close to 20 years old.
 
I have a similar Chinese machine to von gruff and you will find a heap of websites showing many modifications people have made. I have often thought about removing it from the frame and mounting it permanently vertical on my bench but the ability to use it as a chop saw is so handy as well. Two things I did that in my opinion are an absolute must for these saws were:

Throw away the blade that came with it and buy a decent bi-metal blade from a specialist supplier (likely not the same place you bought the saw).

Secondly throw away the flimsy workrest and make one out of heavier flat steel. I have mine so I can keep it attached at all times and use the saw both vertical or horizontal. It is pretty small to allow this but you really don’t need a big work area when cutting out blades or scales etc.
 
IanF said:
I have a similar Chinese machine to von gruff and you will find a heap of websites showing many modifications people have made. I have often thought about removing it from the frame and mounting it permanently vertical on my bench but the ability to use it as a chop saw is so handy as well. Two things I did that in my opinion are an absolute must for these saws were:

Throw away the blade that came with it and buy a decent bi-metal blade from a specialist supplier (likely not the same place you bought the saw).

Secondly throw away the flimsy workrest and make one out of heavier flat steel. I have mine so I can keep it attached at all times and use the saw both vertical or horizontal. It is pretty small to allow this but you really don’t need a big work area when cutting out blades or scales etc.
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Have you got a pic of the work rest that allows for use in both positions Ian
 
Von Gruff said:
Have you got a pic of the work rest that allows for use in both positions Ian
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Hope this works. It measures 100x75mm (4x3 inches) and you will note the corner is cut to allow clearance when in the horizontal position. Holes used are just the same ones that the original rest comes with.
 

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I've had one of those Chinese bandsaws for well over 20 years and it's always worked ok. I did replace two of the guide bearings about ten years ago, and before that the gasket for the gear case leaked, I replaced that with some inner tube rubber. the bearings were like 5 bucks a piece. I'd buy another if it crapped out tomorrow. you need to run good blades though.
 
Cut the first two blades out today and while it is slower than the cut off disc in the grinder, it is just so much cleaner and with zero dust and grit to make wearing breathing gear necessary so I am a convert.

HZNvIrVl.jpg
 
So for those who have the same saw which of the belt pulley settings do you use. Mine shows a blade speed of 21m/min 30m/min and 44m/min. I started with the outer (slowest) setting but shifted to the center setting and it seems to cut better/quicker
 
Von Gruff said:
So for those who have the same saw which of the belt pulley settings do you use. Mine shows a blade speed of 21m/min 30m/min and 44m/min. I started with the outer (slowest) setting but shifted to the center setting and it seems to cut better/quicker
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I run mine on the fastest setting. I started slow, which was painfully slow, then went to the middle for a long time. Finally I tried it on the fast speed and found the blade still lasts months and months cutting stainless steel. I have tried several brands of blades and get the most life from Starrett blades. 14 to 18 tpi seems to be the happy spot where it cuts fast enough without stripping teeth prematurely. 24tpi cuts clean but requires entirely too much pressure from me pushing the steel into the sawblade to get it to cut.
 
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