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Horizontal band saw

G

GerryinBelleRiver

Well-Known Member
There is a rule over at OWWM that states that you will find your quest machine after having acquired an inferior substitute, or something along those lines.

As many of you have done I started into metal working with an angle grinder and a hack saw. Eventually I acquired a vertical wood/metal band saw and a small power hacksaw. All the while I was questing for a small horizontal metal bandsaw . I do a lot of woodworking and switching the 14" bandsaw over from metal to wood and back again is a real PITA. The small power hack saw works great but is very slow.

As many of you know on Saturday I lucked into finding a Milwaukee deep cut portable band saw and thought that this would probably be the answer to my quest. That is until Sunday evening when I spotted a FB ad for a King 4 1/2 x 6 horizontal bandsaw for $125 about 15 minutes from me. The ad had only been posted for 20 minutes but I made no delay in calling. Shortly after that it was in the back of the van.

Despite the pictures it was in good shape. A previous owner decided to put some wheels on it and did a pretty poor job of it but that is easily corrected. I think my quest is finally complete.

By the way, for those interested, I will be keeping the vertical band saw and the Milwaukee portable. The power hacksaw will likely go to a new home. 20220516_142543.jpg20220516_142635.jpg
 
GerryinBelleRiver said:
There is a rule over at OWWM that states that you will find your quest machine after having acquired an inferior substitute, or something along those lines.

As many of you have done I started into metal working with an angle grinder and a hack saw. Eventually I acquired a vertical wood/metal band saw and a small power hacksaw. All the while I was questing for a small horizontal metal bandsaw . I do a lot of woodworking and switching the 14" bandsaw over from metal to wood and back again is a real PITA. The small power hack saw works great but is very slow.

As many of you know on Saturday I lucked into finding a Milwaukee deep cut portable band saw and thought that this would probably be the answer to my quest. That is until Sunday evening when I spotted a FB ad for a King 4 1/2 x 6 horizontal bandsaw for $125 about 15 minutes from me. The ad had only been posted for 20 minutes but I made no delay in calling. Shortly after that it was in the back of the van.

Despite the pictures it was in good shape. A previous owner decided to put some wheels on it and did a pretty poor job of it but that is easily corrected. I think my quest is finally complete.

By the way, for those interested, I will be keeping the vertical band saw and the Milwaukee portable. The power hacksaw will likely go to a new home.View attachment 23917View attachment 23918
Click to expand...

Totally agree with that rule.....

Just bought a used King same as that myself. Bought a new Starrett blade for it. Then said goodbye to my trusty old manual hacksaw.

@thestelster was my inspiration. He said another one like it changed his life and it sure as $&@% changed mine!
 
This was my first bandsaw. BTW the wheel come with the machine.

I've had good success with the Starrett blades for this size, but not so much so for the larger one.

As to using it vertical it does very well, just make a table for it about 12x12 from 1/4 stock, make sure the slot is on the teeth side otherwise the scarf get caught in the grove and causes you ends headaches.
 
gerritv said:
Congrats, I bought one of those even before moving up from my Taig, doing cuts by hand wasn't for me.
I get my updates ideas from http://mikesworkshop.weebly.com/bandsaw-modifications.html , recently made the table.

Gerrit
Click to expand...
Thanks for the link. Definitely have some modes in mind such as extension of the vise jaws and a stop rod. Also a table may be in the offering.

First the wheels need fixing. They are attached directly to the sheet metal sides which bow out when you try to move it. I will be putting in a steel bracket to fix that.
 
Nice score! I have a similar saw as well. All this talk of portabands had me thinking I needed to get one of those too, but hearing that you got a portaband but really wanted a 4x6 is making me think I don't need to spend those funds on a portaband after all...

GerryinBelleRiver said:
First the wheels need fixing. They are attached directly to the sheet metal sides which bow out when you try to move it. I will be putting in a steel bracket to fix that.
Click to expand...

The stand and wheels on mine are total junk, and only slightly thicker than a tin can. I need to rebuild the stand and have better chip management built in as well... Then fix the vise, build a table... I can't tell if this saw is supposed to make my life easier or give me a neverending project list.
 
Six O Two said:
Nice score! I have a similar saw as well. All this talk of portabands had me thinking I needed to get one of those too, but hearing that you got a portaband but really wanted a 4x6 is making me think I don't need to spend those funds on a portaband after all...



The stand and wheels on mine are total junk, and only slightly thicker than a tin can. I need to rebuild the stand and have better chip management built in as well... Then fix the vise, build a table... I can't tell if this saw is supposed to make my life easier or give me a neverending project list.
Click to expand...
As someone who recently sold their horizontal saw for space reasons, the portaband saw has been excellent. Not set and forget like a horizontal saw but its utility out of the cutoff stand is excellent.
And yes the stamped steel stands on the 4x6 saw are junk.
 
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Six O Two said:
Just wait until you start fiddling with the blade guides and alignment. Hours of fun, I tell ya!
Click to expand...

I guess I am yet another sibling in this big happy (?) family.

I replaced my blade with a Starrett almost as soon as I bought mine on Kijiji. The old blade worked but was as slow as molasses. This seemed to be a common complaint and the solution was always to replace the junk blade it came with by buying a good Starret. So I did. I'll say it cuts decently with a bit of extra pressure. Not because it needs the pressure to cut well but because it needs the pressure to keep the blade from falling off! Try as I might, I could not get that blade to stay on without some extra pressure. I downloaded the manual and studied the crap out of it.

I suspect that the manual was written for a newer model. It refers to an eccentric to adjust blade pressure. I can't find an eccentric anywhere. The photos in the manual are horrible. Maybe I'm just blind. My wife says I suffer from an extreme case of refrigerator blindness.

So when I read the comment above about fiddling with blade guides and alignment I become hopeful that maybe I can overcome this challenge with help and stubbornness.......

Can anyone post a decent photo of this eccentric and or better guidance as to how this adjustment is supposed to be done?
 
Susquatch said:
but because it needs the pressure to keep the blade from falling off! Try as I might, I could not get that blade to stay on without some extra pressure.
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What do you mean by "falling off"? Jumping off the blade drive wheels?

What make and model is this saw? Post an image.
 
Some good replies here already. Mine doesn't have an eccentric for tension and I adjust it the same way as the grizzly 4x6. The eccentrics come in for adjust the position of the guides side to side. See p. 36

As I was told, the blade shouldn't be right up against the shoulder of the wheel, but tracking such that the teeth of the blade are outside of the wheel. So the tracking position of the blade on the wheel will depend on the size of the saw blade.

Also, for step 7 here, I find mine benefits from a ridiculous amount of tension. Like, almost more than you can comfortably tension given the size of the knob.

1652828415820.png
 
Susquatch said:
I guess I am yet another sibling in this big happy (?) family.

I replaced my blade with a Starrett almost as soon as I bought mine on Kijiji. The old blade worked but was as slow as molasses. This seemed to be a common complaint and the solution was always to replace the junk blade it came with by buying a good Starret. So I did. I'll say it cuts decently with a bit of extra pressure. Not because it needs the pressure to cut well but because it needs the pressure to keep the blade from falling off! Try as I might, I could not get that blade to stay on without some extra pressure. I downloaded the manual and studied the crap out of it.

I suspect that the manual was written for a newer model. It refers to an eccentric to adjust blade pressure. I can't find an eccentric anywhere. The photos in the manual are horrible. Maybe I'm just blind. My wife says I suffer from an extreme case of refrigerator blindness.

So when I read the comment above about fiddling with blade guides and alignment I become hopeful that maybe I can overcome this challenge with help and stubbornness.......

Can anyone post a decent photo of this eccentric and or better guidance as to how this adjustment is supposed to be done?
Click to expand...
This is a common issue with metal bandsaws caused by a few issues.

1. Wheel alignment, sadly only the tension wheel adjusts, screw closest to the drive wheel adjusts tilt. Don't over do as it wears out your wheels.

2. Tension, too much flexes the frame and changes the alignment in the wrong directions

3. Blade issues, ie poor weld and spline alignment (yes more common than you think), scarf build up, chipped or worn tooth.

My advise start with a new blade and align, easy on the tension and see how it goes. You'll find hard material causes less issues (smaller scarf), AL well ease up or suffer. These small saws are actual very good once you get it dialed in and stay within the limits for the material you are cutting.
 
Degen said:
My advise start with a new blade and align, easy on the tension and see how it goes. You'll find hard material causes less issues (smaller scarf), AL well ease up or suffer. These small saws are actual very good once you get it dialed in and stay within the limits for the material you are cutting.
Click to expand...

It is a brand new Starrett Intense Blade. But it seems like it is being pinched too tightly. The new blade is a tiny bit thicker. The manual says to use the eccentric to change the pinching force. But I can't find an eccentric anywhere. This may be the result of poor eyesight or refrigerator blindness. I have only cut aluminium so far. Other than drag through the rollers, the blade tension is minimal.

This problem too will be simple when solved.
 
Susquatch said:
It is a brand new Starrett Intense Blade. But it seems like it is being pinched too tightly. The new blade is a tiny bit thicker. The manual says to use the eccentric to change the pinching force. But I can't find an eccentric anywhere. This may be the result of poor eyesight or refrigerator blindness. I have only cut aluminium so far. Other than drag through the rollers, the blade tension is minimal.

This problem too will be simple when solved.
Click to expand...

Aluminum gives me all kinds of grief. The blade comes off the wheels lots. Apparently I need a courser blade for aluminum. Try sawing some mild steel and see if the problem persists. I never have issues sawing mild steel.
 
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YYCHM said:
Aluminum gives me all kinds of grief. The blade comes off the wheels lots. Apparently I need a courser blade for aluminum. Try sawing some mild steel and see if the problem persists. I never have issues sawing mild steel.
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I have not tried steel. I'll do that when I get home next week and see what happens.

I do have to say that with a little manual down pressure, the course Starrett cuts aluminium quite well.
 
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