I've got a problem with this saw

great reviews

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

Thanks for the review and switch idea.

-- Only the Shadow knows....................

I need to look into getting me a new bandsaw soon. I’ll keep this one in mind too.

-- Jerry--A man can never have enough tools or clamps

Like the engineering. Creative fix. I went about it another less cool way, but it works. Found the idea pictured below somewhere. Not sure who to credit. It’s just a typical Id holder with a clip stock to a magnet. Keep it hanging over the on button and just flip ot over as appropriate. The color stands out in typical stop or go colors.

-- Jeff, South Carolina

I’ve been told the “ultimate” is a world of difference from the standard. I’ve used the standard model a couple times in another shop. Does great for light duty, but couldn’t handle resaw tasks. Based on what you posted, the extra power in the ultimate makes it a more all around performer. Could be a blade thing though, I believe we were using the stock blade on it. Not positive.

-- Jeff, South Carolina

Thanks so much for the review. I’m getting mine next month….I can’t wait. I will keep these issues in mind if I have the same. THANKS

Did you see this review? http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/859#first-new
some great modifications also

Lisa

-- I inherited the woodworking gene and it's gone into overdrive.......

I trashed the “factory” blade almost immediately. I have a Timberwolf 4 TPI x 1/2” blade on it. That’s the one that squealed in the cuts. I touched off the sharp edges on the back of the blade with a coarse whetstone and it’s mouse-quiet! I could probably stall the saw in a 4” resaw in maple but I’d have to go way beyond a comfortable feed pressure/rate. The resaws come out perfectly parallel and one light pass through my POS Ridgid 13” planer takes all the blade marks. I’m working on enhancing the dust collection and will post my methods and results pretty soon.

-- M1911BLDR

I just used a Sharpie to remind myself to tension up.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

4 1/2 stars even with all of the modifications you did! It must be a real good saw once you get it running. Please keep us posted on the dust collection modifications.

-- Don, Pittsburgh

may i ask the price of this saw?

-- wm, brandon,ms

Great review, I like the idea for the switch cover too. I think it’s the first time I’ve heard someone complain that a power tool is to quiet.

-- "At its best, life is completely unpredictable." - Christopher Walken

I actually ordered and received this saw last week. I haven’t had much of a chance to use it because my saw blade order isn’t in yet. Like you said, the blade it comes with is pretty bad. I did resaw a 4” red oak board just to see what would happen, worked ok, not perfect, I definitely think it’s a case of the blade being completely wrong for the application. I have the squealing problem too, glad to know a little touchup on the back of the blade will fix it. I’m pretty sure my neighbors thought I was strangling a cat in my garage last night. My blades should be in tomorrow (I also ordered the TW 1/2” 4TPI) and I have a few projects lined up so I should get a better feel for things soon.

As for the extreme version vs this saw…I think for most applications, the saw blade is most important. I don’t have any experience with the X version, I’m just regurgitating what I’ve read in various reviews and forums which lead me to the decision to purchase this saw.

Thanks for the review!

I’m still working on enhancing the dust collection. Don’t get me wrong, this saw isn’t any worse, or better, than any of the other bandsaws. In fact, in my research (window shopping at the local industrial supply store – Ricon, Jet, Powermatic and Delta0 it’s at least as good as all the others. My emphasis is on sealing up all the “vents” around the lower cover, the under-table support mechanism, etc. So far, I’ve gotten an order of magnitude in dust collection improvement just by sealing up all the mis-mathces between the lower body and cover with foam board and building a little catch/feed-box around the lower bearing mechanism. It took about an hour to install all the foam board pieces and I’m very very happy with the results. The saw has about 100 feet of resawing under its belt and it’s settling down very nicely. Still very square and straight!

-- M1911BLDR

Cool ideas! I do have a question though for anyone willing to answer. Is it common practice to take the tension off the the blade when it is not in use or is that just somthing that this particular saw requires the user to do? Excuse my ignorance and thanks in advance for your answers!

-- Jeremy, Rochester, NY

I’ve always been advised to release the blade tension on bandsaws. WWWAAAYYY back when I was working with my Dad on the farm!

-- M1911BLDR

Excellent idea for blocking the start button when the tension is off! I’ve started mine up more than I care to admit with the tension released.

I’m interested in the answer to the question on releasing the blade tension also. I forget to release mine so it pretty much as stayed tensioned for 3 years now.

-- Charlie, Humble, Texas

Well, honestly, I don’t have any hard evidence that releasing the tension has measurable benefits. All I know is that I’ve practiced tension release – on bandsaws, that is – ever since I was a kid. Maybe the modern saws and blades, with urethane tires, better tempering, etc., don’t actually need the tension released. Obviously, the blade bieing tight for three years points to “no measurable benefit.” I’ll keep releasing the tension since it’s such an old habit. Oh, just saw the question about price. I got mine for $435.00 w/ free shipping.

-- M1911BLDR

The explanation of why it is “best” to release the tension when you don’t use your band saw has to do with the properties of metal.
Metal is flexible, anybody knows that. When you stretch a piece of metal by tensioning it, the metal will elongate a certain amount and when you release the tension the metal will return to it’s original shape.

Tool steel used in making band saws is also fairly springy if you deflect it side to side it will also tend to return to it’s straight shape.
However metal also exhibits a property called “work hardening” if you stretch or bend the metal past a certain point it will change the internal structure of it and now it will become brittle.
There is a certain level of tension called plastic flow when you reach this level the metal will not return to it’s original shape, at this moment also the work hardenening commence to occur.

Have not you ever cut a piece of steel or iron by bending it repetitively back and forth until it snaps?
That is a very demonstration of this process, furthermore if you closely examine the ends of the just broken metal you will find that the appearence is very grainy and dull not shiny. That is the tailtale of work hardening crystallization.
So by relieving the tension of the band saw blade when not in use, the hope is to avoid this phenomenon and extend the usefull life of it.
The weakest part of any band saw blade is the weld joint. Heating and cooling also affects the crystalline structure of the metal.

This property is taken advantage of and is the way manufacturers impart the required qualities to the tool, part or base metal.

Annealing is a process by which you relieve the internal stresses in metal by way of heating it to a certain temperature and then let it cool at a very specific rate

Tempering is used to increase hardness of the metal (at the expense of also becoming more brittle) it is done by heating the metal at a certain temperature and then cooling it rapidly by submersion either in water or oil.
(wether it is oil or water depends on the metal characteristics)

There are other processes that allow to increase the hardness of the metal by way of apporting carbon to the surface layer of the steel (Carburazing). One very complicated and dangerous process called “Nitruration” used Arsenic (yes, the poison, didn’t I say dangerous). Another less dangerous process is called Cementation (Not to be confused with Cementation-Steel) an antiquated method of manufacturing iron.

Hope this helps.