Anyone 'speak' Startrite Bandsaw?

"Bob Minchin" wrote in message news:41qEg.620$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe3-gui.ntli.net...

Bob,

I have a Startrite 18 V 10 and I must say I am very pleased with it. This model is 10 speeds which it achieves with a two speed gear box and 5 pulley grooves.I think the 10 in the model number is the maximum thickness of cut in inches (or at least the daylight between table and upper guide). Mine is fitted with the optional blade welder which I find invaluable. My only slight complaint is I could sometimes do with more throat size but then I suppose that machines all have their limitations! I think that the 18 S 10 is a 5 speed machine without the gear box. I believe that there are metal cutting and wood cutting (ie different speed ranges) of the 'S' models but for general workshop use I think that you need the 10 speed. I believe that the whole range is fitted with the tilting table. Mine is also fitted with the optional blower that puffs on the cut to keep a clear sight line, which is quite useful. It is only a small vane pump belt driven off the motor. I think that the whole range don't comply with modern safety regs so beware if you are using it commercially (you can for instance open the access door to the blade wheels without stopping the machine). There are several styles of blade guide including ones using roller bearings and even one that twists the blade through 45 degrees for slicing bits apparently too large for the table. The book of words though says that the solid insert guides (a hardened block with a slit deep enough that the blade sits in with just the teeth protruding) is the most accurate for precision sawing.All in all though a very solid and simple machine that sees a lot of varied uses in my workshop. spares are still available from:

If you are passing through Bromley by all means come and have a play with it.

AWEM

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for your helpful reply. In one aspect I rather hope you are incorrect as I'm considering a 18-S-1 which is for sale near me. I hope it will have more than a 1 inch cutting capability!!

I do need the capability more for wood as well as some metal.(Dare I mention wood in this company??) So maybe a mixture of inverter drive and pulley steps will give me sufficient speed range. I'm quite happy to add an extra fixed speed fan to the motor if needed.

If anyone else can shed light on the T & R models I'd be grateful.

Elsewhere, I have found (curiously) that the S,T & V are covered by one manual and another volume covers T, V & R. I'm assuming therefore that all four models are not that dissimilar.

Regards

Bob

Slight thread hijack here but ... I've got a Startrite 352 (2 speed, single phase) that I'm trying to decide whether to sell or fit a 3 phase motor + inverter to so it can be used for metal and wood. Any ideas what it's worth? What's needed for a successful metal cutting bandsaw (I haven't used one)? Are the blades different (forgive my ignorance)?

Dave

Dave, I should not be encouraging you to hijack my thread but as you mention wood, maybe its ok!

352s are making £400 or more on ebay recently but to my mind are let down by only having 20 degree tilt on the table. For sawing metal you possibly need to be getting the speed down to 60-100fpm An inverter will help but maybe you could also fit in some extra pulley steps to avoid overheating the motor at low rpm.

Blades are quite different in tooth form and pitch between wood and metal although a metal cutting blade will cut wood (poorly) but not the other way round.

regards

Bob

Thanks Bob, the Startrite "arrived" when I bought the contents of a workshop a few years ago, but I haven't really used it. I've had an INCA

260 bandsaw for years and it's always been big enough, but doesn't have the rigidity of the Startrite; hence the proposal to convert the Startrite for dual duty - but the hassle of blade changing is making me doubt the viability of this idea. I should probably sell the Startrite to get the space back and stick with a hacksaw.

Dave

I have managed to find someone who has helped decode for me. His company supplies spares for nearly the full range of of Startrite machines The first digits are throat depth in inches the next character R,T,V or S are built on the same basic frame and don't appear to convey anything useful. the last digits are the number of speeds

1- single speed 5 -5 speed with a 5 step pulley 10- 10 speeds with 5 step pulley and two speed gearbox

-RWF machines have a continuously variable drive fitted.

Hope this helps someone

Bob