New shop toy

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I stumbled on a great deal on a bandsaw still in the box new for less than half the store price along with the trade of my Gripper (I like the homemade push sticks better). It was dead on with tension right out of the box. I do have a question about the cool blocks flanking the blade...should they touch the blade at all or run just outside the edges?

http://www.hannawoodworks.com/newbandsaw.html

[Dev Emch]

Is that you with the niffty Hawaiian work boots?

[Norman Hitt]

I guess that Now, we're going to see all the projects coming out of this shop with Curves, Right? :D :D

Congrats on the new Toy, and on the "Good Deal", too. I think the cool blocks are "designed" to be run against the blade, as a matter of fact, some folks run them in from each side so that they meet in the middle and the blade is totally encapsulated by the cool blocks, especially on the smallblades.

We'll be waiting to see the "Curves", :D :D

[Ken Waag]

Like Norman said, but make sure they are cool blocks. Other blocks are not meant to run against the blade and generate heat, so with those, a dollar bill's space between the block and the blade is recommended. The "cool blocks" as the name suggest are made to run cooler and as such can be against the blade. Just in case,

Ken

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Kelly,

Congrats on the bandsaw. She sure does look purty!

[Corey Hallagan]

Way to go Kelly! Congrats!

Corey

[Mark Singer]

Kelly,

Very nice....Like Norm and others have said.....keep the cool blocks tight and behind the gullets on larger blades and on very small ones they can completely sourround the blade.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Thanks, I'd better check the manual and see if they are. I am tickled to have the saw although it wasn't on my radar to buy one...this was too good to pass up.

If the manual doesn't say, can I tell if they're cool blocks by looking at them?

[Kelly C. Hanna]

You mean my buddy in the Palm Tree shirt? That's a car buddy of mine named Smokey and the wife is on the right folding laundry and telling Smokey about her new ebay venture.

[Marc Burt]

I have that same bandsaw; unless the previous owner upgraded the guides (which I suppose it doubtful since he didn't take it out of the box) it doesn't have cool blocks. They are just standard square steel guide blocks that should be set back from the blade.

Upgrade the blade before you try to cut anything as the stock blade is garbage. The one that came on mind exhibited unbelievable drift. After I upgraded I have no drift whatsoever.

It's definitely not the biggest and best out there but it's a very good little saw that IMO can't be beat for the money.

-Marc

[Byron Trantham]

Nice saw. Great price! :D

[John Miliunas]

Congrats, Kelly! I'm sure you'll get a lot use out of it. Wish I had a smaller one every now and again!:) :cool:

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Mark...he never opened the box....what brand of blade did you get? Did you go to roller guides or cool blocks?

[Bernie Weishapl]

Kelly, I just got the one under yours the BS150. They do not have cool blocks in them right out of the box. I ordered cool blocks as soon as I got mine and ordered 3 timberwolf blades. I tried to cut some pine with the blade that came in it and like Marc said it just goes everywhere. With the cool blocks and new blades I have cut some 1/8" red oak veener. I think the rollers are only made for the 14" and larger. Looks like you got a super deal Kelly.


Bernie

[Ken Waag]

Mark...he never opened the box....what brand of blade did you get? Did you go to roller guides or cool blocks?

Kelly,
I haven't been on the forum in the last week, so this may be advice after the fact. IMO, I'd go with the cool blocks. I don't know if the Carter type roller bearing guides are available for your saw, but they're $150 and may not be worth the investment. (I have them on my Jet 14", they're good but in retrospect I'd have gone with cool blocks and used the $150 on other uprgrades. I don't think they are a big advantage over the blocks).

They do make the little guide rollers that fit into the existing guide set up, but the bearings are so small I don't know that they'd be any advantage either. The great thing with the cool blocks is that you don't have to worry about damaging the teeth and you can engulf small blades like Mark Singer pointed out.

I'd second Bernie's suggestion on the Timberwolf blades. I have good succes with them. Get them from Suffolk, not at Woodcraft, as another thread pointed out, they double the price.

If you'll do any significant resawing, the "Woodslicer" generally does very well in the tests and reviews and it has worked the best for me. If your just doing the occasional resaw, then it may not be worth changing the blade.

I hope your enjoying the saw,
Ken

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Not too late at all Ken....we're in the process of house hunting and have made an offer on one...we've been super busy. I haven't done a thing to the saw yet. Thanks for the advice, I think that's what I'll do when I get the new shop set up.