Bandsaw gloat

[Charlie Plesums]

Lots of people kidded me about the green 14 inch bandsaw behind my combo machine. Therefore, to satisfy the artistically insulted (and to take advantage of a deal on a refurbished bandsaw) I replaced it with a MiniMax 24 inch... now the colors match.

http://plesums.com/wood/shop/Shop3277.jpg

Yes, it is the old model MM24, so it only has 15 inch resaw capacity (only...he he he) and a 4.8 hp motor. Durn thing weighs over 1000 pounds.

http://plesums.com/wood/shop/Bandsaw3278.jpg

Current plan is to keep the 14 inch Grizzly G0555 (great little unit) with a small blade for curve work, so I don't have to take the 1 inch carbide off the MiniMax. With shop space so tight, I don't know how long that plan will last

[Philip Glover]

Charlie,
Excellent choice in colors. Now you'll be able to resaw really large logs.
What blade are you running now?

Enjoy,
Phil

[Frank Fusco]

I have a bunch of large osage orange hunks in my garage that need resawing. Can I bring them over? :rolleyes:

[Jesse Cloud]

Hope you can get by with only 15" resaw:rolleyes:

I'm green with envy.

[Jim Becker]

Congratulations, Charlie! I was wondering when you would jump on something like this... ;)

[Mark Pruitt]

Very Nice!!!

[Charlie Plesums]

...What blade are you running now?...
Phil
Sam at MiniMax insisted that I start with a regular blade, so I have a 3/4 inch on the machine - I'm not sure what brand. As soon as he gives me the graduation certificate, I have a 1 inch Lenox trimaster carbide ready to go. Sam has the same saw, and he trusted me to try it with his trimaster, so hopefully I will graduate soon.

When I was testing with the carbide blade, I cut quite a few "veneers" about 1/16 inch thick, and up to 11 inches wide, in maple, oak, walnut, and ipe. The cut was so smooth that it was hard to tell the original side (jointed flat) from the bandsawn side. Even with the cheap blade, the Performax easily makes a "finished" veneer.

[Christian Aufreiter]

Congrats, Charlie. Really nice saw. And apparently not the only Minimax tool in your shop.;)

Christian

[Tyler Howell]

Hubba Hubba!!!:eek:
That's a lot a BS.:cool:

[Greg Koch]

Awesome saw...one of these days! Have fun with it, and take care.

Greg

[Ned Bulken]

Drool drool 15"? *sigh* replacing the Grizzly 555. that'll be my 'big' bandsaw when I get mine later this year.

[Randy Gillard]

Nice going, I know the feeling

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/hrgillard/Minimax/DSC01162.jpg

I run 1/4" blades on this 16" machine using the stock guides with no problem. You can retrofit to cool blocks and run very narrow blades if you wish. I find 1/4" is as narrow as I need. YMMV.

Cheers

Randy

[Dev Emch]

Lots of people kidded me about the green 14 inch bandsaw behind my combo machine. Therefore, to satisfy the artistically insulted (and to take advantage of a deal on a refurbished bandsaw) I replaced it with a MiniMax 24 inch... now the colors match.

http://plesums.com/wood/shop/Shop3277.jpg

Yes, it is the old model MM24, so it only has 15 inch resaw capacity (only...he he he) and a 4.8 hp motor. Durn thing weighs over 1000 pounds.

http://plesums.com/wood/shop/Bandsaw3278.jpg

Current plan is to keep the 14 inch Grizzly G0555 (great little unit) with a small blade for curve work, so I don't have to take the 1 inch carbide off the MiniMax. With shop space so tight, I don't know how long that plan will last

Current Plan? Charlie who are you kidding? The 14teener is cool if its the only game in town. But after you begin using the BUBS, consider this a game over condition. You going to find that its easier to change out a blade and enjoy the extra power, precision and work space. Your 14 in saw is orphaned. I said the same thing and as soon as I get my 15 incher back together, its on the market AGAIN! Had to polish off some light rust from all the shiny surfaces without messing up the perfect paint!

[Dev Emch]

Oh Yah.... like the air force called the B-52 the BUFF, I call big band saws BUBS. BIG UGLY BAND SAW! Its an affiontionate acro!:D

[Dev Emch]

Sam at MiniMax insisted that I start with a regular blade, so I have a 3/4 inch on the machine - I'm not sure what brand. As soon as he gives me the graduation certificate, I have a 1 inch Lenox trimaster carbide ready to go. Sam has the same saw, and he trusted me to try it with his trimaster, so hopefully I will graduate soon.

When I was testing with the carbide blade, I cut quite a few "veneers" about 1/16 inch thick, and up to 11 inches wide, in maple, oak, walnut, and ipe. The cut was so smooth that it was hard to tell the original side (jointed flat) from the bandsawn side. Even with the cheap blade, the Performax easily makes a "finished" veneer.

O.K. Bucko... Let me get this straight. You borrowed Sams machine using a one inch Lenox Trimaster and cut all the afore mentioned veneers? So it sounds like your sold on the one inch trimaster. What type of fence system did you use to cut these 1/16 in veneers and what type of saw guides were you using?

I talked to Lenox in Mass and they old me that I could use a 3 TPI Trimaster with a 6 degree positive hook tooth. There seems to be a number of tooth profiles to choose from and this one strikes me as the best for resaw. Variable pitch blades are often used in horizontal metal cutting bandsaws so becareful here.

So I think I am about to switch over to the trimaster and give it a try. May need to change out guides as well and bend over and install carters.

[Richard Wolf]

Nice move Charlie.

Richard

[Charlie Plesums]

O.K. Bucko... Let me get this straight. You borrowed Sams machine using a one inch Lenox Trimaster and cut all the afore mentioned veneers? So it sounds like your sold on the one inch trimaster. What type of fence system did you use to cut these 1/16 in veneers and what type of saw guides were you using?

I talked to Lenox in Mass and they old me that I could use a 3 TPI Trimaster with a 6 degree positive hook tooth. There seems to be a number of tooth profiles to choose from and this one strikes me as the best for resaw. Variable pitch blades are often used in horizontal metal cutting bandsaws so becareful here.

So I think I am about to switch over to the trimaster and give it a try. May need to change out guides as well and bend over and install carters.
Sam has a block of maple for a resaw fence. It is over an inch thick and about 10 inches high, bolted to the factory fence, carefully aligned and polished. He cuts the veneer between the fence and the blade. Our MM24s both have the standard Euro guides.

I just measured the stuff I did on his saw... two setups 0.060 inches (one offcut measured 0.058), and 0.078 inches. On my saw, I was pushing how far I could go with the grunge blade, and have a couple samples 0.033 inches thick - but these weren't as smooth. The drum sander fixed up a thicker piece cut with the grunge blade.

Looking at my unused Lenox blade, the teeth have variable pitch, I would guess 2 to 3 tpi. There is a tiny number 2404162 printed on the blade - could be a part number or a code for when/where manufactured. Some other SMC discussions also recommended the Lenox variable pitch.

Sam's resaw recommendation is for the one inch blade... ample beam strength, and narrower kerf and lower cost than the 1 1/2 inch blade. Since this is my first carbide bandsaw blade, I followed Sam's recommendation.


The 14teener is cool if its the only game in town. But after you begin using the BUBS, consider this a game over condition. You going to find that its easier to change out a blade and enjoy the extra power, precision and work space. Your 14 in saw is orphaned.
The reason I negotiated (with my accountant) the option of keeping the 14 is that several people have told me they wished they had kept their original bandsaw, for the quick curved cut. David Marks did keep his (in fact I think he has three, from 14 to 36 inches)

[Dev Emch]

The reason I negotiated (with my accountant) the option of keeping the 14 is that several people have told me they wished they had kept their original bandsaw, for the quick curved cut. David Marks did keep his (in fact I think he has three, from 14 to 36 inches)

Good Point. But after a while you begin looking at the unused corners in your house in a way the old accountant would not approve of.:D I guess you can remove the blade, clamp on a nice shiny walnut or maple table cover and use it to display some artifact like a vase or something the accountant wants to display.:D

[Alan Turner]

Charlie,
On my big BS, I run a 1" carbide, Lennox, 2-3 tpi and it cuts very well. As you say, I sometimes can't tell which side is sawn and which is jointed. I also have a scroller, a 14" PM141 and wouldn't be without it as it is a PITA to change out the blade and reset the guides. BS's have a small footprint, and with a mobile base, it is a quite useful tool.

[Alan Turner]

Charlie,
Great score. On my big BS, I run a 1" carbide, Lennox, 2-3 tpi and it cuts very well. As you say, I sometimes can't tell which side is sawn and which is jointed. I also have a scroller, a 14" PM141 and wouldn't be without it as it is a PITA to change out the blade and reset the guides. BS's have a small footprint, and with a mobile base, it is a quite useful tool.

[Mark Singer]

Charlie,
That is a beautiful saw! Congradulations! I kept my 14" Jet and I use it often. That way you never need to change blades on the bigger bandsaw. The TriMaster I use is a Variable pitch and the teeth vary in spacing.

[Charlie Plesums]

Good Point. But after a while you begin looking at the unused corners in your house in a way the old accountant would not approve of.:D I guess you can remove the blade, clamp on a nice shiny walnut or maple table cover and use it to display some artifact like a vase or something the accountant wants to display.:D
My accountant (the one I have been married to for over 35 years) is pretty generous about partially completed customer projects in the dining room, hall, and even the bedroom. We have a bookcase that is more bowls and boxes than books. But I thought it was all over when I moved some trashbags and other wood into the house temporarily to make room for the bandsaw delivery. :eek: I don't think I would even dare ask about the bandsaw on display, even with a nice walnut table top:D. I did turn a wooden bracelet for her as a peace offering.

[tod evans]

nice score charlie! i keep a small bandsaw for small blades too..02 tod

[Joe Mioux]

Charlie: the way I read your original post, you still have the problem.

The new bandsaw matches your combo, however you still have and intend on keeping the green one.

Might I suggest, a can of off-white Rust-o-leum.;) :)

Congratulations on the new saw.

Joe

[Charlie Plesums]

...The new bandsaw matches your combo, however you still have and intend on keeping the green one.

Might I suggest, a can of off-white Rust-o-leum.;) :) ...

Maybe it would be ok if I keep the Grizzly bandsaw next to the Grizzly dust collector, and let the Crapsman Radial Arm Saw defend the middle???:rolleyes:

[Norman Hitt]

Maybe it would be ok if I keep the Grizzly bandsaw next to the Grizzly dust collector, and let the Crapsman Radial Arm Saw defend the middle???:rolleyes:

Hey, that'l work, Charlie. Congratulations on the "Big Ripper".