I've bought a new bandsaw (now with photos).

[Mike G]

I've just bought a Blundells SWB 4300......a 17 inch bandsaw which looks absolutely immaculate. It's a re-badged version of one of the big Axminster saws, 2HP, single phase, 13a.

Does anyone have any experience of these machines?

 

[sunnybob]

17" 2 hp on a 13 amp plug? :shock:
Better stock up on some fuses :lol: :lol:

 

[Mike G]

That's stock...unchanged. Listed on the plate/ label as 11.5A, 1.5kw, 240V single phase.

 

[Woodbloke]

I've just bought a Blundells SWB 4300......a 17 inch bandsaw which looks absolutely immaculate. It's a re-badged version of one of the big Axminster saws, 2HP, single phase, 13a.

Does anyone have any experience of these machines?

Looks pretty similar to one of the older Ax ‘Industrial’ models. I have a more recent version (smaller footprint and bigger doc I think) which has been great. Mine also runs of a 13A plug from the ‘shop ring main and despite the naysayers inhabiting sunnier climes, it has yet to blow a fuse. You won’t be disappointed with it - Rob

 

[sunnybob]

Mike, you dont have 240 volt. the UK has been on 220 volts for donkeys years, because all the european 220 volts stuff used to blow up when plugged into UK mains.
As the voltage lowers, the amperage rises. Just googled a 2 hp on 220 volts and its 12.5 amps.
Which is still within spec of a 13 amp fuse, but once you start cutting your foot thick oak and the motor starts to strain..... :eusa-whistle: :eusa-whistle:

 

[sunnybob]

We still have 240 volts here, I would offer to take it off your hands, but I'd have to cut a hole in the workshop roof to get it to stand up. :lol: :lol:

 

[Mike G]

......Looks pretty similar to one of the older Ax ‘Industrial’ models. I have a more recent version (smaller footprint and bigger doc I think) which has been great. Mine also runs of a 13A plug from the ‘shop ring main and despite the naysayers inhabiting sunnier climes, it has yet to blow a fuse. You won’t be disappointed with it - Rob

Brilliant, thanks Rob.Yes, I'm pretty sure it is identical to one Axminster sold maybe 15 or so years ago. It's going to be a massive improvement on the 14" thing I have now.

 

[Trevanion]

That's a nice big saw, Mike! I've never heard of Blundell though and there doesn't seem to be much online, from what I can find it seems "Alan Blundell Woodworking Machinery" was a dealer based in Suffolk that dissolved back in ~2008 so maybe it came from there as a re-badged version of the Axminster saw.

 

[Mike G]

Mike, you dont have 240 volt. the UK has been on 220 volts for donkeys years.......
As the voltage lowers, the amperage rises. Just googled a 2 hp on 220 volts and its 12.5 amps.
Which is still within spec of a 13 amp fuse, but once you start cutting your foot thick oak and the motor starts to strain..... :eusa-whistle: :eusa-whistle:

Fair point, well made. However, knowing what I manage with a 3/4 hp motor on my current machine, I don't see myself ever straining this new one.

 

[Mike G]

That's a nice big saw, Mike! I've never heard of Blundell though and there doesn't seem to be much online, from what I can find it seems "Alan Blundell Woodworking Machinery" was a dealer based in Suffolk that dissolved back in ~2008 so maybe it came from there as a re-badged version of the Axminster saw.

Possibly. I found the same thing, but I also found a couple of references to it on UKW in old posts saying much the same thing (Axi clone).

As for big saw....yes, but I've been looking at Wadkins and the like for restoration, so this feels like a bit of a toy in comparison! I'm collecting it tomorrow, and I'll probably be removing the table and motor for the journey, but I'm confident I'll be able to manage it alone. I actually feel a bit guilty buying this. Even though £600 looks a good price to me it's still more than I have spent on the rest of my workshop in a decade, I reckon. I'll get a few quid back for my old saw, though.

I reckon I'll be starting a boat build in 12 to 18 months, depending on a hip operation and recovery, so a decent bandsaw will be priceless.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/28444709...,osub=osub,crd=crd,segname=segname,chnl=mkcid

 

[sunnybob]

Serious face on now...
I think thats a hell of a weight for an (ahem) older gentleman waiting on a hip replacement.
2 HP motors and cast iron tables are NOT to be taken lightly.

 

[sunnybob]

My friend Mr. google says a 2 hp motor can weigh well over 30 kgs. Lifting that from floor level should really be a two man job.
The table could be double that weight.
take care Mike.

 

[Mike G]

I'll be fine. As an aside, I'm not having a replacement, but a resurfacing (Andy Murray's operation). They do that for the young and active instead of a replacement.

 

[Trevanion]

As for big saw....yes, but I've been looking at Wadkins and the like for restoration, so this feels like a bit of a toy in comparison! I'm collecting it tomorrow, and I'll probably be removing the table and motor for the journey, but I'm confident I'll be able to manage it alone. I actually feel a bit guilty buying this. Even though £600 looks a good price to me it's still more than I have spent on the rest of my workshop in a decade, I reckon. I'll get a few quid back for my old saw, though.

Depending on the machine sometimes it can be advantageous to remove the wheels also if it's easy enough to do, usually, it's just a bolt at the centre of the hub holding them on. I took the bottom wheel (700mm) off the Wadkin PBR the other day to replace the drive belt and it must've weighed well over 50KG on its own as it's a really meaty piece of cast iron with a brake drum incorporated in the casting which makes it have that much more mass. Of course, yours won't be that heavy but a few kilos shed off the overall weight makes a big difference trying to muscle it about, I'd rather have a load of parts to put back together than trying to shift the whole thing in one go by myself. Although once you've got the balance holding onto the column they can be pretty easy to walk around.

£600 is a bargain price considering the value increases across the board with woodworking machinery, I saw two quite old Sedgwick Morticers (the generation before they changed to blue colours, '80s) fetch £1200 each the other day!

I reckon I'll be starting a boat build in 12 to 18 months, depending on a hip operation and recovery, so a decent bandsaw will be priceless.

A Wadkin MZ with the tilting body would've been ideal, although they only appear for sale once in a blue moon and then they usually end up going to the colonies.

https://www.thewoodhaven2.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=285

Will you be doing a video series?

 

[Mike G]

My friend Mr. google says a 2 hp motor can weigh well over 30 kgs. Lifting that from floor level should really be a two man job.

That's only a tad more than a bag of cement, Bob.

The table could be double that weight....

Really? OK, well the seller might have to give me a hand with that.

I'll take a sack barrow and some planks with me, I think.

 

[Mike G]

....Depending on the machine sometimes it can be advantageous to remove the wheels also if it's easy enough to do, usually, it's just a bolt at the centre of the hub holding them on.......

That's a thought, but that's a pig of a job on my current machine. So much so that I had to make my own centre-puller when I changed the bearings. The guy is taking time off work to hand it over to me, so I don't want to keep him hanging around forever. If it looks easy enough I'll give it a shot.

 

[Mike G]

........Will you be doing a video series?....

Actually, quite possibly.

 

[Doug]

Is it like this Mike





I had the Axminster 4300 for a while, made in Taiwan by OAV it was a good sturdy machine

 

[Mike G]

Yep, that's the one Doug. Click on the link 2 or 3 posts up and you'll see the photos. Glad to hear it is a decent machine.

 

[greeno]

Mike, you dont have 240 volt. the UK has been on 220 volts for donkeys years,

UK/EU harmonised to 230V and broadened the tolerance to cover 220/240V

 

[Doug]

I moved mine on my own in January when I sold it, a couple of rollers in the back of the van & I just tipped it backwards onto these & pushed it in.
I drove it over to Lincolnshire, rolled it out, uprighted in the chaps workshop, plugged it in & it was still working perfectly. Only thing I removed was the fence.
I can’t remember the exact weight but it wasn’t that heavy especially when compared to my old Wadkin BZB bandsaw, I had to use a block & tackle to get that on the trailer but I’ve found if I plan things out I've managed all my machinery on my own.

 

[Doug]

Here’s a link to the manual


https://www.gregmach.com/wp-content/upl ... -4300A.pdf


Says it’s 157kg so pretty light for a machine that size.

 

[Mike G]

Brilliant, Doug. Thanks very much.

 

[AJB Temple]

I think the Axi industrial stuff (as bought by my brother s/h) is pretty decent. 17" throat is a really good size. I wish my saw was bigger. E :eusa-clap: xpect it will run better off 16amp if you can do that. Mine is a 16 amp Jet and will start on 13 amp eventually, but runs much sweeter on 16.

With in-laws here we shall be in your neck of the woods in the next few days....I think a full German invasion may be too much, so when your machine arrives I will pop over on the motorbike for a cuppa.

 

[Woodbloke]

…. once you start cutting your foot thick oak and the motor starts to strain..... :eusa-whistle: :eusa-whistle:

My big, ‘Industrial’ Ax bandsaw (one of last before the range was discontinued) has a depth of cut way in excess of 300mm. It will quite cheerfully cut through 350mm of oak (nice sharp new blade of course) without a hiccup and without blowing a 13A fuse…which it’s designed to run from - Rob

 

[9fingers]

Oh dear so much electrical hogwash in one thread.

Bob

 

[novocaine]

Oh dear so much electrical hogwash in one thread.

Bob

Shhhhhhhh, they'll hear you.

 

[RogerS]

Mike, you dont have 240 volt. the UK has been on 220 volts for donkeys years,...:

Wrong. Depends where you are and what the transformer is set to. I'm around 255v most of the time. Thankfully.

Great buy, Mike :eusa-dance:

 

[Mike G]

.......Great buy, Mike :eusa-dance:

Thanks Roger. I've only been looking for about 9 months.....

Now I've got to work out how to sell things on Ebay and move the old one on.

 

[TrimTheKing]

Yep it’s the one I have Mike, mine was the Axminster SWB 4300 purchased in 2007.

It’s a great machine Mike and you’ll have a ball with it. Easy enough to set up and trim, deep depth of cut and decently deep ‘throat’.

I’d make sure you set extraction from both the upper and lower ports on 4” as the bottom of the cabinet can fill up if you just use either/or. Enjoy.

Sorry Bob but in this case you are wrong. Mine has run on a standard 13 plug that whole time and I have resawn 10” deep oak posts on it without missing a beat.

 

[RogerS]

.......Great buy, Mike :eusa-dance:

Thanks Roger. I've only been looking for about 9 months.....

Now I've got to work out how to sell things on Ebay and move the old one on.

Try selling it here first ?

 

[Mike G]

.......Great buy, Mike :eusa-dance:

Thanks Roger. I've only been looking for about 9 months.....

Now I've got to work out how to sell things on Ebay and move the old one on.

Try selling it here first ?

It's simply not good enough, Roger. Too many issues.

 

[Mike G]

Yep it’s the one I have Mike, mine was the Axminster SWB 4300 purchased in 2007.

It’s a great machine Mike and you’ll have a ball with it. Easy enough to set up and trim, deep depth of cut and decently deep ‘throat’.

I’d make sure you set extraction from both the upper and lower ports on 4” as the bottom of the cabinet can fill up if you just use either/or. Enjoy.

Sorry Bob but in this case you are wrong. Mine has run on a standard 13 plug that whole time and I have resawn 10” deep oak posts on it without missing a beat.

Oh that's good to know. I remember seeing yours in 2010.

Extraction? Yes, yes, that's a thing, I guess. One day......

 

[Woodbloke]

Extraction? Yes, yes, that's a thing, I guess. One day......

With the best will in the world, my experience is that it’s adequate but not brilliant on these machines. I’m very tempted at some point to install Steve M’s system (thread on it a while ago) on my big bs as it overcomes most or all of the dx issues. A lot of dust does get taken away using the big ports as fitted, but an awful lot gets left behind - Rob

 

[Doug]

Extraction? Yes, yes, that's a thing, I guess. One day......

When it’s too late

 

[Mike Jordan]

I have a similar size Record BS500. I've found the wheel set,to be a vital part in a limited space, fortunately they are easy to add on.
My other suggestion is investing in a Tuffsaws 3 TPI X 1/2" blade. They are great for all the things I do. I bought two as a trial and I'm still trying to wear out the first one. They are vastly better than any others I have used. What sort of boat are you considering? I hope it's going to be big!
Mike.

 

[Trevanion]

Knowing Mike...

Done singlehandedly in 6 months.

 

[Mike G]

Erm.......not quite......This is what I'm looking to build. Things might change, though, and I won't be having the mizzen mast. It will be a gaff cutter or sloop.

 

[Steve Maskery]

This is how I did the DX on mine. I'm very pleased with it.

[youtubessl]sAEr8oZfJYA[/youtubessl]

 

[Blackswanwood]

That does look good Mike (boat and bandsaw). Is it your own plan from scratch?

I was up in the Lake District at the weekend and was reminded that while timber boats are a labour of love they are imho worth it.