I need bandsaw advice

[MrJimi]

I am wanting to purchase a 7 X 12 saw and I have been looking at this one
Enco - Guaranteed Lowest Prices on Machinery, Measuring Tools, Cutting Tools and Shop Supplies
And here is another one
Enco - Guaranteed Lowest Prices on Machinery, Measuring Tools, Cutting Tools and Shop Supplies

It has hydraulic down feed, auto shut off and liquid cooling.
My question is what are the good differences to look for, lots of saws fit this description and like everybody else, I want the best value for my dollar
Jim

 

[3RRL]

MrJimi,
That is a pretty good little saw you are looking at. I had an older version of it many years ago. The key to any saw like that is the blade width and tooth configuration. This one uses a 3/4" blade. That is the minimum I would recommend. Try to get premium blades with variable tooth configuration, 3/6 or 6/10 staggered teeth and don't skimp there. They are what do the work. Make the blade match your work piece. Here is something I found describing tooth set.
Lenox saw Blades
The blade width is what gives you good sawing features for a straight and fast cut. Smaller blades tend to wander through the cut. I had several Wells saws in my business with 1-½" wide blades that would slice off .050" thick slices out of Ø6" bar stock in less than 1 minute. They had adjustable hydraulic down feed pressure. Of course they cost around $6,000 now. Now I have a JET saw in the garage just like that Enco you are looking at.

 

[scott_vt]

Afternoon Mr. Jimi,
As Rob stated not a bad little saw ! We use a larger Kalamazoo cut off saw at work and we use Lennox Blades almost exclusively. They are the best IMHO. Whether they are used for a cutoff saw, bandsaw or hole saws ! The little Enco you are looking at will do a descent job for its size without breaking the bank

BTW we use 4-6 TPI for general cutoff of most materials.

 

[sandman2234]

Well,
You could do what I just did...
I bought a bandsaw, used, halfway across the USA from here, for almost as much money, and I still have to get it here...
David from jax

It does have a blade welder on it, but not sure if it works. If it does, or can be fixed, we will be able to fix the cheap blades at least. The better blades are not cheap, and aren't always repairable.
I am going to take a week off and go get it after Thanksgiving.
David from jax

 

[RedRocker]

I have one like your second pic. It's a pretty decent saw, but on mine the blade will just not quite cut all the way through the work piece w/o me having to put a spacer under the material to lift it up an 1/8th of an inch or so. I don't know if this is a flaw in all of them or just my particular saw.
I've gotten my $700 bucks worth out of it though.

 

[Youare]

I purchased one just like that 4 years ago for the company I work for. It is used every day to cut many different types of metal, a lot of stainless steel.

The one thing you want to do is spend a little more on a good blade. We use a M-42 Cobalt blade. They stay sharper longer and cut the tough stuff with ease, also works good on aluminum.

The one we have has a coolant pump and I assume your's does too, use it it makes a world of difference in band life.

Many times I have cut pieces much bigger than it's rated capacity.

Randy

 

[3RRL]

I have one like your second pic. It's a pretty decent saw, but on mine the blade will just not quite cut all the way through the work piece w/o me having to put a spacer under the material to lift it up an 1/8th of an inch or so. I don't know if this is a flaw in all of them or just my particular saw.
I've gotten my $700 bucks worth out of it though.

RedRocker,
You may want to visually inspect your saw to look for interference. Typical places is where the roller guides near the motor are hitting the bed frame? Same with the movable roller guides. It might be your stationary or movable clamping jaw? Since these are castings, they might be rough and some areas interfere. Also check your hydraulic cylinder to be sure it is not bottoming out when the saw goes down. Another place is the shut off switch. It can also be adjusted to a lower position.

I would check each place and adjust/repair as needed. Then try after each adjustment one at a time until you find the culprit. I'd be interested to see what you find.

 

[RedRocker]

Thanks Rob, it's one of those deals that was easier to deal with than try to fix. One of these days I'll tear in to it and see if I can fix the problem.

 

[slaveToHorses]

dollars to donuts it's the cut off switch adjustment, like Rob suggested. You'll kick yourself when you see how easy it is to adjust

 

[KB4330]

I have a couple of bandsaws, a small Jet and an Ellis 1600. The Ellis is simply awesome and there are no coolant issues to deal with. I also get great blade life with the Lenox blades I use.