Not another project!

[Pete O]

Went to this clearing sale to get a bunch of milling cutters, passed up several large items that went for ridiculously low bids, due to the fact that I did not have the trailer with me and I didn't want to have to make a second trip to collect stuff. Near the end of the day my willpower must have been ebbing, no-one seemed interested in this old bandsaw so I resigned myself to a second trip. Brought it home today along with a drayload of mill cutters, lathe tools and sundries.
   
   
Haven't spotted any maker's name on it yet, I think Noah might have used it for the metal bits on the Ark. No doubt it would be operable as is with a new blade (of which there is the remains of a roll that came with it) but will give this a freshen up and rewire before using. Have never owned a bandsaw so am looking forward to getting familiar with it and being able to cut metal without showering myself in hot sparks and burning my hands.

[Mayhem]

(10-30-2015, 08:12 AM)Pete O Wrote: ...looking forward to getting familiar with it and being able to cut metal without showering myself in hot sparks and burning my hands.

You boys on the East coast need to toughen up a little

Nice looking bandsaw. Along with the yet to be seen rotary table and the couple of milling cutters you picked up, it appears that you had a good day.

[Roadracer_Al]

That's a handsome old beast!

Does it go vertical for profiling work?

[Pete O]

Certainly was a good day Darren, might have been even better if I had decided earlier on a second trip with the trailer. I was sorely tempted by, amongst other things, a Bridgeport mill with slotting attachment that went for $1450 and a big single-phase heat-treating cabinet that fetched $100. I do have a marriage to think about though.

Al, I haven't had a chance yet to determine whether the saw can be used vertically, there's no table but I don't know whether there has been one in the past or whether I might be able to retrofit something. Can't see why the latter would not be possible. The seller had a big Do-all bandsaw that I suspect covered his profiling needs more than adequately.

[Vinny]

All of the Vert/Horiz bandsaws I've seen (albeit not many), the table isn't normally attached. It's something that you put aside until you need it and, of course, can't find it. Mine is a good example of that.

[wawoodman]

I like that D-bracket on the saw. It's like a combination stiffener and handle!

[Pete O]

Have had a bit of a look over the saw and there is a badge that possibly once had the maker's name in enamel that is long gone. The motor still has the nameplate intact- it was made in Australia by 'Australian General Electric' but not in the past few months I suspect...

   

Not sure if this qualifies as 'totally enclosed'

   

The switch has been bypassed and the motor has been plugged directly into the power outlet and switched from there. What could possibly go wrong with that?
   

Anyway lots of work to do on it obviously. Unfortunately it does not reach the vertical when raised, although I don't think that it would be too difficult to modify the bracket so it goes vertical, and to add a table. this is as high as it goes


   

the only real disappointment is that there was a part roll of blade with it, but is turns out to be the fag-end of a roll with not enough left to make one complete blade. Might be a while before I'm ready for a blade anyway.

[Pete O]

Got some time to do a bit of 'research' today and the saw is a Wells model 8. Made in USA, apparently a very good quality machine so I'm well pleased with that.