Charnwood or Record Power bandsaw

[opps]

Hi all

I am looking to buy a relatively cheap bench mount bandsaw.

My current shortlist is:

Charnwood BS410

Record Power BS250

As someone with very little experience of bandsaws-

The Record has a longer warranty and the fence can support less tall stock. Customer feedback says that the shipping packaging is inadequate and the saws often arrived damaged.

The Charnwood has a belt tension guide which might be useful for a novice, depth of cut is 20mm less but the motor is bigger. I can't find many reviews though. Oh, and the user manual looks easier to follow (TBF, RP do provide DVDs as well).

The primary intended use will be for trimming timber for splicing sash window repairs on site. I will be way under Charnwood's 100 hours usage per year warranty.

My primary reason for selecting these two models is that they are the only ones I could find sub £300 that have two side facing bearings and a rear thrust bearing. Additionally, I can find them both in stock (there seem to be supply shortages in the industry). The RRPs are the same but I have found the Charnwood on special for £240.

Advice/recommendations will be gratefully received.

 

[Diver Fred]

I have the forerunner to the Charnwood saw - the WS710. Unimpressed. Think before I received it the box or container had been dropped; have seen several reports of the same machine with similar problems to mine. Nothing on the machine is 'square' without lots of 'Fettling' - spend almost as much time fettling the machine as actually doing anything productive. Drive pulley 'Key' on motor shaft needs to be relocated about every hour of use (and yes, the retaining screw is tightened every time!). I say it is underpowered as it not capable of cutting anywhere near the quoted depth cut even with a 3TPI blade.
Fence is a lightweight aluminium extrusion that can easily be knocked out of square to table and blade.

If you are going to buy one either go to your local tool shop or make the trip to the 'factory' and buy direct to get them to unpack, set it up in front of you and make test cuts. I didn't unfortunately and am now paying for that mistake!

Have you seen this :-
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Axminste...069296?hash=item3fedf31070:g:XUkAAOSwVH1fr-GK

I'd say all bandsaws around this price point come out of the same factory in China.


I have an old Black & Decker 'hobby' 12" bandsaw. 3 wheels, only 1/4 blade yet the blade is square to the table, and the only maintenance I have to do is clean the dust out on occasion. The Charnwood machine was supposed to have replaced it but is hasn't!

 

[opps]

Thanks wgt52.

I am probably going to opt for the Record. By all accounts the fence isn't that good but the guy in the following video swapped it out for the Axminster fence. With a better quality blade, and some tweaking he manages to rip cut 4" oak.

Thanks for the ebay Axminster link. I'd prefer to have something with a greater depth of cut, just in case. The Record is 120mm, which seems to translate to an achievable 100mm.

I have placed a bid for a Record on ebay (16 miles away) which means I don't need to worry about sloppy packaging. If I don't win the auction I will have to wait at least 6 weeks, everyone is out of stock at the moment.