Bandsaw 352

[alex naish]

I am a technician in a school and am using the bandsaw mentioned above and have a few questions. The first is how to adjust things so that the bandsaw stops running when one or either door is opened. I have a manual but they are not always detailed enough. The second question is about adjusting the belt tension. I have one lever at the back of the saw which operates on a cam system which lifts and lowers the motor. When the machine is turned off and I put my hand under the motor I can push it from side to side surely it should be more firmly in place or maybe it's not? We had a company come round recently and they made adjustments to various pieces of equipment including the bandsaw.
alex.

 

[Silentrunning]

Welcome to the forum Alex. I am not familiar with that brand of saw at all but I do know that some of these saws use the weight of the motor as the tension adjustment. This is really an efficient and safe way to keep the blade adjusted on these machines. As for a safety switch on the doors, it would simply be a matter of os installing momentary switches in series with the power supply.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Welcome to the forum from me too Alex.

First because school and bandsaw are mentioned are you aware of the safety rules/regulations involved?

https://www.machinesafety.co.uk/news/safeguarding-machinery-in-schools-and-colleges/

With that out of the way back to your question; I fully agree with Doug regarding the weight of the motor being often used for tensioning the drive belt; am I correct you're located in the UK given the bandsaw is a 352 and is it a Startrite? If it is a Startrite then it's a nice bandsaw. I used to own a Startrite Volant 24" ten speed with band cutter and welder onboard.

My Startrite had it's motor on an hinged base with a strong spring to prevent the motor suddenly jumping upwards so yes the motor did feel loose but of course the motor mounting plate still requires to be securely attached to the saw body easily checked by checking the securing points.

If the saw is an old model then it could well fail modern safety standards as to motor braking and guarding also any electrical work is covered by strict regulations requiring being carried out be a competent person? Sorry if I sound negative but a lost finger could prove costly indeed.

Kind regards, Colin.

My Startrite Volant 24" nearing full restoration.

This Startrite is a big industrial bandsaw on 3 phase 415V and I was running it through my own huge transformer powering it on 415V but from our domestic 240V supply; these are the capacitors used to phase balance the motor to the transformer; the transformer wasn't a static converter it was a purpose built transformer wound by me and it behaved just as if 3 phase 415V supply was laid into the workshop. Much too complicated and dangerous to fully discuss here; I've since sold my big 3 phase machinery and the transformer is now with an electrical engineer so I know its in safe hands.

 

[alex naish]

Welcome to the forum Alex. I am not familiar with that brand of saw at all but I do know that some of these saws use the weight of the motor as the tension adjustment. This is really an efficient and safe way to keep the blade adjusted on these machines. As for a safety switch on the doors, it would simply be a matter of os installing momentary switches in series with the power supply.

Hi Silentrunning,

Thank you for your comments that's reassuring.
Alex.

 

[alex naish]

Hi,

Welcome to the forum from me too Alex.

First because school and bandsaw are mentioned are you aware of the safety rules/regulations involved?

https://www.machinesafety.co.uk/news/safeguarding-machinery-in-schools-and-colleges/

With that out of the way back to your question; I fully agree with Doug regarding the weight of the motor being often used for tensioning the drive belt; am I correct you're located in the UK given the bandsaw is a 352 and is it a Startrite? If it is a Startrite then it's a nice bandsaw. I used to own a Startrite Volant 24" ten speed with band cutter and welder onboard.

My Startrite had it's motor on an hinged base with a strong spring to prevent the motor suddenly jumping upwards so yes the motor did feel loose but of course the motor mounting plate still requires to be securely attached to the saw body easily checked by checking the securing points.

If the saw is an old model then it could well fail modern safety standards as to motor braking and guarding also any electrical work is covered by strict regulations requiring being carried out be a competent person? Sorry if I sound negative but a lost finger could prove costly indeed.

Kind regards, Colin.

View attachment 1816

My Startrite Volant 24" nearing full restoration.

View attachment 1817

This Startrite is a big industrial bandsaw on 3 phase 415V and I was running it through my own huge transformer powering it on 415V but from our domestic 240V supply; these are the capacitors used to phase balance the motor to the transformer; the transformer wasn't a static converter it was a purpose built transformer wound by me and it behaved just as if 3 phase 415V supply was laid into the workshop. Much too complicated and dangerous to fully discuss here; I've since sold my big 3 phase machinery and the transformer is now with an electrical engineer so I know its in safe hands.

Hi Colin,

Thanks for your comments yes I am located at a school in Essex and the bandsaw is a Startrite 352. The motor has to lift up using the lever at the back of the machine so you can loosen the belt and take it off if necessary. There is slot in a metal plate behind the motor which makes the motor slide up and down so I suppose it must be able to do that.
My regards
Alex.