17-21" Bandsaw options in New Zealand

[ash]

I got the Hafco 335 from Machinery Warehouse in Auckland earlier this year. I can't say I'm overly thrilled with it as it doesn't rip tops as well as I had hoped and I think the blade guides are too far from the table surface, so I modified mine with an extra guide after a short time.

I leave it set up for ripping and kept my mini-bandsaw for curved cuts.

Blade choice is critical and I still haven't found the ideal blade for 8" rips. Making do with a Thode 3/4" one for now.

[Kim]

Ash, I do not know from personal experience but I believe that if your ripping tops, as in spruce, you want to be using a very aggressive blade in order to clear the swaft ..1.5tpi should do it.

Cheers

Kim

[ash]

I mostly make solid electrics, so my tops usually aren't spruce, but you're right. I've ripped kahikatea, which is very sprucey and it took three times as long as hard maple with a 3TPI blade.