My New Bandsaw

[darkzero]

I've had my eye on a bigger bandsaw for a while now. My lathe & mill are due for an oil change so I went to my local MSC today to pick up some more oil & order some fittings that I needed. For the heck of it I asked about the 7x12 bandsaw on the showroom floor as it's the exact model I wanted. Well my sales guy was out on medical leave but they gave me a great deal on it & had one new in the box on a skid sitting in back so I told them to load her up! I got this for $850.

There's the RF-712N style & RF-712G style which is a gearhead. I've had my eye on the RF-712N style non gearhead version as it's cheaper & has 4 speeds. The gearhead only has 3 speeds & doesn't go as slow as the belt drive version. It's not hard to change the speed with a belt & I'm used to it anyways.

My first question, I plan to use the coolant system on it but I have no idea what type of coolant to use. I hear about rust & bacteria. Can anyone recommend a sufficient coolant that I won't have to worry about?


It's still sitting in the back of my truck as I don't have a way of getting it off right now. Totally unexpected but I'll have some guys come over to help later. Of course I had to take a peak though.

 

[turbodog]

You obviously need a chain hoist in the garage ceiling.

 

[wquiles]

Congrats Will - looks like it will be a great addition to your shop

As to a water-based coolant, I use only distilled water, and this (TRIM MicroSol 585XT):

 

[darkzero]

Thanks Will, is that stuff fairly maintenance free?

 

[precisionworks]

Can anyone recommend a sufficient coolant that I won't have to worry about? ... is that stuff fairly maintenance free?

Band saw lube is much like the oil in your car's engine, doesn't require a great deal of thought but you do have to maintain it. Will has the tech details & monitors concentration the correct way (refractometer) & other users judge correct mix by sight, smell & taste. (Just kidding about the taste).

Nice saw, it will cut millions of feet as long as the blade is kept wet & you keep the machine in tune (again think car).

 

[darkzero]

Nice saw

Thanks Barry.


Well it wasn't too heavy, 4 of us lifted it off my truck with ease & up the driveway, in less time for us to finish our first beers. Here it is next to my Enco 4x6. I'm going to miss that little guy after it has been sold.

It's got some pretty nice features that I didn't know about so I'm very happy with it. Off to MSC again to get 5-8 & 8-12 blades.

 

[BVH]

Congrats Will! Long may she cut!

 

[darkzero]

Congrats Will! Long may she cut!

Thanks Bob!

 

[StrikerDown]

Will,

Very cool, Great addition to your shop, Congrats!

 

[wquiles]

Thanks Will, is that stuff fairly maintenance free?

I still bought the refractometer to keep the concentration at around 10%, but on the saw there is a "lot" less contamination than on the lathe, so yes, it is nearly maintenance free in the saw

 

[darkzero]

Will,

Very cool, Great addition to your shop, Congrats!

Thanks Ray!

I still bought the refractometer to keep the concentration at around 10%, but on the saw there is a "lot" less contamination than on the lathe, so yes, it is nearly maintenance free in the saw

Thanks Will, I'll give the coolant a try later on.

 

[Bruceter]

Band saw lube is much like the oil in your car's engine, doesn't require a great deal of thought but you do have to maintain it. Will has the tech details & monitors concentration the correct way (refractometer) & other users judge correct mix by sight, smell & taste. (Just kidding about the taste).

Nice saw, it will cut millions of feet as long as the blade is kept wet & you keep the machine in tune (again think car).

I have heard of one "down and dirty" way of checking the concentration of coolant. Dip your finger in the coolant, if you can snap your fingers, the concentration is to low.

Bruceter

 

[gt40]

Congrats, I am sure that is one tool that will get its share of use. I have a plasma cutter, chop saw and a 24" Agazzani bandsaw but for cutting metal, horizontal bandsaws are the way to go.

 

[darkzero]

Congrats, I am sure that is one tool that will get its share of use. I have a plasma cutter, chop saw and a 24" Agazzani bandsaw but for cutting metal, horizontal bandsaws are the way to go.

Thanks Mark, it sure will. I was cutting some 2.5" Al rounds yesterday, it cut like butter, so much faster & easier than my old bandsaw, using the stock blade still. I can already tell I will be loving it & can't wait to throw more stuff at it.

Thanks again for your old PM45 base that you gave me. You can see a glimpse of it in the back, I turned it into a rolling bench cart & use it as an aid for the mill.

 

[gt40]

Thanks! I am glad it was of some use. Let me know the next time you are on the west side.

 

[darkzero]

Thanks! I am glad it was of some use. Let me know the next time you are on the west side.

Most definitely!

 

[darkzero]

Sold the Enco 4x6 for $200 last week, not bad considering I got it for only $100 almost 4 yrs ago.

So I picked up a Lenox variable tooth blade for the 7x12. Well I'm not too happy with it, maybe I just need to play around with it some more.

I'm so happy with the capacity of it, the quick release dynamic jaw is great too, just loosen off the part & it automatically releases off the leadscrew & you can just slide out, same when clamping, slide it in then tighten the handwheel.


My friend's son needed his valve cover cut to access the cam gears to get dyno tuned. It cut it nice & square & I didn't even need to clean up the cut.

 

[gt40]

I just got a new 1002 ct triple chip carbide and it is easily the best blade on aluminum thick stock I have ever used. Beautifully smooth finish even cut dry without much heat. I have had lenox carbide blades and this just cuts better, faster and cooler. The price was really good too at $150 for a 185" x 1.25".

No affiliation but really nice blades and the price made them even nicer.

https://www.sawblade.com/order-ct-1002-haltbar-triple-chip-carbide.cfm

Watch the video cutting 316 stainless on the site. Good blade is money well spent.

 

[Atlascycle]

Look out when ordering from Sawblade dot com. They will call and call to try to get you to place more orders.

I was able to get an odd size blade made for a small swivel head saw that my dad has, and also some blades for the old powermatic
vertical that we have at work from them.


Jason

 

[gt40]

Look out when ordering from Sawblade dot com. They will call and call to try to get you to place more orders.

I was able to get an odd size blade made for a small swivel head saw that my dad has, and also some blades for the old powermatic
vertical that we have at work from them.


Jason

How were the blades? I only have experience with this tri chip carbide.