Truecraft Bandsaw

[ScottL]

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I have the opportunity to buy a truecraft bandsaw shown below. The problem is the seller (a friend) doesn't know what it's worth and I don't know what I should offer! It's 7x12" in reasonable condition, it does need coolant pump and new blade however. Has anyone any experience of this brand and care to hazard a guess as to its worth. There's very little information on net about the brand

 

[carbon]

Truecraft used to be sold by spaldings. They have a similar machine on there website Bandsaw

My father bought the 4 x 6 bandsaw from them possibly 35 years ago has been pretty reliable

 

[Wozzaaah]

It looks identical to every other 7x12 Chinese bandsaw so the brand isn't really a deciding factor, just see what other brands such as Clarke are selling for and go from there.

 

[ScottL]

Looks better built than a Clarke to be fair. Might offer £300 and see how that goes down

 

[MattH]

Looks better built than a Clarke to be fair. Might offer £300 and see how that goes down

I've got a SIP which is identical and a Clarke which is more of less identical (couple of cosmetic differences).

But i'd say you are on the money.

 

[Wozzaaah]

Looks near as dammit identical to my Clarke too.

 

[scott0031]

You are in the right kind of area with your offer of £300 they retail new for around a grand now pending supplier. As mentioned these saws are generic chinese and all very similar. Although there are some very minor subtle differences between the different badges they are sold under...... and there are many badges. Don't look at blades as part of the the saw they are consumables and you will need various blades depending on what you are cutting. I have one of these I'm also looking to out when i get round to it as i have replaced it with a new one and I would be looking in that 300 region. Being as you have no pump you will have to spend to get a reasonable one. But as always I'm sure there will be a home made cheap alternative.

Check it is mechanically sound. One thing that can be a weakness on these is drive box. So run it up and make sure all sounds well and also check there is not masses of play by giving the driving band wheel a turn by hand and feeling the backlash . The other thing is the bow pivot, these were awful on the earlier machines and and came out of the factory with play in them. They are an area that really need to be looked at and proper bushes made, after that it improves them no end. The other down side is the guide system it works, but not good, they also could do with a rebuild and redesign to solid guides. lots more i could write on these but thats all i have time for for now. The bottom line is they work and have a good life expectancy from new pending use and abuse. Considering the cost new or second hand you cant complain but they are what they are Chinese cheapos and that's pretty much what you get.

 

[ScottL]

Thanks for all the information guy's. It's seems with a little care and tweeking I'll have a reasonable machine for a reasonable price.
As an aside, it will mainly 20mm box section I will be cutting. In practice what quantity of these could I expect to 'stack' at once? I have never used one before.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

The issue you have to watch out for when cutting multiple pieces is its fine when you lay them flat on the bed and clamp in the vice but when you stack vertically or try and cut a bundle the pieces in the middle tend to move out of alignment with the vibration from the saw so you end up with pieces of varying lengths.
I have cut bundles before by tacking all the ends together with the welder before cutting.

 

[scott0031]

Technically you can clamp as many as the vice/saw has volume for. I see no reason why you could not do a 3 x 3 or 4 x 4 stack bare minimum If you google or youtube ' bundle clamping, that is the technical term you are looking for and you will see how it's done on industrial saws.

It's pretty easy to do a bundle clamp on box all you need is a pair of g clamps and 4 bits of reasonable thickness plate. Clamp on the back end of the stock. Plate top and bottom of the bundle clamp over the plates. Then another across the bundle now they can't move. Feed to length and move the clamps down the bundle as you go. Simples

 

[Kent]

It's a bit much for chopping 20 mm box if you ask me as you can do that rapid with a simple cut off saw.

 

[Richard.]

It's not a bit much at all for 20mm box. Stick a strap round em and fill the vice have a cuppa while its dropping them in the basket.
Sparks, chips, noise, effort, goggles, ear plugs, huh!!! No thanks. Steady away cuppa tea biscuits, pick em up when they are done.
Reg the suds pump this can be a really cheap thing to sort.
Mine is a £7 eBay pond pump. Designed for pumping alsorts of scummy water. It's been excellent.

 

[Kent]

It's not a bit much at all for 20mm box. Stick a strap round em and fill the vice have a cuppa while its dropping them in the basket.
Sparks, chips, noise, effort, goggles, ear plugs, huh!!! No thanks. Steady away cuppa tea biscuits, pick em up when they are done.
Reg the suds pump this can be a really cheap thing to sort.
Mine is a £7 eBay pond pump. Designed for pumping alsorts of scummy water. It's been excellent.

Blooming big lump of a machine to get in the way was my point about bit much
Stacking has never worked for me You tend to get slipping and random mm or two tooling or too short in a stack
Bandsaw is very good for larger sections like 80 mm shs with thicker walls and 25 mm up lumps of solid though

 

[Richard.]

Bandsaw for everything for me. I stack a lot in mine as I've always got loads of decent length off cuts which are ideal when I need 4 off or 6 off etc.
Slipping can be a problem if you stack vertical but there are ways and means around it. I tend to keep them horizontal where I can. I have an old knurled vice jaw I can put in the saw vice if little marks on the metal doesn't matter. They will never slip like that. Abrasive or noisey saws don't appeal to me at all

 

[Richard.]

Mines 6x4. She still holds 10 off 30x30 lumps of box.