On Friday, March 5, 2021 at 12:01:06 PM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
On 3/5/2021 10:31 AM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
In a previous thread, I posted about the mess that results when you
cut vinyl flooring/trim/etc. with power tools.

Over the past 2 evenings I made that mess while cutting some flooring
for a basement bathroom. In an effort to control the mess I hung drop
cloths behind the miter saw to hopefully catch what the dust collection
chute didn't. Tip: Hang those drop cloths all the way to the ceiling. I didn't
and I had to vacuum the walls as high up as 8'.

It took quite a while to clean the rest of the shop of all the tiny, staticky
chards. You have to vacuum very slowly or the shards don't even let go
of the surface. After I vacuumed up the majority, I used my air hose to
blow out the crevices of my miter saw, resulting in the need to vacuum
again. What a PITA.

The scariest part was when I thought I had destroyed my band saw. I
had some odd shaped, round-ish, obstructions that I had to work around.
The band saw was the easiest way to make those cuts.

Example: The cleanout with rough concrete behind it.

https://i.imgur.com/NxmvGUv.jpg

After cutting about 4" of the first curve, the band saw started sounding
funny and then started banging - bang, bang, bang. I thought I had blown
a bearing or maybe even the motor. I pulled off the front cover and tried
to turn the wheels by hand. They were hard to turn and then stopped
completely. What had happened was the blade was melting the vinyl and
it was building up on the blade. When a chunk got big enough, it would hit
the blade guides and bang its way through.

Turning the wheels back and forth numerous times was enough to
clear the chunk so that I could continue. Close up the saw, cut some
more, bang, bang, bang, open, clean, close, continue. I eventually made
it through all of the cuts but now I have to see if I can clean the blade
and the urethane tires. I may just end up replacing them.

I'll admit that when I thought the saw itself was broken I had mixed
feelings. It's a 35 YO Craftsman, sized right for my small shop and
easy to roll out if I need more room. On the other hand, it's a 35 YO
Craftsman and just about anything would be an upgrade.

Whew! I probably had the same bandsaw. The one with a plastic front cover?

Yep...Technically a benchtop model that came with a leg set. I remember taking
the sale ad into Sears and the guy bringing out the saw from the back room.

"Umm... where's the leg set?"
"What leg set?"
"See, right here in the ad: It says *with leg set."
"I don't think we've ever carried a model that came with a leg set. That's
usually sold separately."

He let me take the saw home and ordered a leg set as a separate item, no
charge to me.

I'm not sure what type of bench you would bolt a 3' x 2' bandsaw to or how
you would use it in a permanent, bolted down manner. I've often needed to
move mine around to have room on the outfeed side for longer cuts.

When SWMBO and I bought our house right after getting married, her Dad,
now passed away, gave me the money to buy it, so it's got some sentimental
value. It was my first big power tool. I remember taking it out into my backyard
to rip boards when I was building the deck.

35 years and still going strong - both the bandsaw and our relationship. :-)


I eventually upgraded to the Laguna with an 18" Rikon in between for a
few weeks. The Rikon was no better than the Craftsman, for what I was
wanting.

Maybe a wider kerf blade and or fewer teeth to prevent the melting.

It was one of those situations where I just wanted to make a few cuts, not
spend time swapping blades, adjusting guides, etc. Besides, once I realized
that it was gunking up the blade, I didn't want to gunk up another one. All my
other blades are brand new, still all coiled up with the tags on them. They
last longer that way. ;-)