Author Topic: INCA Bandsaw  (Read 9604 times)

Offline Allen Smithee

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INCA Bandsaw
« on: April 28, 2015, 05:53:53 PM »
I've just been given (which is by far my prefered price) a bandsaw.

According to its data plate it's an "INCA Euro 205" 1998 model, 250watt and 1500rpm.

According to Mr Google (seems to be a clever bloke, if a bit of a know-all) it takes 59" blades in 1/4, 3/8 or 1/2" widths, can cut through 5" blocks of dense hardwoods and was reasonably well-regarded in its day.

Is there any possibility that this might be persuaded to cut (say) 10-20mm aluminium?

It needs some TLC - the table is slightly twisted and possibly has some bracing parts missing (easily made), and the blade guides look just about worn out. I think these blade guides were steel, but I gather lignum ones are recommended (is this true? if so where to I get either ready-made guides or lignum that I can machine to size?). It could probably do with new tyres on the wheels as well. And above all it could do with several cubic yards of sawdust removing from its internal crevises. All of this I expect I can sort out.

What I don't have is a manual to advise the recommended set-up procedures. I can see adjustments for blade tension and blade tracking, but there seem to be other adjustable features and I'm not sure what they do, and I don't know what tension it should run at (or how to measure it). INCA seem to have gone to the great tool manufacturing estate in the sky - does anyone know where I might get hold of a manual?

Also I see that (for example) NLS Tools offer blades from Starret, Morse and Dakin from 4 to 24tpi (in six steps), so what sort of blades go with cutting what material?

All guidence appreciated!

AS
« Last Edit: April 28, 2015, 05:57:41 PM by Allen Smithee »
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Offline Jonfb64

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Re: INCA Bandsaw
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2015, 07:35:43 PM »
Hi Allen,

I've  been using my Delta wood cutting bandsaw for cutting aluminium for the past couple of years without problems. I have a 6 tpi  blade fitted and have cut 50 mm aluminium without difficulty. It only has one speed which is probably too fast for metals other than aluminium. Use the low speed on your inca  which if I remember from my wood turning days was possibly 2 speed.

Jon

Offline Allen Smithee

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Re: INCA Bandsaw
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2015, 08:24:33 PM »
Thanks for that. As far as I can see it only has the one speed (unless the speed control is hidden somewhere!). The blade it has at the moment looks like a typical junior hacksaw blade - 1/4" wide and I'd guess at somewhere between 15 and 20 tpi, so is that better or worse for metal cutting?

I've just plugged it in and tried it. It went through some 15mm pine like a knife through butter, and did a curving cut in a piece of 2x4 pine like a knife through chedder, both with a fine surface finish, so it's definitely worth sorting out!

  :ThumbsUp:

AS
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Offline Steamer5

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Re: INCA Bandsaw
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2015, 10:42:51 PM »
Hi Alan,
 Checkout the 4x6 bandsaw group on Yahoo. You will probably have to join to get at the download section, no problem there just takes a while to get the confirm. There is a bunch of very helpful, knowledgeable guys ther, just like here! I'm sure that somebody will be able to help.

Cheers Kerrin
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Offline ths

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Re: INCA Bandsaw
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2015, 08:48:54 AM »
Lignum vitae was, maybe still is, used to make lawn bowls. Perhaps a second hand shop might have one (some)? Hugh.

Offline Allen Smithee

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Re: INCA Bandsaw
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2015, 10:05:47 AM »
Well I tried it on some 4mm dural plate this morning, and with the existing blade it cuts through it like a knife through candlewax (slow but steady with no bogging or complaint). I have some 1/2" aluminium plate that I'll try it on this evening, together with some 10swg mild steel. I'm really impressed with how smooth and quiet this machine is - it's definitely worth every penny I paid for it!

Thanks for the tip THS, but it turns out one of my aeromodelling friends has a small business building/refurbing wooden boats and he has stocks of lignum. But having had a better look at the blade guide area I'm also going to look harder at replacing the guide blocks with ballrace guides, which I feel would be a better overall solution.

AS
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Offline Allen Smithee

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Re: INCA Bandsaw
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2015, 03:50:29 PM »
Meanwhile this is the beastie:



The table needs some additional bracing to replace some missing parts to make it properly flat, and I need to make up a fence for it at some stage. But despite being only 250watt it went through this lump of 4x2 at about 2"/sec without bogging, and the surface finish is pretty good:



I've also found it cuts 4mm dural plate at about 1/2"/sec, so I'm pretty happy with it...

AS
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Offline mike mott

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Re: INCA Bandsaw
« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2015, 10:08:11 PM »
Quote
I have some 1/2" aluminium plate that I'll try it on this evening, together with some 10swg mild steel.

Allen the Aluminium sounds fine but I would be careful with the steel unless the saw is variable speed and you have a metal-cutting blade (looks a bit like a junior or hacksaw configuration) on such a lightweight saw. non ferrous and wood blades are different animals than metal blades.

mike
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Offline Allen Smithee

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Re: INCA Bandsaw
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2015, 11:35:07 PM »
Yes, that's rather what I'd thought. I've found a supplier who can make me bimetal blades for an only slightly extortionate price, so I think I might get a couple of ordinary carbon-steel "wood" blades in 10-24tpi sizes (most of my wood cutting will be birch ply between 1/8" and 3/8", so I can't go too low on the tooth-count) and one bimetal blade in (say) 10tpi for cutting steel and thicker alloy plate. The motor speed is fixed, and this is another application where I wonder if replacing the AC motor with a brushless DC motor (on which speed control is simple) might be worth trying.

AS
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Offline mike mott

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Re: INCA Bandsaw
« Reply #9 on: April 29, 2015, 11:54:44 PM »
Allen the speed of the blade for cutting steel is much slower than for wood. check this video to see what I mean

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MqICD_6u0Q" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MqICD_6u0Q</a>

I used use one of these and you cannot cut steel with a wood cutting blade.

Mike
If you can imagine it you can build it

Offline Allen Smithee

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Re: INCA Bandsaw
« Reply #10 on: April 30, 2015, 05:49:17 PM »
I've been looking at this and thinking. I don't understand why the blade bears on the side of the ballrace thrust bearings rather than on the outside of the races as would seem more logical, although I realise that many bandsaws are done this way but it just doesn't seem right.

So I'll be looking to make an alternative mount with a "properly" oriented thrust race. If I'm going to do that it then seems silly not to look at the main blade guides as well. I'm thinking that new upper and lower mounts with ballrace blade guides isn't exactly a complex piece of metalwork - with the main guide races being mounted on eccentric bushes to make the clearences adjustable.

Does anyone have any views on the relative merits of hardwood/steel/ceramic guides vs ballrace ones?

AS
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Offline Dave Otto

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Re: INCA Bandsaw
« Reply #11 on: April 30, 2015, 07:33:15 PM »
I've been looking at this and thinking. I don't understand why the blade bears on the side of the ballrace thrust bearings rather than on the outside of the races as would seem more logical, although I realise that many bandsaws are done this way but it just doesn't seem right.

So I'll be looking to make an alternative mount with a "properly" oriented thrust race. If I'm going to do that it then seems silly not to look at the main blade guides as well. I'm thinking that new upper and lower mounts with ballrace blade guides isn't exactly a complex piece of metalwork - with the main guide races being mounted on eccentric bushes to make the clearences adjustable.

Does anyone have any views on the relative merits of hardwood/steel/ceramic guides vs ballrace ones?

AS


The only reason I can think of it there is more surface area to support back of the blade

Dave

Offline mike mott

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Re: INCA Bandsaw
« Reply #12 on: April 30, 2015, 08:47:17 PM »
Allen your comments about the ball races reminded me that when I moved up from the 14 inch Rockwell to the 20 inch saw which I picked up for a good price it also needed to have the guides sorted, they were missing. I opted for a three race system with the races on the sides of the blade with eccentrics for adjustment and one at the rear for supporting the back of the blade. as you say it is mot a complicated bit of metalwork, this is how I did mine.

Mike   
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Offline Will_D

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Re: INCA Bandsaw
« Reply #13 on: May 02, 2015, 10:36:39 AM »
If you want blades making I can highly recomend Jordan's:

http://www.jordan-saws.co.uk/

I got some bi-metal ones for my 6x4 for cutting 50 mm square stainless and boy do they work well.

Offline Allen Smithee

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Re: INCA Bandsaw
« Reply #14 on: May 02, 2015, 01:16:28 PM »
Mike - yes, that's more or less the sort of thing I have in mind. My approach will differ inly in detail because I don't want to modify the bandsaw itself so I want to use all the original mounts. I'm using its design as an exercise to relearn Solidworks, which I haven't touched for many years and have completely forgotten how to use! So whilst this could easily be done with a fag-packet sketch and then making it up as I go along I'll probably do a full 3d design process before I start.

AS
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