Edgar Westbury powered hacksaw castings.

Try Hemingway, in discussion with them yesterday regarding castings for a Dore Westbury Mill, they indicated they do have the patterns for the Mk1 Dore Westbury and the Westbury Hacksaw but casting production cost and the call for the kits is limited, so sorry not in the Hemingway product range. >>

I've seen a few of the DIY bandsaws, and they are pretty impressive. We have an old bandsaw that I rebuilt at work. The only real problem with it is that it's a right pain to use to cut lengths off long stock, and won't do it at all with anything larger than its throat capacity - which is when we have to revert to the powered hacksaw. Now, I fully appreciate that for the average model builder that won't be a problem, and the versatility thing is certainly a major consideration, but I still like things that reciprocate...

For stock chomping give me a decent power hacksaw any day over a small, import, bandsaw.  A Manchester Rapidor does the donkey work for me but I do have a fair bit of space.  Was always impressed by the little Kennedy in the lab at work.  The crafty use of hexagonal material for blade carrier and guides gave impressive stability for a simple design.  I'm surprised that none of the home build designs have stolen the idea, or the equally simple Rapidor square bar system, as the plain rectangular plate slide-bar is a right pain to get shake free and free moving as well as being very intolerant of small machining errors.

Worst thing about the small horizontal / vertical imports is getting a decent blade.  Some right rubbish about and even some allegedly name brand blades can be very fragile.  The small wheels seriously don't help, 10" or even 12" diameter would be so much better, but then the whole thing starts getting large.  Had a right shock when trying a new commercial supplier for a 64 1/2 by 1/2 blade and being advised to get a 5 to 8 tpi varipitch at £38 + tax'n carriage as the one'n only blade.  Hard to believe that something this sophisticated is made for the baby saw or that its appropriate.  Using in vertical mode on thinner stuff might be "interesting".  Does the team think I should try?

Picked up a three wheel saw "cheap" which had clearly had the improvised repair gang at it.  Wheels were right size but plastic with treaded rubber tyres!  An experimental buzz suggested they might actually work but the "improved" blade guides were hard on the nerves.  Maybe the El'fins do have a point.  Axminster do some nice roller bearing guide upgrade kits, two will be going on this when I figure out how.  The annoying won't quite fit problem so no space for modified mounts.

Clive.