Well, it's new to me

fred hargis

Member
Messages
1,245
Location
Wapakoneta, OH
I've been wanting to upgrade my bandsaw for a while, and had let a couple of good buys get past me for one reason or another. I had pretty well resigned myself to buying a new one when i came across another used deal I thought was good. Picked it up last Friday (no easy feat since it was 200 miles away, given the weather and highway problems I ran into). Anyway, it's in the shop now and I'm really happy with it at this point. It's a Mini Max MM16 with some extra's and i got it for about 1/2 what a new one would have cost. This one is a 2005 model, but well cared for and ready to go.
MM161_zps1dem3ums.jpg
 
Minimax? I would say that it has a pretty good size. I 'm sure it will give you plenty of satisfaction and great projects will come out from it.
 
Note that the blade tension gauge is for blades 0.019 inches thick. Most of my blades are 0.035 inches thick. Therefore set the blade tension to twice as much as indicated.

Invest in a Lenox Woodmaster CT carbide blade - it will cost just over $100. Put about 35,000 psi tension on that blade, and be amazed at what the MM16 can do. (I love my 2005 MM24). See my web page on setting up the saw www.solowoodworker.com/tools/resaw.html
 
Thanks, Charlie. It actually came with a new (still wearing the teeth cover) Lenox Trimaster CT blade, 1" wide. So I'll try that out and see how well it does. I did check your web page and found that useful, thanks much.
 
That TriMaster is worth well over $200 - about twice as much as the Woodmaster CT blades. I suggest getting used to the machine before trying the TriMaster - I would hate to have a beginner's accident damage the blade, as I did. (I have a triMaster with one bent tooth, but I cannot find which tooth, so I can't fix it. The blade on my saw revolves about 5 times per second, so in a 3 second cut I get about 15 deep scratches.)
 
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