Femi Bandsaw

[dobbslc]

It's not essential but I have to admit I like watching mine saw through something then turn itself off. It's one of the most engaging and relaxing tools I have!

 

[Hood]

Do the auto ones not also have variable down feed where the manual ones need hauled/held up as you cut?

 

[KimB]

Do the auto ones not also have variable down feed where the manual ones need hauled/held up as you cut?

That's what I thought?

It's not essential but I have to admit I like watching mine saw through something then turn itself off. It's one of the most engaging and relaxing tools I have!

Does it physically pull itself down? I thought it was more than just a switch to turn itself off. I was certain it pulls down but everyone on here has me questioning myself

 

[Hood]

I don't know how these Femi ones work but a lot of the small portable bandsaws you need to pull down on heavier stuff or kind of support if thin section stuff.
By the looks of it the auto ones have some form of gadgetry on them (yellow plate near the hinge section) which I am presuming is some form of feed control.

On my saw the downward motion is controlled by hydraulics, it slows it up rather than hydraulics feeding it down though.

See mine here, cutting 4" Dia EN8. Had it slowed down a bit on the feed as I had just fitted a new blade and like to bed them in a bit first.

 

[dobbslc]

Mine just rests on the material and cuts through under its own weight, it has a spring to adjust the pressure but it doesn't seem to make much difference. I just stops when it cuts through and a small lever hits the stop switch.

 

[dobbslc]

Here's a pic on mine.
It's a modified version of what it originally came with.

 

[Hood]

This is what Stakesy's say about the auto "The saw head will lower at one of the 4 chosen downfeed speeds and switch off at the end of the cut. "
So I presume it will be some form of spring balance holding it from falling too quickly (as I don't see any hydraulic cylinders) and with that you can control the downfeed speed but only in 4 increments.

 

[dazza]

You can adjust the feed with the femi abs as @Hood said the yellow plate.

I suppose the auto cut is a good feature, but mine no longer shuts off when it hits the limit switch.

Mine broke after 3 days, it was repaired and then repaired again as the motor only had one speed after the 1st repair.

TBH not really happy with it runs out when cutting box if the blade is slightly dull (probably the auto cut feature).

 

[Hood]

You can adjust the feed with the femi abs as @Hood said the yellow plate.

I suppose the auto cut is a good feature, but mine no longer shuts off when it hits the limit switch.

Probably just needing a new limit switch.

 

[KimB]

I'm going to call stakesys tomorrow and ask some questions.

 

[dazza]

Probably just needing a new limit switch.

Probably but its already been repaired twice 16 months old and very little use.

 

[Hood]

Probably but its already been repaired twice 16 months old and very little use.

Not so good, was it the same problem?

 

[dazza]

Not so good, was it the same problem?

This was the first problem after 3 days.

Then the motor was stuck in high. They refused to replace the machine so had to wait a month for it to be sent to Italy.

@norlander has the same machine and is very happy with it but i think he does not use the auto cut feature which i think is the reason i struggle getting good cuts and the blades dull quickly.

 

[Hood]

This was the first problem after 3 days.

Then the motor was stuck in high. They refused to replace the machine so had to wait a month for it to be sent to Italy.

@norlander has the same machine and is very happy with it but i think he does not use the auto cut feature which i think is the reason i struggle getting good cuts and the blades dull quickly.

What the heck is that? Is that one of the blade wheels? Was it rubbing on something or has it sheared totally at the centre and rubbed on the guard?

 

[Richard.]

Watching that vid you posted Kim the saw just cuts under the weight of the bow. There is no damper or feed control it just rests on the material and cuts through. So be careful with selecting your blade pitch particularly with thin gage box etc as it will literally rip its way down I'd imagine. A cut off switch in this case would be an advantage because you can just fill the vice and let it do its thing. Come back to it in 5 minutes to find your off cuts in a pile and the saw shut down.

 

[dazza]

What the heck is that? Is that one of the blade wheels? Was it rubbing on something or has it sheared totally at the centre and rubbed on the guard?

Yep blade wheel sheered off.

 

[Hood]

Watching that vid you posted Kim the saw just cuts under the weight of the bow. There is no damper or feed control it just rests on the material and cuts through. So be careful with selecting your blade pitch particularly with thin gage box etc as it will literally rip its way down I'd imagine. A cut off switch in this case would be an advantage because you can just fill the vice and let it do its thing. Come back to it in 5 minutes to find your off cuts in a pile and the saw shut down.

There is feed control according to their blurb, it can be set in one of 4 downfeeds. How it works I have no idea though as normally you would see a spring like yours will have or a hydraulic cylinder to slow it down or a combination like mine. Springs help support it but also hyd cylinder slows it to your chosen feed. Mine also has the hydraulics cut when off so it will lock in the position it is at until you start it then it will downfeed.

 

[Hood]

Yep blade wheel sheered off.

Looks like you may have got a bad one

 

[gav0994]

Hi guys,

I am going to order a Femi in the next few days. I need it for a job I'm going to do for a friend.
I have been tirelessly trawling through the web. Each of them have their own pros and cons.

I need one that can cut large steel. like some 900mm round tube. I know the 782 can do it just. but the NG120XL is more than capable. Then the latter machine can't stand upright but the 782 can. I'm not sure I'd need it to stand upright now i have a plasma cutter?
Is it worth sacrificing size potentially to get an upright one? Or spend more on a larger one with auto cut and virable speeds?

Thanks

Hi Kim,

I have the Femi 105abs model. I can get 100x100 box section cut with it no problems. The auto is a great feature and the 4 settings for downfeed along with the 2 speed settings cover most material thicknesses. I think there is an internal spring that regulates the downfeed. After having used it for 12months i'd never go back to the generic 6x4 chinese models.

Matt at Stakesys will answer all your questions. He knows his products inside out and is a good guy to deal with.

 

[dazza]

Looks like you may have got a bad one

Yep

I think the auto cut may be the problem as @Richard. said above when cutting box it rips though. Once it gets though the top of the box it rips down the sides then slows again on the bottom. Usually running out.