[Closed] Help me choose a bandsaw

They are probably made in the same factory in china. I'd lean towards the axminster as they are good company to deal with. Good back up and support. That said I hardly ever use my bandsaw. There is usually another tool that does the job better (but I don't make knives 😀 )

They do look very similar for sure.
Axminster warranty 3 years Record Power 5 though.

They are probably made in the same factory in china.

This, all the cheap shop tools seem to be identical bar the paint colour....

Just go for the one with the best price / warranty....

Record Power 5 though.

Record are part of Startrite (or vice versa) and seem pretty good for extended support. I can still get parts for my startrite saw and its somewhere between 40 and 50 years old.

Around that price point (or less I picked on up for £100) you could probably pick up a second hand INCA 260 which is light and portable and a bit legendary for accuracy and reliability. The brand is no more but Multico still supply spares

They do look very similar for sure.

I can't see a single detail shared between the two saws

similar in size and price 🙂

Think i will stick with the Record Power, as i don't need a mitre guide.

I have had a look around for second hand ones but can only find things which is way to big for me.

do you know if you are able to cut metal with those , or are they just geared up for wood etc ?

They are mend for woodworking, not looked to see if you could get a blade suitable for metal for them, guess it also depends on how slow you are willing to cut.

I looked at getting one for cutting out blanks but gave up on it, as anything that would do it well, was to big for me.

Why i am now getting one just for cutting smaller pieces of wood.

not looked to see if you could get a blade suitable for metal for them,

Its not question of the blade availability - blades of all sizes are 'available' as the supplier just cuts and welds them to suit your saw. Its blade speed - metal cutting blades need to run at about 1/10th the speed of wood blades - my startrite had a gearbox in addition to the pulleys to achieve that but anything small/portable/cheap won't have anything like that. If the motor uses brushes rather than induction you'd maybe manage to run it via a rheostat / dimmer and slow it down a bit that way

do you know if you are able to cut metal with those , or are they just geared up for wood etc ?

A few are. You need a slower speed and an appropriate blade.

I had an old Startrite 301 (as suggested by maccruisekeen)that could do both but I sold it as I needed a bigger (for cutting bowl blanks for green woodturning) one; I bought Warco's largest offering. If space wasn't an issue I'd have kept it... kinda wish I had.

I gave up trying to find a decent used one as the only ones that came up were all three phase.

I have one of the Record ones on your first post ( which I bought in sound second hand condition)It is fine for the kind of work I do (not too ambitious in terms of depth of material cut)
Like any other bandsaw at that price point, you do have to set it up carefully and accept it's limitations in terms of accuracy. For curved work it's great, for cutting long straight lengths not so great but then as nickjb says that is not what it is intended for and other tools are better.

would you class 10cm as a long cut?
i would be using it for cutting the handle scales.
So far a friend been doing that for me, on a bandsaw, but a much bigger one.
and now im wondering i should get a tablesaw (circular) instead

If you want straight cuts about 100mm then a chop saw will loads better and cheaper. Table saw might be an option too. Depends what you are starting with and what you want to end up with

If it is a lengthways cut, e.g. Cutting a shaped piece in two halves to make the handle, then 100mm would be fine with care as the piece would be in constant contact with the fence. I was talking about lengths of 300mm or more where only a portion is in contact with the fence at any one time. I would not want to use a chop saw to cut pieces that small lengthways

Bandsaw is what you need - table or chop saw are not suited to such small and thin pieces of wood used for knife scales.
Either one of the new ones you linked will do the job .
Get a decent blade from Tuffsaws - take their advice for tpi and type of blade.
Forget cutting metal without a specific metal cutting saw.
Record power have the longest warranty - both companies have good reputations.
Second hand saws do come up but you have to be quick/lucky to get a bargain.
I was lucky to get an Inca with all the fences , I have a tiny Delta and a larger Elu .
One thing to remember is that you can fit a thin blade to a larger saw so do not discount a larger saw if you find one local and for a good price.

Cheers all, the record power is ordered.
Now i can finish all the knives i have started on.