3-Wheel Bandsaws: Bad idea or just cheap execution

[dlminehart]

I've not seen any high-priced bandsaws that are of the 3-wheel variety, while 2-wheelers seem to come in all sizes and costs. To my untutored eye, it looks like the 3-wheelers would have an advantage in being able to more easily handle wider or longer boards. I can see that there would be the disadvantage of having 3 wheels to keep co-planar.

Can anyone shed any light on why there are few, if any, higher-priced, higher-quality 3-wheelers?

[Pappy]

general consensus you will get here is that the 3 wheelers are a waste of $$$

[Hoover]

From what I have read, (not from first hand experience), is that the sharp angles over a short distance are hard on blades (in the 3 wheelers), and breakage of blades is a major problem. The blades are going over a 120 degree angle in a short distance, where other 2 wheel bandsaw blades have at least 12" diameters in some saws or 14" in most saws to negotiate the bends. Depends on the size of bandsaw, I hope that made sense. I don't ever remember reading where someone was happy with their 3 wheeler. I guess the HF 14" bandsaw has a good fan base, because of the low intro price, and its versatility. HTH.

[Knottscott]

Most 3 wheels are bad examples to begin with. Even a good example (if one exists) faces the added challenge of having 50% more wheels to keep aligned, plus the tighter angles stress the blade and cause more breakage.

[BrazosJake]

I can't understand why the design is used for inexpensive saws in the first place. Seems like it would be more expensive to make, with the extra wheel, bearings, etc.

Come to think, that's probably why the cheap ones are junk and no high-end BS uses 3-wheels, designing and mfg a good 3-wheel is probably to expensive.

[LCHIEN]

I think the drawbacks have all been hit...
The worst problem is that the wheels are small and the curves the bandsaw blade has to make are sharp decreasing the life and performance of the blade.

The saws probably can be made cheaper for a given capacity - the blade is smaller, the wheels smaller and the frame smaller for a 9" 3-wheel saw than a 9-in 2-wheel saw.

But as someone pointed out you have to line up 3 wheels to get iot properly aligned.

[mmcduffie]

I don't have a problem with blade breakage on my Crafstman three wheeler. I can't keep the blades on it long enough to break one.

I hate my saw.


Michael

[dlminehart]

Sounds like the consensus is that the smaller wheels are the biggest problem, with tighter bends (though I'd think offset by being only 120 degrees instead of the usual 180) being hard on the blades. Followed by the alignment compexity of having 3 rather than 2 wheels. The wheel size seems easily remedied, so I'd suspect the alignment problems are why we don't see 14" models.

[Stick]

A friend of mine has an old delta 16" 3 wheeler that he swears by. They were really popular around here. I just looked it up, it was a model 28-560. he has the metal cutting kit for it too. I know he just had to replace the tires, but they were cheap and he says it's back to like new again.

[guycox]

I did the happy dance when I finally sawed my Craftsman 3 wheeler up into little tiny pieces and tossed it into the trash.. The stand was the best part of the saw . It was too low to make a decent band saw stand but works like a champ for my belt/disk sander..

[Chuck C]

I have a cheap old craftsman 10 inch 3 wheel band saw. There has been many times when I wanted to get something bigger and better but always wanted something else more. I have been able to get around it with the BT3K, routers, scroll saws and a bazlion other hand power tools. Would like a larger one for resawing. On second thought, if anybody is giving them away, I'll take one.