Kity bandsaw owners unite!
Chris Paris
bandsaw, but I don't remember who it was. I bought one recently too. I
plan to write a comprehensive review once I've built up sufficient
experience with it. Right now though, I'm having some problems with
it. I'm working with Farris Machinery on the problems, and they've
been very willing to help. In any case, I thought it would be
beneficial for us Kity bandsaw owners to get together and form a
"support group." :-) At least, I'd like to discuss some of the
problems I'm having and see if you're having them too. So speak up
(send me mail) if you own one of these saws, especially if you bought
it recently (since the Kity factory recently made some insufficiently
tested "improvements" to the guide mechanism that are the source of
most of my problems).
Chris Paris
ca...@cmu.edu
Norman R. Ellis
that I let a blade jump off once. Anorther problem is that when I am
pushing a board against the saw and I release it momentarily or finish
tha cut the saw makes a noise, that is when the pressure is released off
the blade. I have not yet determined what causes this. Another problem I
anticipate is usine a narrow blade. The guide assembly does not seem to
move forward enough to gat the teeth to clear the guides. I have use a 3/4
and a 3/8. I don`T see how a blade thinner than 3/8 can be used. Keep me
in your " Kity group ".Norman Ellis ,Tuscaloosa, Al.
Norman R. Ellis
you on the net. I am very curious about the problem you are having for my
saw is only a few weeks old and if I need to complain I`d like to do it
now. Thanks ,Norman Ellis,Tuscaloosa Al.
Chris Paris
> I responded to your note about Kity bandsaws and I`ve seen nothing from
> you on the net. I am very curious about the problem you are having for my
> saw is only a few weeks old and if I need to complain I`d like to do it
> now. Thanks ,Norman Ellis,Tuscaloosa Al.
Sorry I haven't responded. I've been rather swamped at work. I didn't
want to go public with my Kity problems until the issues get resolved,
either by being fixed or by my sending the saw back. But I'll talk a
little now.
Until recently the Kity bandsaw had wood guide blocks on the top and
bottom. This system has been standard on Eurpoean saws for many years,
and it worked well on the Kity. Recently many saws have been going to
a bearing design for the guides. The Kity factory was receiving
pressure from their management to introduce bearing guides, so they
did, without adequately testing the design. I learned all this
information from talking to people at Farris Machinery, and not from
any personal experience.
All of my problems have been due to the new guide mechanism. The other
parts of the saw seem excellent. Fit and finish are excellent, the
wheels are true, and the machine runs extremely smoothly (passes the
nickel test on startup, and the penny test once running). However, the
bearings have problems. The bearings are of a design that have a
degree of play in the axis perpendicular to the bearing "wheel." This
isn't that big a deal, but makes it a little tricky when you're trying
to put the guides very close to the blade.
The single biggest problem I've had is with the thrust bearing. The
bearing is mounted on a screw that is threaded through a casting at
the bottom of the blade guard (the same casting that holds the side
bearings). There is a locking ring over the bearing screw, behind the
casting. You adjust the thrust bearing by turning the screw, and fix
its position by tightening the locking ring against the casting. The
first problem was that the bearing was becoming loose and backing out
of the casting---moving farther from the blade. Farris sent me a "wavy
washer" to use as a lock washer. This helps prevent the backing out,
but you have to crank down really hard. Second, after only a little
resawing in thick maple, the thrust bearing becomes stiff and doesn't
want to turn when the blade hits it. When the blade is in contact with
the bearing, but the bearing is too stiff to turn, a shower of sparks
comes off the blade-bearing connection point. Farris sent me a new
thrust bearing, but the new one did the same thing. Now they've sent
me a replacement for the whole guide mechanism. I haven't had time to
try the replacement yet, but I don't know what would be different
about this one.
When my second thrust bearing went bad, I sent Farris Machinery a
package containing the old bearings and also a long letter. This was
at the time of the Atlanta Woodworking show, so there was nobody there
to talk to on the phone. In my letter I expressed my concern that my
30 day trial period was running out, yet I didn't feel that I had had
a fair chance to experience the saw because of the technical problems
we were solving. When I heard back from them, Chuck Farris assured me
that I didn't have to make my decision within the 30 day period. They
acknowledge the problems I'm having, and are working on solutions in
their shop. Chuck said that if I'm willing, they'd like to send me
prototypes of some new guide mechanism parts as they develop them. And
if I decide in the end not to keep the saw, that's fine.
In your case, Norm, I'd suggest calling Farris soon and discuss your
concerns. Go ahead and say you're in contact with other new Kity
owners through the Internet. I haven't mentioned this to them, but I
think it would be good for us if they know about our little
unconventional communications forum. If more people say they'll return
their saws if things don't get fixed, Farris is more likely to give us
extended trial periods as we need them.
Don't get me wrong though. I don't want to imply that we need to gang
up on Farris Machinery to get the treatment we deserve. In my
experience, they've really bent over backwards to help me out. I've
never received this level of service from any company. They seem
thoroughly willing to help.
I gather that Farris used to ship out a bandsaw without even uncrating
it from the French factory's original crating. Last time I talked to
Chuck Farris, he told me that lately he's been uncrating, tweaking,
and sawing with every saw before it goes out. He doesn't want any more
saws to get out that aren't performing well. (I find it strange that
some have problems and some don't, since the problems seem to be due
to design flaws rather than poor parts.) Nevertheless, for anyone
currently considering the Kity bandsaw, I think you should call Farris
(1-800-USA-KITY) and tell them that you're interested, but won't buy
it until they resolve the guide mechanism problems [that you've heard
about on the net]. If Farris can work with the factory in France to
bring the guide mechanism up to the standards of the rest of the saw,
this will be an excellent saw.
Chris