PROXXON 37172 MICRO Band Saw MBS/E , Green

I'm new to band saws, but wanted to buy an affordable one for my middle-school aged son who enjoys making small crafts. I wanted a variable speed controlled band saw that can cut both metal and wood. At first I thought there was an alignment issue when I couldn't get the guide to say close to the saw blade as we changed its height. But my son figured it out.....the blade tension was not high enough. Once we properly adjusted the tension, we found the alignment of the blade guide to be good. We are amazed at how easily we can cut tight circles and shapes. This is a wonderful tool for hobbyists, and my son is just loving it.

EDIT: Lowering from 2 stars to one. The bearing guide assembly just came loose and is cracked. The machine is basically new. First off, I wanna say I'm a fan of proxxon and I own multiple tools, including the PD250E lathe and the MF70. This bandsaw for me misses the mark a bit, mostly due to weird decisions and odd quality in certain components. - The blade it comes with is fine at cutting wood or aluminum, but anything besides that it won't do it, or doesn't feel safe to do it. Even weirder that they do have a blade (28172) that is far superior for just $10 more, yet they chose to ship with a (in my view) sub par one. - The adjustment on the upper blade guide is really bad. You can adjust it forward-backward, but the two side-side bearings can only be adjusted by literally bending the metal piece to bring them together. This means that if you wanna install a thicker blade, you have to pry the bearings apart to make space. The lack of individual side-side adjustment also means that one of the bearings will always carry more load than the other, dramatically reducing bearing life. - There is no lower bearing guide, it's just a piece of metal with a groove that is already showing signs of wear on mine - The two larger inner rollers (where the blade rides) aren't perfectly circular. This is especially noticeable if you tighten the blade a bit too far, as you can see the whole frame flexing when the machine is on! - They provide a blade insert (the thing that sits close to the blade that is part of the table) that is not only garbage, but dangerous. It's no where near flat with the table, it's made of thin plastic and has a gigantic clearance. I'll be replacing mine with a zero clearance, flush with the table, piece of brass. - They recommend on the manual that you don't really need to maintain it if you have a vac attached when running. This is false. Just cutting two pieces of delrin and opening it, there was stuff all over the place inside. - Not as critical, but I noticed that the machine already came from the factory with stripped head screws on the inside.. [eye roll] I'll be keeping mine since I like the form factor and I think most the downsides above are things I can improve to make this absolutely fantastic. Also, it's worth noting that this machine might be a clone of a cheaper machine called "MicroLux Variable Speed Mini Band Saw". I'm not sure who copied who, but their similarities are undeniable. Opens the options for replacement parts and more accessories.

I recently ran across this listing again and was surprised at some of the low ratings. Having purchased and used this saw for almost 4 years, I see several problems with the ratings, but not the actual product. 1: This is a "miniature" tool, not a full size bandsaw. If you want a full size one, buy one. Don't knock this one because you did not read the description. I have a larger saw. I know they are cheaper. But for small items (model making or, in my case, banjo bridges) bigger is not better. In fact is is much more dangerous trying to cut tiny things on a big saw. I find this saw wonderful. It is very powerful for its size and can cut more than my 9" saw can because of a powerful, variable speed motor. Have cut some Stainless steel, but mostly wood (ebony and maple) along with lots of brass and aluminum. It does a great job and I use it almost daily. I made 50+ banjo shoes out of 3/8" thick brass stock, cutting it easily, if not very quickly. 2: Complaints about its power are caused by being cheap about the blades. I use the expensive bimetallic blade for everything. It is WELL worth its extra cost and the initial blade is still going strong. The regular steel blades purchased at the same time are still sitting in their unopened packages. Mine came with a worn out one from cutting brass (I bought it from the warehouse), with the brass chips still abounding everywhere. I put on the bimetallic one and it is still is there. It was getting a little dull after the SS so I sharpened it with a small file and brought it back to life. That was 3 years ago. My only complaint is the plastic blade insert. I have melted some grooves in it from metal getting too hot while cutting. Someday I will make a new one out of aluminum. I also purchased the Proxxon micro table saw at the same time with similar satisfactory results. I cannot find a real flaw with either tool, except their high prices. I would buy both again.

I purchased this saw to cut a large circle in stacked stone. Purchased the diamond blade and the guide bearings to use with water. The picture on the box shows this saw with the water cooled bestings, but don't believe it, you need to put out $28 to get one. Since way, thazon doesn't sell the water cooling, I had a 1/4 inch plastic hose with a pressure reducer included with a wet tile saw that I recently purchased. Don't try this without a pressure reducer! That works fine. This little guy cuts through the real 1 inch stone like butter. The kerf line left by the diamond blade is virtually a hair-line cool. So OK, for what it is, great. Here's my complaints. By the way this makes 4 bandsaws that I own and use. 1. The cooling bearings should be included as pictured. It would only cost the manufacturer a buck or do. 2. A rip guide would be great, but NADA. 3. The package includes several Allen Wrenches, but not one to open the case. Using screws to secure the cover is stupid (period) I'm glad I bought this saw as it does the job intended!

It took awhile for me to mount this saw to my table. It is very light weight, but must be bolted down for safe use. I used bolts and nuts in the two holes that it was possible for, and used plastic ties in the other 3 holes. It took awhile for me to adjust and tighten everything to the saw blade. I have cut PVC plastic and brass rod with this saw. It is most excellent. I would highly recommend this for the hobbiest. I did a lot of research before buying this band saw, and this is the best one I could find. I also own a Proxxon dremel tool, and both are extremely high quality. Proxxon tools have a unique, classy look.

UPDATE: After fighting this piece of junk for over two years, when the final blade I have breaks (which shouldn't take long) it goes into the recycle bin at the dump. I could have bought a second bandsaw for what I have paid in the expensive Proxxon replacement blades! The table won't stay level, the guide won't cut a 90 degree straight cut, and the blades last a couple weeks. I bought it for the adjustable speed, but even that has such a narrow range that it's almost useless. Back to the much cheaper yet more reliable 9" brands.

mini precision bench top band saw. I've bought benchtop band saws from other vendors in the past and they aren't very well put together. I bought this specifically for making ribs for wooden aircraft wings, can make precise cuts so you don't have to sand to fit.

as soon as I got it, decided to change the blade to the 28174 (got 2 just in case), and no matter what I do, however I tighten it, it always goes off the rail ... super disappointing. changing back to the blade that came with, same thing... useless thing and a waste of money

I have had this machine for about three months. I use it for making different scale pieces of furniture. At first it worked really well but after about a month of use I started to hear a rattling noise. The sound of something small and metallic being bounced around inside. So after opening the saw up and searching I could not find any thing. Yet the more I used the machine the louder the rattle became. After taking the damn thing apart once more I figured out it was the ball bearings in the upper wheel that holds the saw blade. The first picture is of the wheel when I opened up the saw and the second is of the washer and part of the bearing. To send it to be fixed by Proxxon would cost over a hundred dollars in shipping and I guess I would have to pay for return shipping as well. With the Canadian dollar being so low as it is I will end up paying even more to have it shipped back. Called their customer service and they said that they would check the warehouse to see if they have items in stock. If they are not in stock then it will be three months till they arrive from Germany. So when all else fails go and see your dad who can fix almost anything. SO I guess the point of this ranting review is if I had had this band saw for several years and this happened I wouldn't be as annoyed as I am for having had it for three months.

Travail bien un peu bruyant mais surtout boucoup trop dispendieux pour cette machine