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How much do you use your shop bandsaw?

Started by hackberry jake, November 02, 2012, 09:59:18 PM

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hackberry jake

I have almost every essential tool I can think of except for a stand up bandsaw. Is there much you can do with one that you can't do with a table saw and jig saw? The only strong point I see is resawing thick boards into thin boards.
https://www.facebook.com/TripleTreeWoodworks

EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

WDH

I don't use mine much, but when I need it, it is indispensable.  I use it for cutting curves like corbels for mantles and for curved/ornate designs on furniture.  Also, if you have a board without any straight edges, it is easy to draw a straight line with a pencil and rip a straight edge so that you can run the board on the tablesaw safely.   
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Ianab

I use mine a lot because I don't have a table saw. Might be different if I had one.

Most woodworking tasks can be performed several different ways depending on the tools and skills available If you don't miss a band saw, you probably wont get a lot of use.

Other guys, re-sawing or making a lot of curved components, it might be their main tool.

Ian
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

davch00

I use mine quite a bit. Depending on what you are making you will find a number if uses for one. If you are thinking about buying one and are planning on doing very much resawing, get the biggest motor you can find or afford.

Lud

Use mine a lot.  It is the bridge from my sawmill to my wood lathe.  I'll square a cant by cutting 4 thick slabs  and then turn those slabs into 30-40 turning blanks that I cut the corners off of with my Delta bandsaw with the riser block.  I then seal the turning blank with Anchorseal and start aging them.  I liike a 1/4 inch 4-6 TPI hook blade.

I'd also say the bandsaw can be safer than circulars (as bandsaw millers will attest) as the kickback risk is minimized.  Not to say bandsaws have cut a lot of fingers of the sleepy and careless but  I'd say it can make a wider variety of cuts than almost any other tool in the shop and it's use is only limited by the user's imagination. ;)
Simplicity mill, Ford 1957 Golden Jubilee 841 Powermaster, 40x60 bankbarn, left-handed

Dan_Shade

i use mine some, it's a nice tool to have available.

On of the main things I use it for is to saw along the grain when a board has grain run out.  I"ll do this to get a straight grained section for a project.

Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

Busy Beaver Lumber

I use both of mine a whole lot. We do a lot of craft type work, wood carving and bowl and pen turning on the lathe. These are two of the most used tools in our shop. I used the sears one for about 10 years to cut doll house shingles that I sold on ebay and sold close to 90,000 of them, each of which was cut on the bandsaw. Now that we just got the CNC machine to make routed wood signs, they will both get a lot of use cutting decorative edged sign blanks.

The craftsman bandsaw shown below was bought 30 years ago and I am the original owner. I have used it so much that i have had to replace the spindle bearings twice and literally gone through about 80 blades on it. just ordered 10 more blades yesterday for it. Quite the workhorse and simple to keep running in tip top order. That black hose behind it connects it to my dust collection system. These are pretty cheap saws to pick up used. I have seen then go for as little as $50 on craigslist and blades are very inexpensive for them. The ones i just bought were less than $10 each

The jet is a very nice saw as well, but i have not used it as much as the sears since it is located at my building and I am not there that often. It too is a craigslist find. Got it and a jet dust collection system for $250 brand new from a guy that set them up and never used them. He even threw in 6 brand new in the box blades and extra cloth bags for dust collection system.

As a side not, my wife does not like saws that use circular blades and make a lot of noise, but she has not problem using the band saws and the table top scroll saw and rockwell table scroll saw we have.

  

 
Woodmizer LT-10 10hp
Epilog Mini 18 Laser Engraver with rotary axis
Digital Wood Carver CNC Machine
6 x 10 dump trailer
Grizzly 15in Spiral Cut Surface Planer
Grizzly 6in Spiral Cut Joiner
Twister Firewood Bundler
Jet 10-20 Drum Sander
Jet Bandsaw



Save a tree...eat a beaver!

Tree Feller

Quote from: hackberry jake on November 02, 2012, 09:59:18 PM
I have almost every essential tool I can think of except for a stand up bandsaw. Is there much you can do with one that you can't do with a table saw and jig saw? The only strong point I see is resawing thick boards into thin boards.

I definitely consider the bandsaw an essential tool, especially for furniture building. While it excels at resawing, it's primary purpose in my shop is cutting curves. A jigsaw will also cut curves but not with the precision and smoothness of a bandsaw. A bandsaw also does very well on rip cuts if the fence is adjusted for blade drift. Many times i will have my Ts otherwise occupied witha  dado blade or a specific jig set-up and need to make a rip cut. I simply do it on the bandsaw. Like Danny noted, you can draw or pop a line on rough-edged stock, cut along the line with the bandsaw and then rip it on the tablesaw (I like to joint the BS cut first).

A good woodworker could make fine furniture with only a pocketknife and time but machines certainly make the process easier. IMHO, the tablesaw, jointer, planer and bandsaw are the essential stationary tools.
Cody

Logmaster LM-1 Sawmill
Kioti CK 30 w/ FEL
Stihl MS-290 Chainsaw
48" Logrite Cant Hook
Well equipped, serious, woodworking shop

tcsmpsi

Comparatively, with regard to other tools in the shop, I do not use the bandsaw that much.  However, when I need it, it is essential, especially in making small boxes, etc.  Of course, with these, small millings/resaws is likely where it gets its most use.  What many folks would call 'scraps', I reckon.   :D
\\\"In the end, it is a moral question as to whether man applies what he has learned or not.\\\" - C. Jung

Warbird

Don't use mine much at all but when I need it, boy howdy do I ever need it.

Axe Handle Hound

I use mine to rip stock that is too wide for my tablesaw, to rip stock so I can bookmatch panels in doors, and to cut tenons as well.  I could live without one if I absolutely had to, but I wouldn't want to. 

jimparamedic

if you are buying don't skemp on power or guides. Also this is a piece of equipment that bigger is better. You can put a narrow blade on a big saw but you can't put a wide blade on a small saw.

SwampDonkey

Hardly a major project that I haven't used the band saw on. Even use it to carve legs and recently carved the curves involved in making a few hand shuttles.  8)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

OneWithWood

I use my bandsaws a fair bit.  The bandsaw would be a very good first tool in a shop.  In fact my old Craftsman was my first major tool.  The bandsaw is a very versatile but more importantly it is very safe.
One With Wood
LT40HDG25, Woodmizer DH4000 Kiln

Peter Drouin

when I need to cut something round, the thing is handy

 
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

hackberry jake

I found a pretty good deal on an older crescent 36" bandsaw. I am trying to decide if it is worth the work I will have to do to it to make it single phase. I am also wondering if it will take up way too much space in the shop for how often I will use it.
https://www.facebook.com/TripleTreeWoodworks

EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

jimparamedic

That would be a great saw. There are web sites to show you how to make a converter from single to 3 phase. that wood be my way to make it work and if you get something else 3 phase your already one step ahead. There may even be something on here on building a converter. I'll say it again this is one machine that bigger is better.

Peter Drouin

Quote from: hackberry jake on November 05, 2012, 09:08:08 PM
I found a pretty good deal on an older crescent 36" bandsaw. I am trying to decide if it is worth the work I will have to do to it to make it single phase. I am also wondering if it will take up way too much space in the shop for how often I will use it.
If you get a good deal  and it works you should get it, and if it takes to much space you could make the shop bigger :D dont get me wrong im just a tool nut. a man with tools is a good thing :)
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Larry

This is a 30" Crescent I ran for awhile.  Hope its not this old.



I wouldn't have a big bandsaw unless it was 3-phase.  The reason is because I can power it with a VFD to provide soft start, braking, and variable speed.  The variable speed is quite useful when doing intricate scrolling, cutting non-ferrous metals, and plastic.  It takes a long time for big bandsaws to coast to a stop...some have a mechanical brake but the VFD is nicer.

At present I'm running a VFD equipped 20" Delta.  A 14" Delta is waiting a drive transplant to become a metal cutting bandsaw only.

Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

terrifictimbersllc

Agree about trying to run 3ph with VFD.  Not sure what your HP is and how much the VFD would cost for that motor,  but VFD's are very easy to wire (240v, 2 wires in, and 3 wires for 3ph out).  I have a Toshiba VFD for a new 3ph 2HP Baldor on my lathe and it is great.

I use my 14" delta bandsaw more than any other shop tool.  Wouldn't be without it, whatever work one takes from the chop or table saws is done safer and more pleasantly on the bandsaw. Last night I sawed a troublesome acorn squash in two for my wife.  8) 8)

I'd get a big bandsaw in an instant if I had more shop room but I'm full.  Taking some resaw work out  to the Woodmizer in the winter is a pain.  ::) ::) ::)
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

hackberry jake

The bandsaw look to be in just a little better shape than Larry's. They are asking $800. I think I have backed out. Maybe I'll find one that's a little more modern for a pretty good deal. Larry, what did you end up doing with yours?
https://www.facebook.com/TripleTreeWoodworks

EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

Tree Feller

Those monster tools like that 36" Crescent bandsaw or 12" jointers are great except that one needs a smaller version of each in my opinion. I only have a 17" bandsaw but have thought many times of also getting a 14" if I had the shop space. I also wouldn't fire up a 12" or larger jointer to joint the edge of a 3/4" board. I'd have a 6" jointer, too. I guess there is always a trade-off with regards to tools.
Cody

Logmaster LM-1 Sawmill
Kioti CK 30 w/ FEL
Stihl MS-290 Chainsaw
48" Logrite Cant Hook
Well equipped, serious, woodworking shop

Larry

Quote from: hackberry jake on November 06, 2012, 05:38:12 PM
Larry, what did you end up doing with yours?

I cobbled up guards for it after a good cleaning.  It ran ok but really needed the babit re-poured in the bearings.  When I moved from N Missouri I didn't want to bring it with me.  Advertized on CL and the paper but didn't get any takers.  Finally moved it by taking it to a consignment auction.  Think it brought $100 which is about what I gave for it.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

tcsmpsi

I let a fellow I know have the old Craftsman and what blades I had for it in a deal actually for a couple other tools.  I got, in its place, a 14" Grizzly.  I am quite pleased with it.  There have been moments that I've thought I would like to do taller thickness, but thought it's well enough I don't.   ;D  My next really sought after tool, is a 6" X 48" belt sander...but, likely not too soon.  A few many other pressing matters.

I mostly use 1/2" blades and 3/4" blades, but use all sorts.  When I mentioned I don't use it as much as many of the other tools, I was thinking in time reference.  Building something, there's lots of little, quick cuts that just kinda blend in.   ;D
\\\"In the end, it is a moral question as to whether man applies what he has learned or not.\\\" - C. Jung

breederman

I use my cheap China band saw for a lot of things. Just tonight I used it to cut the points off of 350 golf tees for a project I am doing. They are very versatile.
Together we got this !

CHARLIE

Because I enjoy turning wood on my woodlathe and using wood gathered from woodpiles or fallen trees, I use my bandsaw a lot.  I have a large one that will slice a 12 inch thick chunk of wood.  Also, when I run across a particularly nice chunk of wood with a lot of personality, I can slice it up into small boards and plane them down smooth to build small objects like boxes or to use as accent to a project.  I couldn't be without one.
Charlie
"Everybody was gone when I arrived but I decided to stick around until I could figure out why I was there !"

Lud

Just talking and imagining here but I'd think it would be fun to build a vertical bandsaw that could take the same blades as my mill.

Couple of emergency wheels and tires, bunch of old implement steel for framing and a old lawnmower engine or electric as available. Set it up about knee high for resawing and the big stuff.

It's got the makings of a project! 8)
Simplicity mill, Ford 1957 Golden Jubilee 841 Powermaster, 40x60 bankbarn, left-handed

hackberry jake

I was just researching bandsaw stuff on here and found this. I started this thread almost two years ago! Well I finally have one and its coming along nicely.



 
as purchased


 
After a good sanding and painting.

Still gotta recrown the tires and maybe balance the wheels. I havent even powered it up yet.
https://www.facebook.com/TripleTreeWoodworks

EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

beenthere

south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

WDH

Just think, in another 10 or 15 years, you will be there  ;D. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

scleigh

Don't lie to us Danny, we'll never get there.

Every time I mention my next big project or purchase to my wife, she says, " will it ever be enough? And I say no!!!

hackberry jake

I told mine that im done buying tools... but I did mention my table saw is only 2hp...  ;D
https://www.facebook.com/TripleTreeWoodworks

EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

mesquite buckeye

Hey hackberry- You got paint on the floor. My wife frowns on such like. :( ::)

Regarding the original question, I would use my bandsaw a lot more if I had one. :'( :'( :'( :snowball: :snowball: :snowball:
Manage 80 acre tree farm in central Missouri and Mesquite timber and about a gozillion saguaros in Arizona.

hackberry jake

Quote from: mesquite buckeye on August 28, 2014, 10:31:53 PM
Hey hackberry- You got paint on the floor. My wife frowns on such like. :( ::)

Regarding the original question, I would use my bandsaw a lot more if I had one. :'( :'( :'( :snowball: :snowball: :snowball:
Paint doesn't stick to dirt very well... I am hoping some paint thinner will wipe it away...
https://www.facebook.com/TripleTreeWoodworks

EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

beenthere

And it will just be a different color when the next tool gets painted...  8)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Kasba

I do mostly woodturn bowls to sell and I use my bandsaw more than my tablesaw. I also have to comment on many of the posts I have read that woodturners want wood for free. Please do not paint all wood turners with the same brush.
Timbery M285 25hp, Husqvarna 570 auto tune, Alaskan sawmill, Nova 1624 wood lathe, Dogo Argentino

21incher

Before I got my sawmill I used my band saw quite a bit for resawing and ripping warped pieces straight. The sawmill sure makes those jobs easier. But the band saw still sees a lot of use. :)
Hudson HFE-21 on a custom trailer, Deere 4100, Kubota BX 2360, Echo CS590 & CS310, home built wood splitter, home built log arch, a logrite cant hook and a bread machine. And a Kubota Sidekick with a Defective Subaru motor.

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