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Band Saw Guide
A band saw is a simple machine. It is made up of two or three wheels with a band that acts as blade that runs along them. One of the wheels is attached to a motor to drive the wheels. The other wheel is adjustable to provide tension to the blade. There is a table top that the blade runs though and supports your piece while you cut. Band saws are designated according to there throat capacity. Throat capacity is the distance from the blade to the frame of the saw. It is the amount of room that you have to rip a board. Although I believe that the table saw is the most important piece of machinery in your shop some would argue that the band saw can do everything a table saw can and more. There are some out there that have a band saw and feel no need to get a table saw. I don’t want to spend a lot of time arguing the fact but I will give a quick look at both sides. The band saw can rip and crosscut a board (when set up correctly) along with cut curves with ease. I simply think that a table saw is easier to set up and makes more accurate rips and crosscuts. A table saw would take a heck of a lot of set up time to make the curved cuts you can get out of a band saw though (if possible at all). Another band saw use is cutting different joints like dovetails. You can cut through thick stock of wood and even resaw on some saws. Resawing is when you cut a board through the thickness. An example would be to cut a 2” by 6” into two 1” by 6”s. There are three different types of band saws you can choose from. From smallest to largest they are: benchtop or portable, floor model or stationary, industrial. The needs of your shop should be the main factor in deciding which type saw to get. Are you going to be doing a lot of commercial work or fine woodworking that requires a lot of joinery and book matching? Two of the shops I worked at did mainly commercial fixtures for stores and offices. They both had industrial saws that most of the time sat idle collecting dust. The other two shops I worked for did more custom work that required more use from the band saw. One of them actually had two saws, one was set up for resawing and the other could be used for whatever else it was needed for. Do you have a lot of room in your shop or do you need a saw that can be stored out of the way when it’s not being used? Is this going to be your primary saw or do you already have a good table saw? Read through the different characteristics of each saw before deciding on which type to buy. Then click on the links and find out how to get a band saw review of that type. Benchtop Band SawThe benchtop band saw was designed for the small shop or for a shop that has little use for such a saw. Benchtop saws can weigh anywhere from 30 to 150 pounds. Most can be moved by one or two people and stored under your workbench or out of the way when not being used.The throat capacities on these types of saws are only about 9" to 12". In other words they can split a board that is 18" to 24" wide down the middle. If you plan to have the band saw as your primary saw for ripping and crosscutting you will probably need to look at something larger than the benchtop band saw. Also the maximum thickness these can cut is around 3" to 6" thick stock. Along with the fact that they are only capable of holding a ½” blade on most, (only a 3/8” blade on some) they aren’t able to handle the stress of resawing. Prices range from around $150 to $600. If you already have a good table saw that you plan to use as your primary saw and need a band saw to do small work this could be the type for you. For more information on comparing benchtop band saws click here. Floor Model Band SawFloor model band saws are probably more than enough saw for most home workshops if you have room for a stationary saw.These saws sit on an open or closed stand and weigh anywhere from 150 to 450 pounds. Although this isn’t as much as an industrial sized saw the ones on the upper limits are still going to be hand to move out of the way when they’re not needed. The throat capacity on most floor models is 14”, but they can range anywhere from 12” to 18”. Depending on the model some can cut through up to 12 ½” stock. They can handle a thicker blade and most can easily resaw boards up to 6” thick without stressing out the blade or motor. The price of a floor model saw range around $350-$1,000 If you have the room and expect to need more features than what a benchtop saw can give you this is probably a good choice for most home shops. Anything more than this is probably not necessary, unless you plan on opening a full scale business where a floor model won’t be able to handle the stress of constant use.
For more information on comparing floor model band saws click here. Industrial Band SawIndustrial band saws are mainly found in professional wood shops. They are the heaviest, have the best parts, and biggest cutting capacities. Consequently, they’re also the most expensive.Industrial saws weigh around 275 to over a 1,000 lbs. The throat capacity of these saws is from 15” to 24” and the maximum depth of cut is from 12” to 20”. They also have motors up to 6 horsepower. These monsters should be enough to perform any band saw job imaginable. The industrial saw is a major investment though with prices ranging from nearly $750 to upwards of $4,000. If you think you can get your moneys worth out of a saw like this and have the money to spend, go for it. Unless you absolutely need the extra cutting capacity I see no need for a saw this large in a home wood shop. Most of the needs of a band saw you can perform on a less expensive floor model just as easily. Cases where it may be necessary may be if you are going to be turning bowls or other large pieces on a lathe or if you plan to do a lot of book matching that you’ll need the extra resaw capacity. (By the way if you don’t already know what book matching is, here’s my best explanation. When you cut a board through the thickness of it you end up with two boards that have the same grain. Use the matching boards for side by side doors on an entertainment center or cabinet and they look like an open book with one door reflecting the other.) For info on comparing industrial band saws click here. For more information on picking the right band saw blades for your machine click here. Looking for a deal?Check out some of the band saws and accessories being auctioned off right now. To see all of the items up for bid click on the link near the bottom labeled "Veiw all XXX items on eBay." Save Yourself Some Money and HeadacheBefore you buy it would be nice to test out all the top machinery and tools, so you have a better idea of which lives up to the manufacturer’s hype. I don’t have near the space or the money to test out all the available tools and I doubt you do either. You do have other options though.Woodworking magazines often have tool review articles where they shop test the top names in the industry and provide you the information. The magazine I personally subscribe to and trust is WOOD magazine. They offer some of the most complete plans and tool reviews of any other woodworking magazine. You could get a subscription and wait for the tools you are looking for to be reviewed, but that could take months before they do another review on your specific tool. WOOD magazine now offers an online solution to this problem in their online store. You can download the past tool reviews and plans anytime for a small fee that can save you hundreds, even thousands of dollars, by choosing the right tool the first time. Here are some of the reviews and articles you can get that are related to band saws.
The
mid-sized band saw should provide more than enough saw for most home
woodshops. Check out the shop test on these band saws priced from
between $500 to $900. |
