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What can a band saw do?

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Forum topic by Zuki posted 782 days ago 741 views 0 times favorited 24 replies Add to Favorites Watch
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Zuki

1234 posts in 977 days


782 days ago

Topic tags/keywords: band saw

That might be a stupid question . . . but besides resawing and cutting curves . . . what else can be done with a bandsaw?

I was out looking at tools today and seen this puppy for $399 canadian. If memory serves it has ceramic guides. What do you think about the specs??

http://www.kingcanada.com/Products.htm?CD=13&ID=57

I have read the recent FWW guide on band saws, unfortunately the majority of saw are not available here in Newfoundland, . I am limited to Delta, King (link above) and Rigid.

-- The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them

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WayneC

6079 posts in 997 days


782 days ago

Things I am aware of….. You can use them to cut joints (dovetails/tennons). You can make bandsaw boxes. You can more safely cut stock that is thicker than your table saw. You can cut circles. There are ways to duplicate patterns on a bandsaw.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

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GaryK

9555 posts in 888 days


782 days ago

You can make cabriole legs or other 3D objects. You can cut aluminum and brass.

With the thin kerf you can save making a lot of expensive sawdust.

It’s nice to have just to make small quick cuts that don’t really need a setup and you don’t want to
break down a setup on your tablesaw.

Gary

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

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mot

4904 posts in 936 days


782 days ago

Yeah, I have to agree with Gary. Though you can look at what else can it do, I think what can’t it do. It’s really a time and effort saver for making quick cuts, as well as resawing, cutting curves, making primary cuts for 3D objects, preparing blanks for the lathe, dealing with selection of parts of a board from within a board… it’s really useful around the shop. That King looks like a clone of the Ridgid. Most of those 14’s are almost the same saw save a couple of proprietary features.

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

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GaryK

9555 posts in 888 days


782 days ago

Hey Mot – I like the “What can’t you do with it” line. It about sums it up.

Gary

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

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Karson

25871 posts in 1300 days


782 days ago

I use mine to make veneer and I also cut the shoulders on tenons with the table saw and cut the waste using the bandsaw.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

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jerryw

105 posts in 816 days


754 days ago

my 14” bandsaw is the workhorse of my shop. i do 90% of my ripping on it plus all my resawing. i also have a 12” that i use for curves and circles. i would not give up my bandsaws.

-- jerryw-wva.

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Hicksiowa

2 posts in 809 days


754 days ago

How about using a band saw to make Collapsible Castles? Check us out at www.CollapsibleCastles.com

Or check out our Flickr site at: www.flickr.com/photos/collapsiblecastles/

-Doug

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gizmodyne

1679 posts in 990 days


754 days ago

A. See Maloof.
B. See Krenov.My Understanding He had no tablesaw in his shop just a bandsaw and many planes.

Plus as the others said: Many joints can be cut on a bandsaw. You can use for ripping and then straighten with a jointer. Tenons, half laps, dovetails, scroll work.

I am not sure what I would give up first. Table saw or bandsaw? Hmmmm. I approve of your purchase Zuki.

-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne

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Dekker

145 posts in 780 days


754 days ago

As a new bandsaw owner, I can say that I bought the bandsaw to
  • cut curves
  • resaw thicker stock

You see, with the tablesaw, you are limited to cutting 2-3” thick material. With the bandsaw, you can cut much thicker material, and do it much safer since you can move slowly and don’t have to worry about kickback.

I use the miter saw for crosscuts, tablesaw for ripping thin or wide stock, and now I use the bandsaw to rip thick stock, or to create thin strips/veneer, or any of the other uses the other posters above have mentioned. I just wish i had more room for a larger bandsaw!

-- Dekker - http://www.WoodworkDetails.com/Blog/MNagy/

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Thos. Angle

4013 posts in 862 days


753 days ago

Somewhere I read an article by Gary Rogowski about essential machines for the shop. He chose a band saw and left out the table saw. I think it was in FWW. His reasoning had to do with versatility. With a bandsaw, a router and a jointer you can acheive about anything. Add in chisels, handsaws and handplanes and you have a very functional small space shop. Add one of the small planers and the possiblities real surge. With this system a Skil type saw is almost essential for cutting boards down to size. Of Course, a sharp hand saw will make quick work of them as well.

-- Thos. Angle

View ben's profile

ben

158 posts in 770 days


753 days ago

When 4 siding rough lumber, can the bandsaw make the final parallel rip cut reliably? I (having not used one since high school) have it my head that the blade wanders too much to trust it for this task.

-b

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Dekker

145 posts in 780 days


753 days ago

If properly adjusted, the blade will not wander, provided you use the correct blade and feed at the right speed.

Making the cut parallel is not the problem. Removing the blade marks from the wood is more the issue: you will need to hand-plane or sand the wood flat, or pass it lightly through a planer anyway.

-- Dekker - http://www.WoodworkDetails.com/Blog/MNagy/

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gizmodyne

1679 posts in 990 days


753 days ago

Even if your cut is not perfect you can true it with a planer or jointer or plane. Oh my.

-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne

View Bob #2's profile

Bob #2

3056 posts in 922 days


753 days ago

I watched the guy From Laguna take veneeer after veneer off the band saw 2with their new carbide tipped resaw blade.
You could get away with using it right off the saw if you wanted as it was smooth as a babys’ rump.

of course the blad is probably more than most weekend warriors can justify at $1.50 per inch.

Mine will be $200.00 US. ( $185.00 CDN)

I hate sanding,

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

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Thos. Angle

4013 posts in 862 days


753 days ago

Hey, who turned the exchange rate around??!!!

-- Thos. Angle

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Bob #2

3056 posts in 922 days


753 days ago

“Hey, who turned the exchange rate around??!!!”

The Bush admin as far as I can figure ;-)

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

View Thos. Angle's profile

Thos. Angle

4013 posts in 862 days


753 days ago

Yeah, blame poor ol’ George W

-- Thos. Angle

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Drew1House

425 posts in 988 days


753 days ago

Thats what happens when Canada elects a conservative… who is… and we elect one who is not… (fiscally)

Drew

-- Drew, Pleasant Grove, Utah

View Dekker's profile

Dekker

145 posts in 780 days


753 days ago

The bookstores are raking in the $$ though… They’re still charging the “Canadian” price listed on the back cover, which is often 30-40% higher than the US price!!!

At least with tools, the gap is not that bad… usually

-- Dekker - http://www.WoodworkDetails.com/Blog/MNagy/

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

14188 posts in 1061 days


753 days ago

I just heard that Walmart is charging the American price on books, (here in Canada).

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

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miles125

1443 posts in 905 days


753 days ago

Heres what you can do with a bandsaw!

-- miles125, Alabama.."Architecture is frozen music""

View Donna Menke's profile

Donna Menke

103 posts in 1166 days


752 days ago

I went to look at the collapsible castles and I am amazed and agog. I thought I knew everything there was to know about using the band saw, and all the projects possible, so it was with chagrin that I saw these marvelous creations. I want to make one- right away. Are there any instructions/tutorials/plans around to do that? I can figure it out for myself, but I’m kinda busy right now. They are soooo koooool!!!

-- "So much wood. . .so little time!" www.woodworks-by-donna.com

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Thos. Angle

4013 posts in 862 days


752 days ago

No bull, Miles??

-- Thos. Angle

View Zuki's profile

Zuki

1234 posts in 977 days


752 days ago

neat Miles. I have actually been eying a King bandsaw the last couple of weeks. 1hp with a decent fence for $599. A 5” riser with blade is another $70 and the mobile base is another $50.

-- The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them

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