# What can a band saw do?



## Zuki (Mar 28, 2007)

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.


----------



## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

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.


----------



## GaryK (Jun 25, 2007)

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


----------



## mot (May 8, 2007)

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.


----------



## GaryK (Jun 25, 2007)

Hey Mot - I like the "What can't you do with it" line. It about sums it up.

Gary


----------



## Karson (May 9, 2006)

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.


----------



## jerryw (Sep 5, 2007)

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.


----------



## Hicksiowa (Sep 12, 2007)

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


----------



## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

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.


----------



## Dekker (Oct 11, 2007)

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!


----------



## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

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.


----------



## benomatic42 (Oct 21, 2007)

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


----------



## Dekker (Oct 11, 2007)

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.


----------



## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

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


----------



## boboswin (May 23, 2007)

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


----------



## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

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


----------



## boboswin (May 23, 2007)

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

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

Bob


----------



## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

Yeah, blame poor ol' George W


----------



## Drew1House (Mar 18, 2007)

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

Drew


----------



## Dekker (Oct 11, 2007)

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


----------



## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

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


----------



## miles125 (Jun 8, 2007)

Heres what you can do with a bandsaw!


----------



## DonnaMenke (Sep 20, 2006)

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!!!


----------



## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

No bull, Miles??


----------



## Zuki (Mar 28, 2007)

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.


----------

