band saw question

[don s]

hey everybody. my name is don. long time listener, first time caller (sorry, i couldn't resist). my question. what size band saw for doing board bows and glass bows. minimum. what size throat and cutting capacity. thanks all.

[scrub-buster]

I started off with a 9" benchtop model.  I made it work for selfbows, but it was undersized.  I have upgraded to a 12" model.  It works great.  If money was not an issue, I would have a 14" Grizzly.

[don s]

yeah. i was looking at a nine inch ryobi. it had a 3 1/2 inch cutting capacity. i don't plan on staves. just boards and glass. but, you never know. looking on craigs list.

[kerryb]

don't buy one with three wheels.

[don s]

3 wheels? why not? they don't track well?

[fish n chicks]

I have a craftsman 9" and it does o.k. at best. Saving my nickles for a 14". This little bandsaw does the job, don't get me wrong, but it's not without issues, and not without occasionally sacrificing your workpiece. Ouch.

The power and control of a bigger saw is what your after, not necessarily the cutting capacity.

[Bradford]

Same here!.. I did, and still have the Ryobi 9".. works.  But can be slow going depending on the wood.  I cut my own lams and such.  So if money is the factor..9" will work.

I have since bought a craftsman 12" and love it.  I got it at a yard sale for 50 bucks.. cuts wood like butter..even purple heart.  I also can cut stacks of wood for riser designs.  So I will ripp thru 4" of wood no problem.  In fact I just cut a 7" board on end with it to make 1/4" pieces of walnut for a guitar I am attempting to build.

So there you have it.  9" will work if space or money is an issue.. if you can fit a bit bigger.. do it.

[rbbhunt]

Get a Grizzley 14" and you won't regret it.  I had a delta 9" and upgraded and it was well worth it.

[Dick in Seattle]

Bandsaws are not too hard to rebuild... new bearings and blocks usually do the job.  IMHO you're better off to get a used 14" full size than the little ones.  Blade life can be a real factor in a small saw, especially with a 3 wheel.  You want the blade going over the largest diameter wheel you can.

I run two Grizzly Ultimates and love them.  One i bought new and one I bought as worn out salvage from a door factory and rebuilt to new.  I keep one set up for shape cutting like risers and the other permanently set for resawing lam blanks.

One other comment, and everyone doesn't agree with me on this, but after investing enough in blades to have bought the blade factory, I learned to never, ever cut glass with a bandsaw.  I just don't do it.   I use a miter box and hacksaw for any cross cutting of glass lams and I use a belt sander for all limb shaping.  I use a combination of the belt sander, spindle sander and rasps for shaping risers.  I cut my shelf in with rasps.   Cutting even one inch in glass will ruin a bandsaw blade.  You can make them last longer if you get into bimetal or carbon blades, but you can end up with $125 blades!  I get about six bows out of a $15 sanding belt.

[Rattus58]

Originally posted by Bradford:
Same here!.. I did, and still have the Ryobi 9".. works.  But can be slow going depending on the wood.  I cut my own lams and such.  So if money is the factor..9" will work.

I have since bought a craftsman 12" and love it.  I got it at a yard sale for 50 bucks.. cuts wood like butter..even purple heart.  I also can cut stacks of wood for riser designs.  So I will ripp thru 4" of wood no problem.  In fact I just cut a 7" board on end with it to make 1/4" pieces of walnut for a guitar I am attempting to build.

So there you have it.  9" will work if space or money is an issue.. if you can fit a bit bigger.. do it.

There was a time, probably before you were born, that we would fly into Grass Valley and harass the Bomber (Borate) Pilots about them neato old airplanes they were flying... B17's, 24's and maybe 25's and 6's... not sure bout them... and even the old TBM... neat....

Great Place to live too I be thinking....    

Aloha...  

[JamesV]

Lowes has a little 9" Skill band saw for cheap. two wheel and it cuts great, easy to adjust. I have a almost new 3 wheel that I never could get to cut without a lot of hastle. Won't mention the brand but a real piece of junk.

[snag]

If you look around you can pick up a good 14" saw for $100-150. I bought a Jet that is like new for $150. It'll last me the rest of my life I'm sure.

[Bradford]

Rattus.. Hawaii???  How do you go from Grass Valley to Hawaii??
It is a nice place.. but like a lot of areas, it is getting a little big for the room we have.

JamesV.. I had that Skill 9" from Lowe's.. worked real good for what it was.  It is a 2 wheel.  I spent a good 1/2 hour going thru and adjusting it when I bought it and it worked good after that.

[don s]

thanks everybody. heres the deal. i'm on disability. so is my wife. its hard to make ends meet. i had just got started in trad archery. i had all the tools i needed except a band saw. then our shed burned down with all my tools, 2 tree stands, snow blower, lawn mower, camping gear. even my laminating oven and forms. the only thing i saved was 3 draw knives. the insurance paid for the contents but not to replace the shed. we don't have a garage or basement so we had to use the money for a new shed and lawn mower plus a few new tools. when i went on disability i sold my work tools (machinist) and used the money for bills. i still had a set of outside micrometers that just sold on craigs list. i got $150 for them and my wife said to get a band saw with it. it's the only way i can see to ever get one so i want to make sure it's a good one. so what i want is to stay away from 3 wheels and get the most powerful motor that i can. thank you all.

[don s]

i found a 12" craftsman bandsaw/sander on craigs list for $125. theres a driving ban on right now from the lake effect snow we got hit with. i talked to the seller and when the ban is lifted i'll go and check it out.

[8Charles]

I have the Sears new style 12" band saw I found used (but the guy said he never used it).  It was $225.00 with a Woodcraft rolling base  It looked brand new. I am very happy with it.

[don s]

this saw is listed as 12" bandsaw/sander. i think you can remove the saw blade and replace it with a narrow sanding belt. then maybe mount a platen so the belt can ride against it. according to the seller both the saw and sander work. he said everything is in very good working order. it belonged to his late father. if anyone is familiar with this particular bandsaw/sander, i would like some input.

[Rattus58]

Originally posted by Bradford:
Rattus.. Hawaii???  How do you go from Grass Valley to Hawaii??
It is a nice place.. but like a lot of areas, it is getting a little big for the room we have.

JamesV.. I had that Skill 9" from Lowe's.. worked real good for what it was.  It is a 2 wheel.  I spent a good 1/2 hour going thru and adjusting it when I bought it and it worked good after that.

I flew out of Stead Air Force Base back in the late 60's when I was learning how to fly more for money than just fer advancing recreational opportunity... not that that was why we dropped into Grass Valley... we saved that for South Tahoe or the Nut Tree.... or Winnemucca....    Nah.... I knocked around a lot of that area... Truckee,grass valley, Colfax  and such... great area but your right... probably subject to change as years go by... sad... but then after a quarter of a century the missuse changed some too... stuff grows on you I guess you don't notice the changes till yer kids come to visit....

Aloha...  

[hoogster]

I bought a 14" Grizzly Bandsaw from a friend last spring.  I definitely need to replace the blade.  What kind of blade shoud I get?

[Bradford]

Hoog.. it depends on the type of cuts you are doing.  I use two main styles..

a 1/2" quick cut for slicing up lams and making large cuts, then I will slap in my 1/4" fine blade to do curves and clean cuts.
I am not 100% on the TPI's there are.  I know the 1/2" is a McNasty blade.. so it leaves lot's of marks, but man does it slice and dice..
Then the 1/4" is a bit finer.. still cut's good, but takes a bit longer.. but goes around corners real good and does not leave a lot of marks.