Bandsaw?

[matt]

Having scared myself resawing a few short lengths of 80mm Oak from 25mm down to 15mm on my Excalibur 10" table saw (had to remove the guard :shock: and stood very much to one side waiting for it to hurl the piece across the garage!), I got to thinking about perhaps investing in a bandsaw.

Space and budget are my two restricting factors (and the absence of a thicknesser or planer to finish the sawn side. I tend to use a hand-held belt sander.)

£200 is my budget (which more or less deals with the space issue too - small budget = small machine).

Despite having read lots of other threads I still need to ask if this really is the answer to my problems/safety or a waste of £200 and I should simply avoid resawing on the table saw?

 

[Tusses]

Have you tried a different blade supplier ?
A different blade can make it seem like a different saw

try Dragon Saws - just google them for a phone number. they are very helpfull.

Rich

 

[matt]

The blade in the tablesaw is a DeWalt 48t (perhaps not quite the best choice for resaw ripping but otherwise seems to be a good blade). N'theless, I've got an open mind to trying alternatives if tablesaw is the better option versus a £200 bandsaw.

 

[Tusses]

my mistake. I didn't read properly !

I thought you were looking for 'another' band saw ! resawing on a table saw can be quite an experience :shock:

Jigs can help - but a band saw is a good option - try ebay. I just got a good 14" for under £400.

depending on the size you regularly resaw will show which size band saw you need.
Rich

 

[matt]

my mistake. I didn't read properly !

I thought you were looking for 'another' band saw ! resawing on a table saw can be quite an experience :shock:

Jigs can help - but a band saw is a good option - try ebay. I just got a good 14" for under £400.

depending on the size you regularly resaw will show which size band saw you need.
Rich

LOL - no problem.

Re the size that I regularly resaw... I don't really have a regular size as such. I just attempt to try and re-dimension timber I have lying around as much as possible to save filling my garage with new stock (and the inevitable growing collection of off cuts). So, I guess, I'll resaw whatever my £200 machine can handle. For anything else I'll purchase new stock.

 

[Tusses]

I guess for £200 you might be limited.

I was very happy with £370 for a used 14" Band saw that will resaw 11" max.

 

[Streepips]

for about £30 or less you can buy a Stehle Swedish ripsaw blade that will do the job easily. I guarantee you will smile as you make your first rip cut with it

 

[Chems]

I'm currently buying the Axminster one AWSBS2 because my table saw scared me! For £30 more on your budget you can get the next model up but I think the smaller one actually has some better features.

 

[woody67]

Sorry Matt - I know next to nowt bout bandsaws, but this took my eye, as did this.I've read good stuff about the Record, but as for the Sealey............ :roll:

Good luck mate.

Mark

 

[matt]

Mmmmm... The BS250 seems to be mostly well regarded (except some references to dust in the bearings causing premature failure). Metabo also seem to make a small machine but cannot find much info about it.

 

[Tusses]

I think , from what you have said you want it for, you will soon outgrow a 10" saw.

 

[p111dom]

Kity 613's go on ebay all the time for £150. I bought one with 7 blades for that price. It has it's downsides but when set up properly is reasonably competent at resawing to depths of 6 inches or so.

Resawing on the Kity

 

[p111dom]

In fact Matt check your PM's. This is interesting.

 

[Grinding One]

If you have a scraficial fence on before the blade starts cutting it shouldn`t throw your stock back at you,also a set of fingers on the off cut side,to keep the stock going straight.You have a riving knife to keep your stock from coming together right??

Sacrafial Fence : Norm Abrams
A piece of wood mounted to your fence for resawing lumber
Always use a push stick to hole down a piece of wood your working with.

 

[matt]

Mmmmmm... hunted down a Startrite 301 on Ebay and watched as it sailed past my budget...

N'theless... Can someone give me some idea of the finish I can expect from a bandsaw?

 

[iajon69]

N'theless... Can someone give me some idea of the finish I can expect from a bandsaw?

Depends on the amount of teeth in the blade and the thickness that you are cutting - the more teeth in the blade the better the finish but slower the cut.
As long as you use the right blade for the thickness of the stock being cut then a bandsaw is capable of leaving a very good finish.

 

[matt]

Thank you. Quite happy to invest in a collection of suitable blades.

 

[matt]

Next question...

Noticed the Record Power 300X has a 100mm dust extraction port. I do not have a monster dust extractor with that size of port but I do have a Trend vac which I would like to use. Has anyone attempted using a converter to make the hose of a shop vac fit this type of machine? Was it a success?

Cheers

 

[Timmo]

For what its worth - I have the Record BS250 and really love it....I use it mainly for cutting the cheeks on tenons but a bandsaw is a very handy tool to have in the work shop so you won't regret getting one....The thickest balde I can use on the 250 is 1/2 inch and thet is pretty good for resawing...
I don't have any dust extraction or a proper shop vac or anything but I do have a crappy old dyson that I hook up to the port on the 250 and it seems to work fine...
Re the dust clogging the bearings...I guess that is expected with any bearing guided blade bandsaws isn't it? But I haven't had a problem so far and I am sure its easy to get some replacements if/when needed....can probably find them cheaper than from record...
Gope thats of some help...
Cheers
Timmo

 

[matt]

Thanks, Timmo. The 250 was my start point and, as per usual, I've managed to sell myself up...

I'm anticipated resawing, cutting tenons, and using the saw for smaller rips and crosscuts etc (the sort that my Xcalibur tablesaw seems too scary for).