Bandsaws

[Alie Barnes]

Any recomendations for a band saw?

Ive looked on Ebay and found a couple

Would these be suitable for cutting wood for bowls etc? or are they a little weedy?

I saw this on Ebay too.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/350W-Bandsaw_W0QQ ... 286.c0.m14

Any recomendations for Bands saws, budgets are kinda limited but all suggestions welcome.

Thank you

 

[jpt]

HI

The best advice is buy the best you can afford, I started out with a cheap one and outgrew it within weeks.

I now have the SIP 14" and would recomend it highly, as a slightly cheaper one they also do a 10" which is also excellent.

john

 

[NickWelford]

Hi Alie

I would say that those are much too weedy. You would be very disappointed, I think. Minimum is a 10", IMHO, larger if possible.

 

[Blister]

Any recomendations for a band saw?

Ive looked on Ebay and found a couple

Would these be suitable for cutting wood for bowls etc? or are they a little weedy?

I saw this on Ebay too.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/350W-Bandsaw_W0QQ ... 286.c0.m14

Any recomendations for Bands saws, budgets are kinda limited but all suggestions welcome.

Thank you

Slightly better than Fisher Price

Save up and get a proper Band saw :wink:

 

[CHJ]

I go along with the bigger the better, one thing for certain is that whatever depth of cut your bandsaw can accommodate the next green log you want to tackle is 1cm bigger.

I have a 14" SIP, size of which was purely down to my budget at the time. A 16 or 18" would not be over the top for handling green wood for me.

Having gone past the guarantee dates on my machine I modified it to increase the cut depth from 205mm to 252mm, not a lot but a very significant increase in the percentage of logs that it will accommodate.

On the power front, if you only want the machine for primarily cutting log blanks as opposed to long length resawing of timber slabs, the overall power or duty cycle need not be too high so a hobby rated as opposed to trade rated is sufficient as a log only presents maximum cut depth over a very short percentage of the cut in the round, and at worst if splitting along the core for a short time.

Most important regardless of machine is a quality sharp blade.

 

[Mark Hancock]

Have to agree with Nick & Chas. From my pesonnal experience I'd avoid 3 wheel bandsaws. You get more wear on the blade and less options as to size of blades you can use.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Alie,

it doesn't matter what you get, it will still be too small. I've got an elektra beckum 315 which I bought second hand. I still can't afford anything larger. Despite it's problems it does a good job with a new blade. Mine cost £135 but I've seen them go for much less since then. Keep a watch on ebay and I'm sure you'll get one. Of course if you've got more money then get a bigger saw.

Dave

 

[TEP]

Hi Alie.

IMO for £ value per inch of cut you should be looking at 2 wheel band saws with a 8" depth of cut. Once you go past that 8" barrier the cost rises at an alarmingly crazy rate. You can get a new 8" saw for about £400. Some are a bit less and some more expensive.

Then you can pick up a used one any where between £100 - £200 depending on quality and age.

 

[Wanlock Dod]

Hi Alie,

The bigger the better.

I think TEP is about spot on.

Cheers,

Dod

 

[big soft moose]

I concur with whats already been said - dont buy ultra cheap and get a two wheel rather than a three wheel.

however you dont need to spend the GDP of brazil to get a decent one , and dont neglect the second hand market. My rexon two wheel is relatively compact (in my workshop it has to be) but does the buisness as far as cutting out bowl blanks etc. I bought it second hand (from blister) for 50 nicker.