Band Saw?

[Darkhorse]

For cutting excess off a blank what would be the minimum size band saw that would work.
Specifically: Will a 9" throat get the job done?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Yes, I believe a 9" throat saw will work fine for trimming your blank.  But a good 14" with bearings in the guide works a lot nicer.

[t.caster]

9" M I G H T work, but you'll apreciate the size & power of the 14" much more. My14" uses 93" blades that come in a vast variety of sizes and configurations for wood or metal. There are times the 14"throat is not even enough. Once you have it you will find a lot more uses for it than gunstocks.

[Dphariss]

For cutting excess off a blank what would be the minimum size band saw that would work.
Specifically: Will a 9" throat get the job done?

Do not get a too small a saw. They often gag when trying to cut maple 2-3" thick. Bench top hobby band saws are only good for making model railroads its seems.

Dan

[Dphariss]

9" M I G H T work, but you'll apreciate the size & power of the 14" much more. My14" uses 93" blades that come in a vast variety of sizes and configurations for wood or metal. There are times the 14"throat is not even enough. Once you have it you will find a lot more uses for it than gunstocks.

Yes. Exactly.

Dan

[T*O*F]

Specifically: Will a 9" throat get the job done?

You will find yourself severely handicapped.  I have a Craftsman 10" and its maximum depth of cut is 3 inches.  A 9" saw would be even less, so if you have a thick blank, it won't handle it.  Also, the blades are very small and bind easily on long cuts because the kerf closes behind it.  You will blow a lot of blades.

I also have a 14" floor model that I use most.  It is passible most of the time.  Your best bet is to buy the biggest saw you can afford.  Depth of cut is more important than distance from blade to the riser.  Especially if you find the need to re-saw thick planks.

Harbor Freight has an inexpensive 14" floor model with an optional 4" riser to extend the depth of cut and a variety of blades are available thru them or Enco.  If you can catch them on sale, they are an even better bargain.....sometimes up to $100 off.

[Darrin McDonal]

I have a 14" Harbour Frieght type saw and I am franticly trying to repalce it asap because it is way too limiting with power and cut depth. But----- It does do the job just very poorly. I would highly, highly recomend , at least a 16" or at least a heavy duty type like Grizzly's 14" heavy duty but would go up the next step like there 14" industrial re-saw for $250 more. www.grizzly.com. Forget the Harbour fright saw.
Darrin

[Clark Badgett]

I have a 9" bandsaw and it is worthless for anything much over a inch material. It will cut it, but not very good. A good 14" Grizzly is on the order list as soon as I get home. Blades are also far less common for the 9".

[T*O*F]

A 14" Grizzly is 401.50 with freight.  It has a 3/4 horse motor and takes 1/4" blades.  The riser is another $60 and blades are $11.  The base is $70.

A 14" Harbor Freight has a 1 horse motor and comes with the base.  You can get blades up to 3/4" for it.  The riser is extra.  I got mine for $199 on sale....complete.  It has to be "set up properly and tuned" for each blade, but once that is done, it cuts fine.  If you just slap it together and expect it to cut, it won't.

Not everyone wants to spend a ton of money if they are just a hobby builder, and the Harbor Freight is a bargain for them.  It is also a good semi-production machine.  I cut 30-40 stocks on mine a year.  However for heavy production I would go with the Grizzly....or if you're a tool freak.  You should always buy the best tool for your application.

[northmn]

I have an old Sears 12" that uses a 60 inch blade that has built a lot of guns and other stuff.  It would be the minimum size I would get, but with the correct blades it works fine.  As TOF says, one has to know set up for each blade or you have problems.  Also getting the correct blades is an issue.  I have a Olson 1/2 inch that cuts thick wood like a demon but leaves a very rough cut.  A 1/4 inch I have cuts with less authority but is better for butt plates and other apps as it is a smoother cut.  A band saw requires a little knowlege as any tool for its use.  I have a little bench model I inherited from my father that works Ok for cutting out lawn ornaments but that is about it.

DP

[Darrin McDonal]

The 14" grizzly's I was refering to were 1 1/2 hp and 2 hp. Thats why I was suggesting them over the HF saw.  a 1 1/2 or 2hp saw in a 14" is really nice and they both take from 1/8" to 3/4" blades. The re-saw 14" version has upto 10" thick cutting capabilities with having to buy any accesories. The regular HD 14" cut upto 6" without the extension.

[Darrin McDonal]

I was going to say also Griz HD 14" 1 1/2 hp for $575.00 sounds to me like an easy choice for the price but if I were able to drum up another $250.00 I would definitely upgrade to the Griz re-saw model.

[Dennis Glazener]

I have a 12" Craftsman and I wouldn't want anything any smaller but I found out real quick that the blade has a lot to do with how it cuts. I had a brand new 1/2" blade that I got from Woodcraft. I got the one they recommended for aggressive cutting on 3" hard maple. It does fair on straight cuts but is not at all suitable for making even shallow curving cuts. I was very dissatisfied when I tried to cut sugar maple blanks. No fun at all!

I happened to have a 1/4" metal cutting blade that someone gave me. I decided to try it. I was absolutely amazed at the difference. I was sure I would break it but I have been using it for a couple of years for both wood and an occasional brass and steel side and toe plates and so far it still cuts both wood and metal fine. I don't use it a whole lot but it serves the purpose for me. I guess I will have to see about buying another 1/4" metal cutting blade for one for a back-up.

Dennis

[Tom Cooper]

I use a 14" and have a 9" bench model for the inlays and such.

[davec2]

I have found it to be universally true that you can do small jobs on big machines, but not big jobs on small machines.  Get the 14 inch...at least.

[J Shingler]

The big drawback in a 9" saw is the 9" wheels. The blad has to bend around those small wheels and therefore have to use the very thin blades. I have tried the thicker blades and when flexed this much they break. The thin blades lost ok but flex badly one anything close to gunstock wood. I am much happier with my 14". No more broken blades! and I can make straight cuts. I am talking top to bottom. Those thin blades barrel flex in the middle of the wood.
J Shinglere

[Longshot]

Another thought.......
 Blade width ratings on cheaper saws often turn out to be exagerated.  Although 3/4" is commonly listed, I've found it to be a rare instance when a 14" hobbyist  saw has the frame and spring strength to properly tension a blade of that size, as well as the power to drive it for effective resawing beyond the 3 or 4 inch range.

[Tim Crosby]

 What ever you buy make sure you can get blades for it easily. I have an old 14"saw and it take a 91 1/2" blade, I have to have them made. On the blade I use a stone and round both back edges, it seems to help on making turns. Blade width and tooth per inch or pitch have a lot to do with the radii you can cut and the finish. Also there are blades for ripping and cross cutting. Usually the harder the material the finer the tooth. But as with anything what works for one may not work for all.

Tim C.

[Metalshaper]

with all saws, but especially the bench models, you can always alter the 'set' of the teeth!

I once made a jig to reset the teeth, of a 6 tpi blade. set every third tooth a bit wider and then resharpened the whole thing. once it was back on, it cut the 2+ inch maple with no real problems.< except for speed? > and this was using the lil' 7" Delta bench saw I have.

Works for me?? when I can't get over and borrow time on my buddy's BIG  bandsaw..

Respect Always
Metalshaper

[ehoff]

I have a Grizzly Z series 14" band saw, it is a very well made machine with a US made motor. As other's have said with a larger saw you have a bigger selection of blades and a much wider selection of accessories such as better blade guides, fences, etc.

[nthe10ring]

I have an old Delta 14" saw that I have had for probably 15 years or so  and works very well for most anything I find a need for with the right blade.  I have found that with any tool they all need a little tweaking to perform to their full potential.
One thing to check first is to make sure the wheels are co-planar, turning in the same vertical plane, might need to bush one or the other to achieve this.
Good guides are essential- i replaced the steel ones with the poor mans fix- graphite ones and make sure your thrust bearings are up to the job.
Check the tyres, i turned the ones on mine on the wheels to true them to center, just needed a little on the high spots.
I replaced the drive belt with link belt, made a lot of difference with smoothness and vibration.
Buy quality blades for the right job and play with the tensioning, just becase the guide says its correct for the size blade you use doesnt mean it is . You will just have to experiment to find the sweet spot for the blade you use. I am usually tensioning more that the notated guide amount, but then again my saw is old and the springs might have lost a bit.
Its a little aggrevation to do all this at the beginning , but in the long run it will pay off in a better running machine.

Jerry Fisher

[holzwurm]

IMHO - pay attention to those who described the limitations of small band saws. IMHO anything LESS than a 14" band saw driven by a 1 HP motor is a boat anchor. You can get a good saw and use it for a lifetime - and your grand children will use it for their lifetime's too.  Even if you have to get a good saw that's under powered - you can upgrade to a more powerful motor and you will love the results. A few years ago I found a 1960's vintage 14" Delta at auction for $200. I did a restoration and upgraded the motor.

Also, be sure you shop for the 6" frame extension. With it you increase your depth of cut to almost 12". I have resawed 11" wide planks with good results and hogged off lots of excess stock material free hand with my saw. There are a number of GOOD brands out there on the used machine market too.  Don't stop shopping at Harbour Freight!