biliousfrog Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 I've just got my Xmas bonus from work & would like to get myself a bandsaw for cutting out bodies & necks. I'm very limited on space so I might have to reconsider as yet but I just wanted to know what things I should be considering. If I want to be ripping long lengths of timber, does blade depth have much influence or blade speed or is it more to do with the quality of the blades? Same goes for cutting out shapes...what to consider. um.....anything really just to help me cut through the jargon & look at what's important. cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernova9 Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 I've just got my Xmas bonus from work & would like to get myself a bandsaw for cutting out bodies & necks. I'm very limited on space so I might have to reconsider as yet but I just wanted to know what things I should be considering. If I want to be ripping long lengths of timber, does blade depth have much influence or blade speed or is it more to do with the quality of the blades? Same goes for cutting out shapes...what to consider. um.....anything really just to help me cut through the jargon & look at what's important. cheers If you're looking for a resaw bandsaw, you want at least a 14" with a riser kit, that's pretty much the smallest that will still have the capability to resaw maple tops etc.. If I remember correctly you're in the UK? Selection isn't anywhere near as good as in the US, but places like Axminster and others carry a fair line. Might want to ask Jammy, I seem to remember him just setting up a shop, I think he's got a Record Bandsaw, but not 100% on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 Depending on what you want to do with the saw you should look at a few key items. !. max. Clearance for resaw. If you want to be able to resaw you need clearance. 2.guides. guides are very important to keeping the blades straight and true. Bearings are the best IMO, Cool blocks and ceramics can be made to work well, but seem to not allow for as tight a tolerance and increase blade wear a bit 3.Horsepower, bearings, wheels, and other moving parts. Look for good quality, well balance, and 1 HP min. For heavy re-saw larger motor may be desirable. 4. How easy is it to tune the machine. You will get great results and have a very accurate machine if you can fine tune it well. 5. Blade capacity- You can use 1/2" for most any re-saw(limited volume) and be very happy. If you plan on re-sawing a lot of material a wider blade capacity may be desirable. Honestly for building guitars you could use 1/2" for just about everything. I personally have a few narrower blades for very tight radius cuts, and wider for large runs of re-saw. My work horse is the 1/2". Aside from the saw. Get good blades that are suited to your needs. Timberwolf makes a great all around durable blade. Woodslicer blades are outstanding for low loss(very thin kerf) cool running re-sawing. For extra(lower priced) blades (maybe limited use narrower blades) All Pro, Woodcraft and a few other man. are just fine. The smaller blades generally are not used as often and are not used for heavy cutting so less expensive blades can get the job done very well. Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biliousfrog Posted December 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 thanks, I mainly want one as a replacement for my jigsaw which struggles a bit on 2" bodies & shaping necks plus the blade never cuts square. I'm not too bothered about bookmatching & the like but I would like to be able to cut up laminates for necks. I guess 80mm clearance would suffice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar2005 Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 When I got my band saw, I figured i'd never re-saw anything other than fingerboards (i.e. 3" height) and that it would be perfect for cutting out body shapes and necks. As I advanced in the world of guitar building, I started to re-saw pieces of up to 6" high and I now wish I had clearance of up to 10". I've got the 14" Shopmaster Delta. This model suits me fine but eventually, I'd like to add more clearance. The Shopmaster does not accept the riser block so I'll have to have one made My opinion is that you should get the 14" Delta or similar saw. Have fun shopping! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 Go with one that is bigger than you think you'll need. Honestly, i dont think i could work with a 14" bandsaw, its just too small for comfort. A bigger saw will have a bigger motor, longer blade length, better bearing for the guides, and easier to use. I have a 19", two speed, just bought it last week, and i already kinda wish i didnt buy it new, but rather bought a second hand one that was bigger. But, i like buying new things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobz Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Hello biliousfrog, I don`t live too far from you, just down the road in Gorleston. I have two bandsaws in my workshop pictured below. My small one is an Elektra Beckum 250 with 4" depth of cut. My big one is a Record BS350 with 9 3/8" depth of cut. I find both machines to be very good. I recently completed the long case clock in American Cherry which was resawn on the large bandsaw. I had some timber left over from this project to build a coffee table. The cabriole legs were cut on the small bandsaw as you can see in the photo, so this bandsaw would do just nicely if you were just building electrics. It cut through the cherry ( 2 5/8" square )like the preverbial hot knife through butter. I`m back to instrument making in the new year. I shall be making two steel string acoustics using some georgous quilted maple for the backs and sides. Here`s photos of the finished clock and table. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biliousfrog Posted December 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Hi bobz, Nice to hear from a local Do/did you work as a cabinet maker or joiner locally? rhoads, I hear what you're saying, if I had the money & space I'd go for a deeper cut but as I'm limited on both I'd rather go for a better quality one limited on features rather than a jack-of-all-trades machine on a budget. I don't have a dedicated workshop as such. I have to move between the shed, garden & the garage depending on what I need to do. I have a pillar drill in the shed along with a small bench but for routing it gets a bit cramped....so I either move outside or into the garage.....however, the garage is home to my girlfriend's '62 Vespa which needs covering up prior to any work... it's also sometimes home to her '67 Triumph TR4a which takes up the whole garage (selfish bugger). I'm hoping that over the Xmas holiday I can clear out the shed, build a dedicated bench & try to find room for a bandsaw...& in the process try to remember not to fit it in a corner where I can't cut anything longer than 12" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToneMonkey Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 As one of the lab techs at uni said...... ......If you can buy and old British one that's been looked after, it'll still last longer than you will. These new ones are just crap! I know a few people with band saws from the 70's and they're still going strong and show no signs of dying any time soon. As one of the lab techs at uni said...... ......If you can buy and old British one that's been looked after, it'll still last longer than you will. These new ones are just crap! I know a few people with band saws from the 70's and they're still going strong and show no signs of dying any time soon. EDIT - Your girlfriend sounds cool, mine had a 1964 MG Midget. There are some photo's here: http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.ph...mp;hl=MG+midget Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 ...or get an old Italian and/or German bandsaw. Italy in particular has/has a history of high-quality machine-building, lots of high-end tools available. I bought a second-hand Cattini bandsaw for about 500 quid, 16" model with 10" resaw capacity. 23 years old, but looks maybe 10, and is in fantastically good condition. Have just tracked down a VSD that'll allow me to use the 3-phase motor. It's still relatively modern, not a big old cast iron model, but it has a very heavy frame, thick steel doors, incredibly sturdy, and runs smoothly and quietly (or at least it did when I tested it at the guy I bought it's place!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Space limitations and buget are issues we all have to deal with. Honestly though a bandsaw is one of the most valuable tools you will ever have in your shop. A 14" model w/riser block potential(you don't have to get it now, but it would be nice to be able to upgrade it down the road) would be a very smart minimum goal. It will make a world of difference in capability vs a 12" or smaller model. Looking for good used equipment is a very smart approach. Just be sure to do your homework and know what you are looking at. In smaller shops it is possible to place shop equipment on good locking casters. This can allow you to move things around and get the most out of your space. I think you will realise just how much potential a bandsaw has after you get one. If you get an undersized model you may never realise some of this potential(This is in no way trying to be a tool snob, just trying to give you an honest heads up). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToneMonkey Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Well, I didn't mean exclusivey British, just old, over engineered and well looked after It could be outer mongolian for all I care Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biliousfrog Posted December 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2006 well, I've got my eye on this at the moment... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...p;rd=1&rd=1 What do you guys think? I'll need to stretch my budget a little (a lot if I get the stand) but it has much more to offer than anything else I've seen at that price. I've been scouring the secondhand market for something better but the UK seems a little lacking compared to the US. I can't find anything with riser block potential...not in the UK anyway, so I thought that this one - with 8.1/4" cutting depth will have to suffice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 well, I've got my eye on this at the moment... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...p;rd=1&rd=1 What do you guys think? I'll need to stretch my budget a little (a lot if I get the stand) but it has much more to offer than anything else I've seen at that price. I've been scouring the secondhand market for something better but the UK seems a little lacking compared to the US. I can't find anything with riser block potential...not in the UK anyway, so I thought that this one - with 8.1/4" cutting depth will have to suffice. The specs look pretty good, but I know diddly about the saw or the brand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 That looks like a pretty good saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simo Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 (edited) well, I've got my eye on this at the moment... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...p;rd=1&rd=1 What do you guys think? I'll need to stretch my budget a little (a lot if I get the stand) but it has much more to offer than anything else I've seen at that price. I've been scouring the secondhand market for something better but the UK seems a little lacking compared to the US. I can't find anything with riser block potential...not in the UK anyway, so I thought that this one - with 8.1/4" cutting depth will have to suffice. I have a SIP 14" bandsaw, I've brought other SIP tools before including the 6" jointer, which I wouldn't recommend... however the bandsaw isn't bad. Some of the plastic fittings are a bit flimsy and cheap but that's relative to the price, like you say there's no other 14" saws in that price range. It performs well for the small price tag and has served me well for general cutting and ripping over the last 2 years. I've used it for bookmatching tops recently and it worked fine. One thing I would suggest if you brought it, is to replace the factory fitted blade with a better quality one. I actually brought mine from that seller on ebay (West Skelston Services), very good service, I'd definitely recommend them. Edited December 25, 2006 by Simo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.