bandsaw blues

[john w smith]

Trying to decide on a bandsaw. How important is the brake? I like the rikon 18 inch , but the steel city and grizzly have brakes. What's the give?

[Jake Helmboldt]

A brake is a convenience, nothing more really. It allows you to stop the saw rather than letting it coast to a stop. In the event a band brakes there is a degree of added safety (less chance of the broken band getting whipped around), but the top wheel will still be spinning. There are far more important considerations in a saw.

[Frank Drew]

I agree with Jake; I've never had a bandsaw with a brake and never missed one. When I finish cutting, I turn off the saw and walk away to do whatever else I have to do; who cares how long the saw takes to coast to a stop?

As far as I remember, I've had one band break in twenty-five years, and nothing bad happened.

[John Bush]

I had a Rikon 18" and was very pleased with it, but I often found myself hanging on to resaw cutoffs and had a hard time hitting the off button, and run time was ~~1 min. I got a good offer on the Rikon and bought a Griz 21"er with brake. I like the Griz even more and I feel safer using it.(extra size has come in handy too) You could make a good argument that a different(better?) technique would make the brake less important, and a good outfeed table would help bunches too. Next on my list to do. Lots of previous Creeker posters have said they have the brake but don't use it, but I use it for shut down every time. I think it's a good habit to have.

If you are shopping for a new BS you should check the Griz 21" 3hp that's on sale with free shipping. I think it's the best value out there now. Good luck, JCB.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

John,

I am a bandsaw rookie but I sure enjoy the footbrake on my MM-16. I don't have to reach around the saw to stop the blade from moving while holding the piece I been cutting.

[Tom Veatch]

So far, the lack of a brake on my 16" BS hasn't been a problem for me, even with resawing. I don't know that I'd be willing to pay any kind of a premium for the presence of a manual brake.

I really don't see it as being any more of a safety hazard as the long spin down time on a stacked dado blade, and probably not as much.