New Band Saw

[Daniel Heine]

Hello,

I have been cutting my blanks for pens and bowls with a Crapsman contractors type table saw. The saw does more chopping than cutting, and I have been thinking of replacing it with a band saw instead. Does this make sense????

Harbor freight has their upscale G0555 band saw on sale right now for $375.00. If I wait until their tent sale in Springfield, Mo, will I save enough money to make the 17 hour drive worthwhile, or should I just order it now on sale?????

I thank you for your input. Quite frankly, I think the tablesaw is a missing limb waiting to happen, but what do you use for cutting blanks??

Thank You,
Daniel Heine

[Bill Bolen]

I've used the Grizz G0555 for a bit over a year and am very happy with it.Beats the heck out of a tablesaw for blank cutting(and fingers too). I use a timberwolf 3tpi X 3/8" blade...Bill...

[Richard Madison]

Sounds like your TS needs a new blade, maybe a carbide 40-tooth combination blade for general use. Mine is used for all sorts of stock preparation, plus cutting segments and compound staves. My sleds do clamp the wood in place, and also use various push sticks and the like to keep body parts away from the blade.

A BS is not really a substitute for a TS. But if you want/need one (I did), by all means get it. Mine gets a lot of use for jobs it does better than the TS. I assume that when Griz says "ball bearing blade guides" they mean the thrust bearings. I like the ceramic side guides.

[Steve Kubien]

Using a table saw to cut bowl blanks is asking for trouble. As I envision it, you would be doing a lot of cuts without the use of the fence and perhaps the mitre gauge. That means free-handing and I am glad I am not there to see that.

I have no knowledge of the bandsaw you mention and I still recommend it over a tablesaw.

Respectfully,
Steve
P.S. Tablesaw is great for cutting pen blanks and other spindle blanks, though.

[Richard Madison]

Good point Steve. I do not cut bowl blanks on the TS. That is indeed chainsaw and bandsaw work.

[Steve Kubien]

I have been cutting my blanks for pens and bowls with a Crapsman contractors type table saw.

Hey Richard,
Ya, I was more worried about Daniel's first sentence.
Steve

[Richard Madison]

Steve, Me too.

[Paul Gallian]

you wrote "Harbor freight has their upscale G0555 band saw on sale right now for $375.00. If I wait until their tent sale in Springfield, Mo"

We do have a HF here in Springfield but Grizzly has the tent sale.. as you implied with G0555 catalog id.

Are you sure you want to wait?
A 17 hour drive is a long trip with the possibility of not getting the bandsaw when you get here. It is a real mad house at the tent sales.. I live here and I do not go.... always sold out of what I want.

[Paul Atkins]

Harbor Freight and upscale don't seem to go together in the same sentence. However, get the best, biggest bandsaw you can afford. Bigger doesn't always mean better though. I can't count the hours messing with a lousy saw. I got a used 20" PM 87 and wished I had done it 10 years sooner.

[Jeff Nicol]

Dan,

One ot the first things I ever wanted was a bandsaw for my shop. The first one I owned was on a shopsmith that I bought in 1983. It since has been replaced by a 14" jet with the riser block and carter bearing guides. So far it has not let me down, I would like a larger saw with more power when I am resawing and cutting larger wet bowl blanks, but it is not a need. I looked at the full line of RIKON tools here in town and for the price they have some very nice band saws, the nest one I buy will be a RIKON. So what it comes down to is how fast do you want it and what are you going to do with it. Grizzly makes great tools and you will be happy with it, Harbor freight has tools that will get you by but may not last as long as a Jet, Grizzly,Rikon,Powermatic and so one. Like has been said buy the best you can get with the money you have, if you are shy on cash, save a bit more and get the one you want.

Good luck,

Jeff

[Mark Patoka]

I think you mean Grizzly has the G0555. I picked up the G0555X last year and it's been working great. Never been to one of the tent sales so don't know what's available but I would recommend getting a bandsaw for cutting blanks. Unless it's a very thin turning stock, I couldn't imagine trying to use a table saw. Put on a good blade and I think you'd be happy with the G0555.

[Prashun Patel]

I have the G0555 (not the X). Good saw. No probs. Most importantly, it stays in alignment very well. Instead of driving to Muncie, I think yr best bet is to watch it on Ebay. With a coupon or mscashback, you can often get it discounted, which offsets freight.

[Donald Barfield]

From the # it looks like you are referring to a Grizzly not Harbor Freight. If that is the case get it now, don't wait. I have been to two of their tent sales and in my opinion they are only good if you want to pick up one of the tools like you already own for spare parts. You may want to check ebay as Grizzly lists these saws there quite often at the same price and you can get the microsoft cash back rebate that way. I bought mine that way last fall when the rebate was 30%. Now it is only 8% but that still saves $30.00 dollars if you are going to get one anyway.

[Burt Alcantara]

I started off with the 0555. My initial cuttings were for box blanks. The saw did this with no problem. After a while, I was hoisting 60# chunks and nearly tipped the saw over a number of times. I've tried a variety of blades but still had a problem with deflection.

During the past CashBack boon, I picked up the Grizzly G0514X2 which still limits me to 12" height but I whiz thru anything I can get on the table.

For pens, boxes and small bowl blanks, the 0555 with a good 1/2x2 greenwood blade can't be beat. Notice I stated 1/2x2. I find this blade to be far superior to a 1/2x3. Timberwolf will warn you about buying this blade as it is "too aggressive for most." Me? I'd like a 1/2x1.

Burt

[Reed Gray]

The only thing a table saw can do that a bandsaw can't is cut rabbits and dadoes, and a bandsaw can do a lot of things a table saw can't. There are a couple of books out about bandsaws, and you should at least read one of them before buying. The blade is probably the most important accessory to the bandsaw you can get. The ones that come with the saw are usually junk, so you have to up grade. Call and talk to a supplier about what you are doing and will need. The best all round blade would be bimetal, 1/2 or 3/8 inch, and 3 or so tpi (teeth per inch) with some set (bent out slightly to make chip clearing better especially with wet wood) to them. It will work well for almost all cuts, holds its sharpness a long time, can be resharpened, and will do wet wood well. It is more of a roughing blade. A carbide blade is more specialized for resawing where you want a very clean surface/finish cut. Get the best bandsaw you can afford, and a 1 hp motor. Roller bearings are okay, but ceramic are better, but more expensive, and are an accessory, not standard on most bandsaws.
robo hippy

[Tim Cleveland]

I would definitely agree with everybody else that a bandsaw is much easier and safer than a tablesaw for what you're doing. I got a 14" bandsaw 8 months ago, and in all the reviews I saw before I got it, and the Grizzly G0555 is a very popular saw that doesn't seem to have many problems. On a higher level, the Rikon and the Steel City both recieve exceptional reviews (I have the Steel City 14" with the granite top and love it, no problems whatsoever) and seem to be more or less on the same page, regarding both quality and price. The only reason I chose the Steel City over the Rikon is because it has a 5 year warranty (the Rikon has a 2 year), not sure about the warranty on the Griz.

Tim

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have the G0555 and it is a excellent. I have not had a problem. I use either a 3/8" 3 tpi or 1/2" 3 tpi. Has did everything I have asked of it. Sold my tablesaw.

[Frank Kobilsek]

Daniel

I just can't picture cutting bowl blanks on a table saw.

I own that saw and have put the extension on it. Burt is right that there is not enough table for a hefty blank so I fixed that with a home made top I add when cutting big blanks. My fancy top did not increase the horse power so it still is not the best tool for rough rounding big blanks. I am back to making things round with the chain saw. Give me the right opportunity and I'll have a bigger bandsaw.

Fact is that model saw is just OK for guys that do F_ _ _ work but no match for 8 inches of wet hard maple in the hands of a woodturner that would rather be turning. IMHO

Frank

[Gary Simmons]

Dan
I was using a chop saw to cut my blanks, but recently purchased a band saw. The saw can be used for so many things, but chop and table saw both have their upsides.

But for cutting blanks I always cringed getting that small blank under a chop saw, and the measurements were not always exact.

The bandsaw has been the best purchase for blanks and will serve me for years to come. I purchased a Delta 14 inch and love it...

go for it..you wont regret a band saw purchase....

[Ron Lynch]

Before I bought a bandsaw, I cut bowl blanks on my tablesaw. But, I only knocked the corners off square blanks and I made a jig to hold the blank so I wouldn't have to. Worked OK, but round is better