Bandsaw Powerfeeders

[Dan Lee]

I have been considering a power feed for my 5 year old MM16 for resawing. Cheapest Ive seen is a Griz for around $1500 plus. Thats nearly as much as I paid for the BS new. Others like Powermatic are even more.

Why are they so expensive? Can a regular stock feeder somehow work on a bandsaw?

[Frank Drew]

Dan,

I don't think we have to take an entirely dollars-and-cents approach to tool buying, but I'd think you'd have to be doing a LOT of resawing to need a power feeder, let alone doing enough work to pay back the cost.

[Dan Lee]

Dan,

I don't think we have to take an entirely dollars-and-cents approach to tool buying, but I'd think you'd have to be doing a LOT of resawing to need a power feeder, let alone doing enough work to pay back the cost.

Frank
For a hobbiest I probably do resaw a lot. Most times I prefer to mill my own lumber out of 8 to 12/4 rough lumber and also slice my own veneers for ply panels.

So for me it would be nice to have one, but when the cost of the accessory approaches or surppases the tool it leaves me scratching my head.

[Anthony Whitesell]

We have a bunch of shmart people here, has anyone built their own. I have given a little thought but not much. A small motor with a speed control and some wheels, how hard can that be. :rolleyes:

[Brad Shipton]

I have no idea why they are so expensive, but I am about a day or two from turning mine on. It would be tricky to mount a common PF to a BS due to the small table size. I have a 20" BS and I had to mount a small braket on one side to get all the bolts on. You might be able to mount one of the little conventional PF's but not a three wheeler. I have seen some floor mounted conventional PF's on the Woodweb that would make it very possible.

Have you looked at the Co-matic website? Pretty much all of the BS feeders are coming from them as I understand.

By the way, I doubt the $1500 Grizzly feeder will fit very well on your machine. That size is pretty much for 24" versions and up. The small version hardly fits on mine. I can add some pics in a few days if you like. The small version will allow for up to 4" resaw and if you wanted to use your own fence it could do more.

Brad

[Dan Lee]

I have no idea why they are so expensive, but I am about a day or two from turning mine on. It would be tricky to mount a common PF to a BS due to the small table size. I have a 20" BS and I had to mount a small braket on one side to get all the bolts on. You might be able to mount one of the little conventional PF's but not a three wheeler. I have seen some floor mounted conventional PF's on the Woodweb that would make it very possible.

Have you looked at the Co-matic website? Pretty much all of the BS feeders are coming from them as I understand.

By the way, I doubt the $1500 Grizzly feeder will fit very well on your machine. That size is pretty much for 24" versions and up. The small version hardly fits on mine. I can add some pics in a few days if you like. The small version will allow for up to 4" resaw and if you wanted to use
your own fence it could do more.
Brad

Brad
Thanks for the heads up on potential table size issue. I'll check out the Comatic website. Maybe I'll call MM and see if they have any inputs on one that will work on the MM16.
Pics would be great if you get a chance

[Myk Rian]

I saw a picture somewhere of a feeder for a band saw. It was a heavy weight on a pulley to pull the stock across the table. Heck of a lot cheaper.

[Brad Shipton]

Dan, here is the picture of my BS PF mounted. I have only used a bit thus far.

Brad


http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj176/Brad805/Shop/DSC02300.jpg

[Chip Lindley]

The price is totally affordable for shop owners who have employees feeding stock through a bandsaw for an 8 hour shift! A job done by a minimum wage worker who's last interest is in bandsawn veneer or woodworking! Minimizing injury lawsuit liability and workman's comp claims is a huge reason for adding power feeders in any commercial shop! Same premise for the SawStop TS!

Otherwise, *Joe Woodworker* can put the $1500 bandsaw feeder on his list of shiny things to make workshop life just a little more *spiffy*!

Joe can be so *safety conscious* that he MUST have any accessory which will keep his digits completely away from the saw table!

The most justifiable reason would be if Joe has tons of resawing to do, which may cause stress and fatigue during long repetitive resaw sessions. Joe may also have a physical disabilty which automation overcomes.

I have no reason to believe that the many makes of very affordable *mini-feeders* could not be re-invented to run sideways and feed stock through even the smaller 14" bandsaws. An inventive woodworker could and should come up with a mount specifically for the bandsaw.

[Dan Lee]

Brad
Thanks for the pic. I have about 10" to the right of the blade, but the front to back is likely to small its only 18" total. Yours looks to be 24"

[Wes Grass]

Laguna has one that uses a sanding belt for the feed. I'd think some shopping on CL and/or Ebay could land you an old belt sander and a gear motor for less than a tenth the price of one of these.

Re the price, might be as simple as economy of scale. How many tens of thousands of bandsaws do they make and sell in a year vs power feeders?

[Steve Kohn]

I just threw away an old paper shreader. I almost pulled the motor out with the intent to repurpose the motor for a power feeder. It was a high torque and low speed motor. I don't know if it could be adapted for variable speed, I never got that far.

Then the LOML reminded me:
1. that we are supposed to be decluttering the house and not adding to the stuff I have been saving; and,
2. I don't have the time now to do all the projects on my list; and,
3. I don't have the skill to do the design (I could argue this point); and,
4. I don't have the metalworking tools and skill to actually get this project to work; and,
5. I don't know what I would do with a powerfeeder if I had one.