My all wood Bandsaw

[Timothy Mann]

The subject of bandsaws seems to be a big topic at times here, I thought some of you folks might enjoy seeing my all wood bandsaw. I found this on our local CL a few months ago, after getting it home I did some minor tune ups on it and it has worked wonderful. I still need to make some circle cutting jigs for cutting bowl blanks and the sort. I do not remember the blade length off the top of my head.

[Jamie Donaldson]

Welll, that's different, and leave it to some self-sufficient NewEnglander to build a wooden bandsaw. Wonder how much it flexes when the blade is tensioned?

[Bernie Weishapl]

Pretty cool bandsaw.

[Olaf Vogel]

Nice find!
I was considering building my own as well.
http://woodgears.ca/bandsaw/homemade.html has plans and lots to show that this works.

Before I could start the project I stumbled across an old, but working BS for a great price.

[Steve Mawson]

Seems like there was a company back in the 60's that sold plans for a small bandsaw. I made one and it worked ok. Sold it in the 80's at a garage sale. The company that sold the plans might have been in St. Charles, MO.

[Ben Martin]

Seems like there was a company back in the 60's that sold plans for a small bandsaw. I made one and it worked ok. Sold it in the 80's at a garage sale. The company that sold the plans might have been in St. Charles, MO.

Yup, what Steve said.

You have yourself a Gil-Bilt saw...

http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=369

What I liked about the one I saw for sale was the massive table on it. Let us know how it works with a massive blank on it.

PS. The company is still in business and selling the kits...

[Biff Johnson]

By some fluke I have come across at least 3 of these in the last year. I saw one for sale at the local building supply recyling center, one on CL and one at a yard sale!

[James Roberts]

I had one of those myself, my very first bandsaw. Picked it up at an auction for $2.00. I got a few years out of it then got my current Grizzly BS.

If I remember correctly the blade length was 123 inches and yes there was a bit of flexing when adding tension to the blade. Quite a bit of blade drift, had to compensate for that. Somewhere around here I may still have the plans and some of the hardware that came with the original kit. Mine was already put together when I got it but they were sold in kit form with all the hardware, you had to supply the lumber, cut your own parts and assemble it. Gil-Bilt also had kits for a sander and table saw and I think there was also a drill press/lathe kit.