band saw

[Michael Cole]

What size and brands of band saws would you recommend for a small workshop and a beginning woodworker? At first would probably be used mainly for resawing. I am just in the planning stages and will keep an eye out on craigslist, etc.

[John Lanciani]

One of the best small shop general purpose bandsaws is the US made Delta 14". It is the saw that all of the imported 14" cast iron saws are modeled after. Built from the mid 1930's to right around 2000, they are plentiful and affordable. The 14" Delta is the workhorse of many shops, both hobby and professional.

[Matt Day]

I agree with the 14" recommendation.

However, resawing isn't exactly a beginner type of activity, and it is difficult on a 14" saw. It's one of those things that is hard to do by a beginner, and is compounded when the saw is not up to the task.

[Peter Quinn]

I agree with the 14" recommendation.

However, resawing isn't exactly a beginner type of activity, and it is difficult on a 14" saw. It's one of those things that is hard to do by a beginner, and is compounded when the saw is not up to the task.

And beyond that once the material is resawn with a 14" saw that can't tension a carbide blade, none of them really can, you have saw marks to contend with. If you are talking about splitting thick stock for book matched panels, and you have a planer, no problem, but if you are making veneer, it must further be smoothed for glue up, so now you need drum sander or lots and lots of patience....or the number of a good veneer supplier. I think pretty much every 14" BS I've used with a sharp blade and the correct set up could split 8" material. My former PM 14" with riser could resaw to 12" at a very moderate pace, results were as good as the 16" Italian saw I use at work, just took about 5X longer. Anything below 8" and of average density was no problem. For curves it's all about a good blade and practice.

[Edward Oleen]

yes, 14" I agree with. If you can find one, I would suggest PowerMatic. Especially over Delta - there have been parts problems. I've got the latest PowerMatic 14" saw - the PWBS14. It is expensive, but it is worth it. It comes with the Carter tension release system and ball bearing blade guides already installed.

It is also capable of resawing. Not that I have done that much of it, but it will do it quite nicely. Mind you - no band saw is a sawmill-in-a-box, but for turning a 6" by 2' length of maple into usable pieces for the sort of stuff that is my bread-and-buttter, it is more than sufficient.

[lowell holmes]

I have the Jet with Carter guides. It does the job quite well. I have the riser block as well. The bandsaws I've seen at the big box stores just don't measure up in my opinion.

[Mike Null]

I purchased a Laguna 14-12 last fall and while I haven't been able to use it as much as I planned I'm extremely pleased with it. I got the moveable base and light as shown in the video. The base is a necessity, the light not so much.

http://www.lagunatools.com/bandsaws/1412-Bandsaw

[Erik Loza]

I'll ask it, then: What's your budget?

Erik

[lawrence munninghoff]

I would recommend the jet 14 inch cs model. Reasonably priced if you wait for a jet sale.

[Michael Cole]

Thanks for the information. I am just beginning to research this. Don't really have a budget and probably no veneer. The shop is going along. Electricians were here the last couple of days and will be here tomorrow probably putting in new box. Have to run more power from the house, so don't know when the excavator can come. Pretty exciting for me. Before living here never had a shop, much less a reloading/casting shop and a woodworking shop.

[Terry Therneau]

You might mention where you live -- someone on the list might have a pointer to a good used saw. I am partial to used tools myself as there can be a lot of bang for the buck but know that isn't for eveyone. (My own bandsaw is a 26" Moak, an 1100 lb beauty.)

[Allan Speers]

Thanks for the information. I am just beginning to research this. Don't really have a budget and probably no veneer. .


If veneer isn't a concern, then you can definitely get by with a 14" saw. I recently retired a Delta 28-475X (X5) which was the last all USA-made band saw Delta produced. That thing was a little cast iron beast, and 2 HP to boot. With the riser block installed, it tensioned a 3/4 Timberwolf blade just fine, and I was able to resaw 12" of most hardwoods with great accuracy, just slowly. - but like John L wrote above, any vintage 14" Delta will work well, and there are TONS of aftermarket parts for them.

The only other 14" saws I'd personally consider are the Powermatic and the Laguna 14-12. The Laguna is an import, though, and is 30 lbs lighter than the Delta X5, (I'm not sure about older Deltas) and has a steel frame, so I'd be wary of using a 3/4" blade.(Mike Null can surely give an informed opinion on this.) The Laguna has some nice features, though, esp the very solid top guide rail.

The Powermatic is built like a tank. Hard to go wrong with that. If you ever see one for a happy price, snag it.

Grizzly offers a decent 14", but if you are going to consider an import, my gut says the Laguna is probably a better machine. At a minimum, the Laguna's table is wider, and it allows 12" of resaw vs the Grizzly's 10".
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But the bottom line is, unless you want to cut shop-made veneers, with todays ultra-thin blades, a 14" (with at least a 1 HP motor) should serve you really well.

[Myk Rian]

What size and brands of band saws would you recommend for a small workshop and a beginning woodworker? At first would probably be used mainly for resawing. I am just in the planning stages and will keep an eye out on craigslist, etc.

One of these.


315598

[Michael Cole]

One of these.


315598
Can't see what that is.

I live in NW Montana and would go as far as Spokane for the right saw at the right price.

[Mike Cutler]

I guess I'm going to go against the grain here.

If you know that you want to re-saw material, whether for veneer, book matching, or just as part of the milling process, and that is your primary focus for the machine, then buy the largest, most powerful, bandsaw that you can afford, that you can provide power too, and that fits into your shop. My personal opinion is nothing less than 3HP, or smaller than 18", with the exception of the MM-16. (Mini-Max 16" band saw.)
I have a 14" Jet with a riser block, Carter guides, and Cobra Coil spring. Yes, it re-saws just fine on a lighter scale, but my 18" Rikon 10-340 does everything the Jet does, but faster, and more consistently.
The 14" Band saws are a nice machine if you decide to go that route. If you're a little on the fence and don't want to "go all in" on a larger one right off, I like the older Delta 14". I personally like the guide configuration of the Delta, better than my Jet.

[Mort Stevens]

If you know that you want to re-saw material, whether for veneer, book matching, or just as part of the milling process, and that is your primary focus for the machine, then buy the largest, most powerful, bandsaw

Does Hitachi still make their dedicated resaw? If so that's what I would recommend for resawing. The first thing to do whene you get it is replace the motor with a "real" motor! I have one, it takes a 3" blade; there's no blade drift and I can cut veneers as thin as I please with it. I also have a 18" bandsaw for the kinds of things you'd use a bandsaw for , except resawing... I can't image resawing on it being very successful with a 3/4" or less blade.

[Mike Cutler]

Mort

I see the Hitachi still being sold. I don't know if they're new, used, left over stock, or what but they can still be found.
I can re-saw pretty well with my 18". It's not the biggest, or the best band saw out there, but it is specifically setup to only do re-sawing. It has a 1", Lennox ,2/3 varipitch Tri-Master blade on it. I use my Jet for everything else.

[Myk Rian]

Can't see what that is.
It's a purebred Delta 14".

[Steve Mellott]

I recently researched bandsaws and determined that Grizzly provided the best value for my home shop. I ordered a G0513X2FB, but never received it due to major problems with the freight company and the saw went back to Grizzly. I then bought the Jet 14" Steel Frame bandsaw from a local company and it is scheduled to be delivered this week. Whatever you purchase, consider the freight implications and the need to transport it into your shop. After my recent experience, I've decided to buy all future heavy machinery from a local vendor. Of course, I live in an area where that is practical.

[Jim Andrew]

I set up shop in 04' and decided to go with quality machines, as I had dealt with mostly homeowner type machines most of my life, and found them to be inadequate. Ordered a new MM16, they had an end of year sale going on, and have not had to move up on bandsaw. Most guys buy some cheap machines, have to sell them to get something better, and wind up spending a lot more than just buying the right saw the first time. Besides, the prices go up every year. If you do not see a good used saw for sale, just wait till there is a sale. Almost every machine I have has been purchased on a promotion, not much used machine turnover here in Kansas. If you insist on used, look at clist or Nexttech every morning.

[Phillip Dejardin]

I set up shop in 04' and decided to go with quality machines, as I had dealt with mostly homeowner type machines most of my life, and found them to be inadequate. Ordered a new MM16, they had an end of year sale going on, and have not had to move up on bandsaw. Most guys buy some cheap machines, have to sell them to get something better, and wind up spending a lot more than just buying the right saw the first time. Besides, the prices go up every year. If you do not see a good used saw for sale, just wait till there is a sale. Almost every machine I have has been purchased on a promotion, not much used machine turnover here in Kansas. If you insist on used, look at clist or Nexttech every morning.

^^^This. I also went with the MM16 (MiniMax) for the same reasons.

[Erik Loza]

^^^This. I also went with the MM16 (MiniMax) for the same reasons.

I hear basically the same conversation from almost every MM16 customer: "I bought this small one, fought with it for years, then finally decided to pony-up...". That being said, it seems like a necessary step for many owners. Like, they have to go through and reach that point, themselves.

Erik

[Tim Bridge]

I found a Laguna 14" Italian bandsaw on Craigslist last summer. It is about 15 yrs old but I installed new guides and a brake micro switch on the foot petal. I took most of it apart and cleaned it up. I also got an 1-1/4" resaw king carbide blade and it resaws beautifully.

It took a while to find this one on Craigslist but it was worth the wait.

[Allan Speers]

I found a Laguna 14" Italian bandsaw on Craigslist last summer. It is about 15 yrs old but I installed new guides and a brake micro switch on the foot petal. I took most of it apart and cleaned it up. I also got an 1-1/4" resaw king carbide blade and it resaws beautifully.

It took a while to find this one on Craigslist but it was worth the wait.


You're running a 1-1/4" carbide blade on 14" wheels?

I find that incredibly hard to believe.

[Tim Bridge]

Sorry, I listed the wrong size. This is an LT16 Italian saw. 1-1/4" capacity.

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