Should a shop have different size bandsaws?

[Travis Conner]

When I bought my jet 14" bandbandsaw like 7 years ago I didn't even realize they made like 20 inch bandsaws and always thought the 14 was like the staple of every shop because that's the only size I ever saw. Does it do any good to buy a larger one or will the big 20 inch saw do everything the 14in Will?

[Bruce King]

If you are a full time woodworker you might want two saws. I’m pretty sure a 20 will do everything a 14 will do if you buy the smaller blades.
The larger the size the more space from the blade to the throat. Unless you cut really big parts a 14 is fine. I bought a 17 just to be sure it would be my last band saw. I’m in the group that uses a table saw much more than the band saw.

[johnny means]

lol. I think of 20s as the little scrolly saws in the shop too. A big 24 or 36 will work for anything you need to do with a smaller saw. The issue is that when you start switching between 1.25" blades and .25" blades you run into major adjustments of your guides. It's so much easier to just keep a cheap little 14" setup for smaller blades.

[Mark Gibney]

Do you find yourself wishing you had a larger capacity bandsaw sometimes for the work you do?
If not then the only reason to get a larger saw is that, like many of us, you think you'll enjoy having and using the larger machine. The process of woodworking can be just as important as the end product we're making.
That brings up questions: - do you have the space for a larger machine, and the budget to buy one?
Good luck. Let us know what you're thinking.

[Peter Kelly]

Van Huskey would probably tell you 6-7 different sized bandsaws minimum.

[glenn bradley]

A large saw for resawing and a smaller saw so you don't have to change your resaw setup is a nice convenience. The 14" saw hits the sweet spot 'in between' for a lot of folks. I goofed up and sold my smaller saw when I bought my larger saw. I replaced the smaller saw within a month or so. Just sayin' so you don't make the same error if you decide to get a larger saw.

[Jim Becker]

There is a huge amount of discussion here in the forums over the years about the benefits of having a larger bandsaw available. Many folks, who have the space, keep both a smaller saw like the 14" you mention as well as a larger one. While a "big" saw can theoretically do anything a smaller saw can do, the big saws are not as good with narrow blades necessary for scrolling work and the small saw certainly doesn't excell at resaw work and heavy ripping because can can't properly tension a wider blade, even when one might be physically available. Right now, I only have my MM16 as I sold the 14" Jet I original bought when I got the larger saw. I don't do a lot of scrolling work, although I have used as small as a 1/8" blade on the MM16. (NOT an ideal setup) I also have CNC now which further reduces my need for a smaller bandsaw. But I actually have one...sans a motor...in the garage that a friend gifted to me when he moved cross country a number of. years ago. I may restore it to either have a smaller saw in this or a future shop or just sell it. I don't know yet...it hasn't been a priority.

If space and money were no object, I think the combination of a 12" or 14" small bandsaw with a big 20" or 24" machine would be a wonderful combination for any serious woodworker who likes to use bandsaws. As someone already noted, that permits keeping setups optimized for scroll work and general cutting on the smaller machine and heavy, straight cutting on the larger machine.

[Steve Demuth]

When I bought my jet 14" bandbandsaw like 7 years ago I didn't even realize they made like 20 inch bandsaws and always thought the 14 was like the staple of every shop because that's the only size I ever saw. Does it do any good to buy a larger one or will the big 20 inch saw do everything the 14in Will?

If I had the space, I'd want two: one larger (larger than 20" if possible) that I'd use for resawing, and one smaller that I'd keep set up for narrow blades. To me, it's really about having two different blade setups.

[Mike Kees]

When I bought my Centauro CO 600 I sold a 18'' Steel city saw and kept my 14'' Delta. I really wish that I had kept the Steel City and sold the Delta instead. That 18 inch saw was a great all around saw. If one is only going to have one bandsaw in their shop I recommend a wheel size of 17"-19"to me that is the sweet spot to land in for an all around saw. With that said I do use and like the two bandsaw set up in my shop .Really the only thing similar in the two saws is they both have two wheels and a table,they get used for entirely different chores. Big one is a lumber breaking down machine that rips and resaws. Small one does curves and general cutting (small pieces and smaller scale).I have a 3/8" 4tpi blade on the Delta mainly because I have a roll of band stock that size . I am running a 3/4'' 3tpi on the Centauro but plan on getting a carbide blade soon.

[Charlie Velasquez]

Is this a trick question??

[Mike Henderson]

A large saw for resawing and a smaller saw so you don't have to change your resaw setup is a nice convenience. The 14" saw hits the sweet spot 'in between' for a lot of folks. I goofed up and sold my smaller saw when I bought my larger saw. I replaced the smaller saw within a month or so. Just sayin' so you don't make the same error if you decide to get a larger saw.

I did exactly the same thing - I sold my 14 when I got my 20 and now regret it. The problem is having to switch blades between large a resaw blade and a small blade for tight corners. I'm looking for a small bandsaw now. One problem is space in my shop.

Mike

[Frank Pratt]

Van Huskey would probably tell you 6-7 different sized bandsaws minimum.

There's a man who knows bandsaws. I wonder what became of him?

[Brian Tymchak]

Van Huskey would probably tell you 6-7 different sized bandsaws minimum.

Ah, the good ol' days...

[Peter Kelly]

There's a man who knows bandsaws. I wonder what became of him?He seems to go through long phases of not posting sometimes as much as couple years.

Hope he comes back sometime!

[Frank Pratt]

Me too. He has a lot of knowledge.

[Tom M King]

Four is a good number for me. The 14" Delta, that was the first, is the least used. Also in the lineup are a 24" Centauro, and two 10" bandsaws. The 24" stays at the ready to part a big piece into two with a 1" Woodmaster CT 1.3 TPI blade, the 14" keeps a 3/8", and the 10" ones have a 1/4", and a 1/8" with Carter stabilizer. No guides have been changed for a few years.

This does not include the metalwork/mechanic shop, that's in a separate building.

[Alex Zeller]

It always seamed to me that the desire for two bandsaws really came down to the time it takes to change blades. If it's something you don't like doing or you feel takes too much time to set up then you will be more likely to want a second. If you are going to have two then each one is going to be set up to do one of the two most often done tasks, almost always one is resawing. I got rid of my cheap HF 14" bandsaw. Once I got my 19" grizzly I never even looked twice at it. At first the larger table and how long it took for the blade to stop spinning if I didn't use the brake was a little intimidating but I quickly got use to it. It's main use is pattern cutting and for making bowl blanks. If I was to get a second BS I would get a larger one, maybe in the 24" range (since that's about as tall as I could go in my shop) for resawing. But I've never had the need for a 1/8" blade. I could see if I was trying to do scroll work having a smaller saw could be easier.