Do I Need Two Bandsaws?

[Rob Will]

I'm setting up a new shop and would like to consider bandsaws. Generally speaking, how many of you use two bandsaws?....one set up for heavy cuts such as resawing and another, perhaps smaller machine for curves etc.

What are some bandsaw brands that you like?:) :confused: :) :confused:

I would like to limit this to fairly modern machines with really nice blade guides. Need trouble free machines but with good parts availability just in case. Let's use a budget of about $5K for both machines. 3ph power avail.

TIA
Rob

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

I have a re-saw bandsaw, and it sure works well for resawing, I'd not get rid of it for love or money.

I do need a smaller one, I think a 10" would do me, for cutting curves and stuff.

Do you "Need" two, no, you can get by with one 14" with riser blocks, good blades and a very good tune up, lots of guys do that, and have no problem.

Now if you have the space, and can afford it, yes, two would be the way to go, IMHO.

My resaw is dedicated to just that job, and it simply rocks, it really works well.

Cheers!

[Vaughn McMillan]

Given the choice, the space, and $5K, I'd have a big, serious resaw machine, and a 14" saw set up for doing curves. Bruce Page has the 10" Rikon benchtop to go with his big saw (don't recall what it is) and has spoken well of the Rikon. Others here have mentioned regretting getting rid of their 14" saw when they got their new 20" or 24" machines.

- Vaughn

[John Bailey]

I've been thinking the same thing. As many of you know, I spend summers in Greece. The woodshops there keep the big iron bandsaws outside to do resaw work. Provides a lot more space inside. They just build a lean-to structure over one side of the building and use that for storage an resawing. Of course, they have great weather for that kind of thing. I would think if you had two saws, the smaller one would probably get more of the work.

John

[Brian Hale]

I think having 2 would be real handy, one for resawing only and one for the little stuff and curves. I currently have 3 , a Mini Max 16, a ~50 year old Atlas 12" and an old Sears 3 wheel, each setup with different size blades. That little sears saw gets the most use.

Brian :)

[lou sansone]

if space is not a concern then I would have 3 band saws
1 band mill located right outside the shop to process trees and heavy timber resawing
(norwood )
1 36-42" older iron saw for heavy work ( yates or moak )
1 18" for scroll work ( italian mm )

Lou

[tod evans]

rob, i`m a two band saw kinda guy. and they both get a work out. the big un` is an mm28 with a 9hp motor and the little un` is an old style mm16 with a 3 1/2hp motor. both are well built machines but i`m fairly certain i`ll cook the 9hp motor in a few years just `cause i beat the big `un. but that`s how i am on tools, most folks would be doing good to make the small one grunt.......02 tod

[Andy London]

I have two set up, I resaw almost daily and my 15 year old uses the other to cut out bread knives. I've had the older one for 15 years or so and for what they sell for, two tools are better than one. I have the same set up for Drill press's, one for my and one for the young fellow as they are set up for production to perform a certain task.

Need then no, saves time then yes.

[Jim Young]

I have one bandsaw. To answer your question, no, you don't need two bs's, although it would be nice. I would like a smaller one for cutting tight curves. Space is the real issue in a home shop.

[Bart Leetch]

Well even in my small shop I have 2 band-saws one a 14" with riser block & 1 1/2 HP motor & 1/2" blade for re-sawing & rounding out bowels & the other that I had first is a 12" that I keep a 1/4" blade on for curve cutting & anything else, this is the saw that gets the most use & it is right next to the bench & closest to the entry door that may be the reason it get most of the use. I really like having the small saw close to the bench. Then again everything in my shop is close to the bench, its a small shop you know. :) I am glad I don't need bigger saws like your looking at.

[Jim Becker]

In many respects, I regret selling my 14" BS when I bought the big iron. It would have been quite convenient to have the smaller machine for scrolling work, both for setup time and because for detail work, the table height of the smaller tool is more convenient. But do I "need" two? No. That said, I may actually add a small 10" or 12" BS to the shop someday just for the fun of it.

[Mark Singer]

I have 2 a 20" Agazzani for resaw ripping and joint work.....then I have a 14" Jet with a 1/2" 10 tpi joint blade and good fence..for joints and smaller radius work....its a good combimation

[Robert Waddell]

Count me in as a 2 bandsaw shop as well. In a semi-production setting it saves me lots of time. It generally takes me about 20 minutes to change blades and re-adjust guides on the 17" saw. That's why I picked up a Delta 10" when I caught it on close-out at the Blue Borg. I wish I had spent the money on a 14" saw but the 10" has made me a lot of money and saved me tons of time. I will be changing to a more serious second saw soon thought.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use two. I have a 14" for my resaw and a 10" for small work. Saves a lot of time in that I don't have to change blades much. Works for me.

[Dev Emch]

The best solution if you can pull it is to have a heavy 15 inch saw for general purpose work. This saw can do 90 percent of most bandsaw jobs. Then you need a biggie. A 30 inch oliver 217 or Yates Y-30 would be a good choice but on the small side. In the 36 inch range, the oliver 416 and yates Y-36 are awsome. But HEAR THIS! A Y-36 snowflake yates is well on its way to tipping the scale at 4000 pounds!

Right now I am seriously pressed for space with some recent changes so I am thinning out a few things. As it stands, I will have to compromise and live with my yates Y-30 for now. So my 15 inch general is looking for a new home. Its truely amazing how space just disappears with a few industrial machines.... O.K. a lot of industrial machines.:D Soon a dream shop will start with a pole barn 30 feet by 60 feet minimum.:D

I know David Marks has at least two bandsaws. One is a vintage delta 14 incher and the other looks like an American 30 incher. The 30 incher is setup for resawing and long neck projects where the deeper throat is handy. The delta remains one of his favorate old tools although I would rather have a canadian made general 490. Its heavier, better made and more precise.

[Rob Will]

Thanks for the replies.
As a follow-up to the resaw side of things:
What are some bandsaw brands to look at that will accomodate 1-1/2" - 2" blades?
My neighbor has a Wood Mizer, to what extent can it operate as a resaw?

Rob

[tod evans]

rob, resawing can be done horizontal , see baker saws, or vertical such as i and lots of folks here do. what do you plan on sawing? this is really the key question before you can get an informed answer.....02 tod

[Jim Becker]

I know David Marks has at least two bandsaws. One is a vintage delta 14 incher and the other looks like an American 30 incher. The 30 incher is setup for resawing and long neck projects where the deeper throat is handy. The delta remains one of his favorate old tools although I would rather have a canadian made general 490. Its heavier, better made and more precise.

I believe that David now has three band saws...and one of them is a "very large" Mini Max. You can see it in one of the threads that folks posted on last year when they attended some learning sessions at his shop in N CA.

[Jerry Todd]

I have two. An 18" Jet that I purchased about five years ago on sale at Woodcraft. Use it only for resawing now.
About two years ago I purchased a used 14" Jet Bandsaw for my smaller projects such as Bandsaw boxes, Tambour Clocks, Toys, Doll Cradles, etc. I use them both.

[Charlie Plesums]

I have been "saving for" my MiniMax 20 or 24 inch bandsaw that will get a carbide blade at least an inch wide. These saws can put sufficient tension on a large blade to give the kind of cut I only dream of getting on my 14 inch saw - both smooth result and precise tracking for resawing.

I hope to keep my 14 inch bandsaw for the "1/4 inch blade" curved work, even though it may include occasional use of 1/8 or 3/16 inch blades or 1/2 inch blades). Changing the 3/4 inch blade on my 14 inch bandsaw is scary enough that I don't want to often change the inch plus blade on a 24 inch bandsaw, and don't want to risk damage to a couple hundred dollar blade.

I had a benchtop Delta before my 14 inch Jet which came before my 14 inch Grizzly. My benchtop saw was so bad that I consider it a waste of $100. I have no desire to upgrade the 14 inch Grizzly for "curve" work.

[Rob Will]

In the 36 inch range, the oliver 416 and yates Y-36 are awsome. But HEAR THIS! A Y-36 snowflake yates is well on its way to tipping the scale at 4000 pounds!

Got any pics of these two legends?

Thanks,
Rob

[Rob Will]

rob, resawing can be done horizontal , see baker saws, or vertical such as i and lots of folks here do. what do you plan on sawing? this is really the key question before you can get an informed answer.....02 tod
I'm just feeling my way along......no particular jobs in mind but we do see a lot of big lumber, crotchs and stumps. I do have a fair amount of old furniture in which the panels are fairly wide (one piece). Also, I would like to look at a book matched table top with two 24" pieces. Who know if I can get wood stable enough to do that sort of thing. One of my employees is building a cabin so that would be a good place to try a few furniture "experiments".

Rob

[Alan Turner]

I have 2, in two shops. One has an Agie 20" and a PM 141 14". The other a PM 141 14" and an 800mm Zimmermann. Two is the way to goif you can swing it, and with that budget it should not be a problem. I love the Zimmermann in terms of old iron, and made a great buy on it, but they are tricky to find. Most were sold to pattern shops as I understand it.

[Dev Emch]

I believe that David now has three band saws...and one of them is a "very large" Mini Max. You can see it in one of the threads that folks posted on last year when they attended some learning sessions at his shop in N CA.
Then the mini max would be new. But then again, the mini max is a modern machine devoid of all shapely curves which explains how I could have missed it even if it were staring me in the face.:D

[Dev Emch]

Thanks for the replies.
As a follow-up to the resaw side of things:
What are some bandsaw brands to look at that will accomodate 1-1/2" - 2" blades?
My neighbor has a Wood Mizer, to what extent can it operate as a resaw?

Rob

Very Well. I have seen an LT-40 hydraulic take off 1/4 inch slabs with ease.

[Scott Banbury]

Like many woodworkers, I initially set up my shop around a tablesaw. Now it is more often used as an assembly table or bench :D

I have a Woodmizer LT-30 right outside my shop door. If I need to rip a bunch of random width 4/4 down to rough 2" for face frames it's no problem--just clamp them (as many as 20 at a time) to a backer cant and cut on the 8/4 scale. Need some 4/4 and all I have is 8--slap it on the bed of the mill and slice it in half (up to 28" wide).

Inside I have a 36" American bandsaw (circa 1927). This is my rough cut and rip saw. It typically has a 3/4" 4 tpi blade on it and it does nearly everything except precise and/or blind crosscuts or final rips. Even miters are cut on the American and then cleaned up with a shooting board or Fox trimmer. It also sees a bit of resawing.

Next to it sits a riser equipped 1 1/2 hp Delta 14" saw with a 1/4" or 3/8" 4-6 tpi blade. It cuts small curves, cheeks off of tenons and the occasional dovetail.

Nowadays, if a novice woodworker asks me what the single most important stationary tool in the shop is, I don't hesitate--it's the bandsaw. It is the absolute best motorized compliment to a collection of good handtools.

Hmm, maybe I should get another one . . .

[tod evans]

rob, check out baker saws made right here in the sticks.....02 tod