Looking for another bandsaw. Suggestions?

[Steve Mathews]

I have a 24" SCMI bandsaw and a Jet 14" bandsaw with a riser block. I'm looking for another bandsaw to replace the Jet, one that has a brake, handwheel height adjustment and generally better built. An 18" or there about seems to be the sweet spot based on the work I intend to do with it. Any suggestions?

[Richard Coers]

Buy another saw made in Europe, used would be the way to go. No way would I buy anything from the South China Sea area.

[Steve Mathews]

Buy another saw made in Europe, used would be the way to go. No way would I buy anything from the South China Sea area.
Sage advice Richard. What European or other bandsaws are recommended? I would like to kick up the quality a notch and consider less about the cost.

[Erik Loza]

I love the Minimax S45N. No footbrake but the flywheels are pretty lightweight, so don’t keep spinning forever, like some of the bigger resawing machines.

Erik

[Steve Mathews]

I love the Minimax S45N. No footbrake but the flywheels are pretty lightweight, so don’t keep spinning forever, like some of the bigger resawing machines.

Erik
Looks promising Erik. But no footbrake? I'm currently looking at an old Extrema that seems interesting.

[Bill Dufour]

Handwheel height adjustment? Seems like overkill for smaller saws. A three phase machine run by a vfd has braking with no moving parts to wear out and multiple brake switches added where ever needed.
My lathe has four off/brake switches. Planer has one in front and one on the outfeed end.
Bill D

[Steve Mathews]

Handwheel height adjustment? Seems like overkill for smaller saws. A three phase machine run by a vfd has braking with no moving parts to wear out and multiple brake switches added where ever needed.
My lathe has four off/brake switches. Planer has one in front and one on the outfeed end.
Bill D

The handwheel height adjustment is a convenience, one that I enjoy on my SCMI 24" bandsaw but wish my 14" Jet had. I never thought about a VFD setup on a bandsaw before. I wonder if the following Jet 18" metal/wood bandsaw has that technology. Absent is a foot brake. Anyone have any experience with this bandsaw?
https://jettools.com/metalworking/sawing/metal-vertical-bandsaws/vbs-18mwevs-18-metal-wood-evs-bandsaw-2hp-230v-single-phase

[Zachary Hoyt]

It's interesting about handwheels. I had one on my Jet bandsaw but I like my Parks better which just has a hexagonal rod that slides. The rack teeth used to get clogged with sawdust and I would have to scrape them clean from time to time. With the rod I can go from 11" down to 3" and back in under a second, so I like that. Actually I like my current drill press where the table just slides up and down the column better than the one I used to have with a rack and pinion for the same reason. It's a lot faster, though a bit more effort.

[Steve Mathews]

After looking more into the Jet VBS-18MWEVS bandsaw it appears to have a 3 phase motor running off of single phase power through a VFD. Switching from wood to metal cutting does require a belt change though. Seems to be an interesting design. Are there any European makers out there with a similar setup?

[Erik Loza]

Looks promising Erik. But no footbrake? I'm currently looking at an old Extrema that seems interesting.

Steve, are you looking for a new bandsaw or a previously-owned one? I somehow thought you were thinking “new”.

Erik

[Dan Barber]

The handwheel height adjustment is a convenience, one that I enjoy on my SCMI 24" bandsaw but wish my 14" Jet had. I never thought about a VFD setup on a bandsaw before. I wonder if the following Jet 18" metal/wood bandsaw has that technology. Absent is a foot brake. Anyone have any experience with this bandsaw?
https://jettools.com/metalworking/sawing/metal-vertical-bandsaws/vbs-18mwevs-18-metal-wood-evs-bandsaw-2hp-230v-single-phase

With a VFD it conceivably would not need a foot brake. With the addition of a resistor to the VFD, dynamic braking could be implemented. I'm not sure if Jet has done that, but it would not be difficult to do with a VFD.

[Steve Mathews]

Steve, are you looking for a new bandsaw or a previously-owned one? I somehow thought you were thinking “new”.

Erik

I'm always open to used to save money but at this point I'm more interested in getting what I want if that can be nailed down. The more I dive into what's available the more that changes. But for certain I want a bandsaw that is better in quality than my current Jet with a riser block. Improvement over that would include a foot brake or some form of blade brake and a height adjustable handwheel. I would prefer something USA made, then European but wouldn't be opposed to manufacture elsewhere if the quality is there. I only mentioned the Extrema bandsaw because it seemed very well made. The Jet wood/metal bandsaw seemed interesting because it involved a VFD.

I mentioned earlier that I also have a 24" SCMI bandsaw that is used primarily for resawing. I'm beginning to think that an 18" bandsaw might be large enough to do my resawing and other lighter tasks as well. One bandsaw to do both would free up some limited floor space.

[Stephen Bandirola]

Why not use the 24" SCMI for both?
I use a 24" Felder for resaw and curves etc. Just change blades.

The advantage of the 24" is bigger table = more support and room to swing larger pieces of wood when cutting curves and everything else.

[Steve Mathews]

Why not use the 24" SCMI for both?
I use a 24" Felder for resaw and curves etc. Just change blades.

The advantage of the 24" is bigger table = more support and room to swing larger pieces of wood when cutting curves and everything else.

Great idea but I finally remembered why I have 2 bandsaws. The convenience of not having to switch blades is not worth the savings in floor space.

[Zachary Hoyt]

That's why I have two too. I prefer to use both 1/4" and 1/2" blades when cutting out banjo necks, and being able to walk from saw as needed without stopping is a huge benefit. I have an 18" and a 10", so much smaller than yours, but the principle should be the same.

[Chris Parks]

I love the Minimax S45N. No footbrake but the flywheels are pretty lightweight, so don’t keep spinning forever, like some of the bigger resawing machines.

Erik

I have a S45N and for me it has one big issue and that is the tension wheel is on top of the saw and as I am only 5' 5'' so it is very nearly out of reach for me, to use it I have to stand on my toes and I can't see the tension gauge at all. I have come close to selling it a few times due to this issue but when I look at the price of good saws I keep it. I bought the saw unseen on a very special deal in the first shipment that was imported to Oz and if I had been able to see it beforehand I would have looked for another saw due to the height problem. My son is 6' and he has no problem at all.

[Joel Gelman]

I recently sold my 20 inch mint condition Agazzani back to Jesse at Eagle-Tools in So Cal. He was the one who sold it to me. I parted with it to make room for a Yates vintage bandsaw, but if space were no consideration, I would have kept the Agazzani. I have no financial interest should you seek to buy it from Jesse. Just an FYI.

It can do what any 18 inch can do and more and not really a bigger footprint of any significance.