Hey you bowl turners...is a 16" b/s big enough

[Ken Fitzgerald]

for cutting your bowl blanks? I've got a chainsaw to slab them out. Am I wrong ......I'd think unless I was working on a really tall HF....16" cutting height would be enough....

Your opinions please

[Bernie Weishapl]

Mine is a 13" Ken and if I need to cut longer I made a sled to lay it down to cut. So 16" would seem to be a good one.

[Ian Welford]

Mine's only got 8" depth but has a 14" throat so I don't break my back holding stuff. Mind you I'm looking for a 12" depth of cut one currently. It's like G clamps - you can never have too many, and the ones you've got are always just that tad toooo small!

Ian

[Charles McKinley]

Hi Ken,

Before Bill Grumbine bought the MM he used a 14" Jet with a riser block. I'm guessing 12" of cutting height.

So I think you would be OK.

[Jonathan Harvey]

This is a great question as this is to be my next big purchase.

I don't understand why they call a 14" bandsaw a 14 inch when it clearly can't but a piece of wood that is 14 inches. I was looking at a 20" bandsaw today that couldonly cut 9 1/2" :(

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jonathan

The 20" generally refers to the size of the wheels that the blade runs on. Often it is also the dimension from the blade to the support that attaches the upper and lower assemblies at the back of the saw. Based on my research the vertical height varies from manufacturer to manufacturer on a given size saw.....20 inch saw at mfr. A only cuts 16" vertica....20" cut at mfr. B......

[Raymond Overman]

It's the throat size they're measuring, not the height of the cut. Hence a 14" Jet/Delta/Grizzly with or without a riser isn't called a 6" or 12".

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Thanks Raymond.....that's the term I couldn't remember was throat.....distance from the blade to the column that attaches the upper and lower assemblies.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

What size b/s do you use Raymond?

[Raymond Overman]

What size b/s do you use Raymond?

I have a 14" Grizzly with 6" of clearance, bad guide bearings, and a dull blade. I've been too lazy and it's been too hot for me to worry about changing them out.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

If 6" is enough for Raymond Overman, 16" is enough for Ken Fitzgerald!

[Jim Becker]

The 16" height on the machine you are considering is more than enough, Ken. Frankly, when you start spinning really large stuff, you're not going to be preparing the blanks on the bandsaw anyway...you'll use a chainsaw to knock off the corners and then mount the thing on the lathe.

There are two reasons for this. One, handling really large chunks of wood on a bandsaw can be a "strenuous" activity, even when the table is lower as the machine you're looking at features. Two, roughing off the corners and then mounting the large thing directly on the lathe between centers lets you play with the orientation so you get the best results...if you band saw a blank round, you've somewhat committed to the axis and it may not be what's best for the turning.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jim..........have you noticed...I've intentionally not mentioned it......but there is a 4th tool being ordered at the same time.......But you've figured out what this b/s is all about........some flat work.....but well....you've keyed on it......it's just that the 4th major tool ain't up for discussion...it's a given....I'm closed mind about it....:D

[John Shuk]

More than enough Ken.

[Reed Gray]

I would get a bandsaw the size of the bowls you want to turn. I have a Laguna 16HD. It was the second best Christmas toy that I ever bought myself (the PM lathe was the best). I seldom turn bowls over 16 in diameter. If I ever step up to the Robust, I may have to think about a bigger bandsaw. The bandsaw is much faster, and more accurate than the chainsaw. The blanks you get are much better balanced than the chainsawn blanks, so you can turn them faster.

I think bandsaws should be sold under numbers like lathes: a 6 by 14 bandsaw would cut 6 inches high, and 14 deep.

robo hippy

[Patrick Taylor]

I think bandsaws should be sold under numbers like lathes: a 6 by 14 bandsaw would cut 6 inches high, and 14 deep.

robo hippy

Agreed!

I recently got my Rikon 14", but it has a cutting height of 13" without a riser. I have not unboxed it though b/c I need to clean up and make room for it. Two dirty words.... "clean up".... but there's so much wood to turn first!

[Pete Jordan]

Ken,
I have the Rikon 18" and have been very happy with it. http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=5220 It goes on sale for $950 quite a bit so wait if you are interested.

[Dennis Peacock]

Ken,

The MM16 will be plenty of BS for your fl*twork stuff and for your Roundwork stuff. Blade choice will be a very important factor based on the type of cutting you'll be doing most of the time. I've used Lenox, and a few other brands. I thought I was happy with the Lenox blades until I tried a Timberwolf blade. I have never looked back. :D

I have a video and book that will do you good to read while your waiting to get your new BS. Just PM me your snail mail address.

Oh...and yes....16" will be plenty. Jim Becker and other made very good statements, but I identified with Becker's comments right off the bat with wrestling large pieces. You won't do them on the BS......Mr. Stihl does all my large blank work. :D

[Brodie Brickey]

Ken,

I've got a Grizzly 14" with the 6" riser giving me approximately 12" resaw capacity. You'll want to be able to 'resaw' at least 10" that way really large bowls on a PM can be deep also.

The other thing you really, really want is more than 1 HP if you can get it. The Grizzly works good, but would be much better with more power. When cutting bowl blanks from green logs, nothing beats the extra power to drag the blade through the wet blank.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Brodie...thanks for the reply....I'm looking at the MM-16....4.8 HP and 16" vertical cut.....I think it'll be plenty of saw but I wanted others opinions before I trip the switch.

[William Bachtel]

I was using a l4 inch Delta, and went to a 20 in Delta, oh am I glad I did, more power, can cut bigger pieces etc etc. One of the biggest things is blades last longer because of more power.

[Brodie Brickey]

Brodie...thanks for the reply....I'm looking at the MM-16....4.8 HP and 16" vertical cut.....I think it'll be plenty of saw but I wanted others opinions before I trip the switch.

Ken,

I think you'll be very happy with that powerful of a bandsaw. I had been using my saw for a while and watched Bill Grumbine's first video. His bandsaw was slicing through stuff like it was butter while I was cutting concrete. It was a noticeable difference.

[Curt Fuller]

Unless you're going to be turning wash basins or ice cream bowls for Andy Hoyt, I think 16" ought to do the trick.:rolleyes: