Is An Adjustable-height Band Saw Needed ?

[Andrew Joiner]

An Adjustable-height Band Saw (yes, you read that right) (http://blogs.popularwoodworking.com/editorsblog/An+Adjustableheight+Band+Saw+Yes+You+Read+That+Rig ht.aspx)
http://blogs.popularwoodworking.com/editorsblog/content/binary/General-1.jpg
If you own a 14" band saw, then you know that you have a conundrum on your hands when you set it up.
http://blogs.popularwoodworking.com/editorsblog/content/binary/General2.jpg
You could leave it stock, which would allow you to cut material up to 6" thick. Or you could add a “riser block,” which allows you to cut stock up to 12" thick. Many woodworkers add the riser block in case they ever want to resaw veneer material on their machine. But adding a riser block has downsides: The machine is less stable, harder to tune and the longer blades cost more.

General International (http://blogs.popularwoodworking.com/editorsblog/ct.ashx?id=23ec61ad-aa4b-4b31-9c61-9799b3c357e5&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.general.ca%2f) has developed a new band saw that allows you to have the best of both worlds. It’s a bit of a shock to see it work the first time. In essence, the spine of the band saw is like the post on a drill press. Turn a crank and you can raise the head up so you can resaw thick material with a 102"-long blade. Or crank it the other way so you can enjoy stable cuts with a 93"-long blade.

Changeover takes about two minutes, plus changing the blade on the machine. When we first saw this new saw at the International Woodworking Fair we just shook our heads thinking it was a gimmick. But after a moment of thought, we could see that it was a bright idea. Most woodworkers rarely use their band saw for resawing and would be best served by keeping their machine set low. But when you need to resaw, it’s a simple thing to raise the head and give yourself that extra capacity.

This band saw, which should be available this year, is fully loaded. It has a 1-1/2 hp motor, ball-bearing blade guides, cast-iron wheels, a laser, a rack-and-pinion table-tilt mechanism, rack-and-pinion guide adjustments, a quick-release blade-tensioning mechanism, wheel brush, a tall aluminum fence, two speeds and a nice one-piece base. The price? About $1,400.

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Hello Creekers,
I saw this online and it doesn't make sense to me. If you put a 6" riser in a 14" saw wouldn't you just leave it? A 105" blade is a $1 or so more than a 93".
What does make sense is a 14" cast iron frame saw with the riser block built in like the new Jet JWBS-14DXPRO. It makes sense to have a solid one piece frame with 12'' resaw height. I bet Grizzly comes out with a solid frame model too.

The question is :

Does anyone have a 6'' riser in their saw and want to take it out? If so why?

[Joe Jensen]

The reality is that a longer back on the saw (riser block, or tall saw) lets the saw flex more. Shorter saws are stiffer and cut better. Seems like a silly solution to me, how 'bout just making the saw tall AND stiffer?

[Aaron Berk]

Powermatic came out with a new saw at the show too, theirs is a giant resaw powerhouse, redesigned from the ground up.

[Rick Fisher]

I dont get it. What is the point of that ??? Why not just make it tall ??

Dont understand why they would do that?

[Mike Heidrick]

Powermatic came out with a new saw at the show too, theirs is a giant resaw powerhouse, redesigned from the ground up.


I saw it up close at IWF. It is a wannabe Euro saw that cost more than a Euro saw IMO. Sure is nice to look at (lots of chrome) but at around $4K for the 18" Powermatic - the MM20 or other similar Aganzi or Laguna HD bandsaw is much more saw for the money. I will say this for it though - the bandsaw version of the Accufence on it LOOKS AMAZING. I am thinking a retrofit of it for my MM20 may be possible one day

[Anthony Whitesell]

I think it's a novel approach to a problem. Unfortunately the solution creates another expensive problem...at each height you need a different blade. Can you say $$$$?

Let's get realistic, how many people are going to constantly change blades and heights that this would make that much difference?

Now if it had some type of third idler-wheel where the third wheel would take up the slack of a long blade at the short height, it might be a great solution.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Looks like gimmickry to me. More of the "bells & whistles" routine.

[Bill White]

Seems to me that the mfg. side of woodworking is trying to appeal to all the techno geeks today instead of building and marketing good, solid machines that will last.
We can beat the "old iron" issue to death, but the dogone tools are Still in use after 40-50 yrs.
Let's see....HMMMMM? Auto bevel adjust for table saws. Oh! Forgot to add digital blade height (built in of course), power down-feed for the drill press.
Oh well. I'll not ride this horse any longer (today).
Bill

[John Bailey]

I'm going to play devil's advocate here, because I don't really see the need. However, when I had a 14" saw, I used it 99% for other than resawing any thing over the the 6" capability of the saw. I think the 14" saws do better when left without the riser, in general. So, if you want to keep the saw at the original hieght, and don't want to put the riser on when you want to do a wide resaw, I suppose it makes sense to be able to just crank it up when needed.

Now there's a questionable rationalisation for you. If the cost is $4K, I'm calling Agazzani, MM, or, looking for a used Northfield.

Bet this isn't offered very long. This is a General International, which means it's not North American made. If you're going to spend $4K, for an import, double up with two Grizzlies. GO 457 - $921, GO 636X - $2,141. Take the extra grand and buy somthing for your significant other and you're in wood worker's heaven.

I do like that General green though.

John

[Chris Knudsen]

I first saw this machine at the Machinery show in Toronto last year. At first, I did not think much of it, I now have one on my showroom floor and have a couple out to customers. One reason I like this however is the fact that customers can re-use blades which have broken and been welded shorter and can use a 98" blade if they canot find a 93" or 105" on a Sunday. Yeah, it is a bit different, but aside from the adjustable frame, GI has done a good job on this saw, very robust for a 15" machine.

[Greg Hart]

It has been done before...

http://s277.photobucket.com/albums/kk62/ghart034/Woodworking/?action=view&current=BandSaw001.jpg

http://s277.photobucket.com/albums/kk62/ghart034/Woodworking/?action=view&current=BandSaw002.jpg

Mine is more precise when setup shorter but it is mostly used for resawing and left that way 95% of the time. I can get a 13" resaw capacity out of it and the small footprint in my one garage shop is definitely nice. It looks rough right now but it is next on my list for a rebuild. It is fairly simple to raise/lower the top wheel. All you do is loosen it up and make sure the wheels are coplaner with a straight edge before locking it down. The GI would definitely be an improvement of convenience compared to mine with the geared mechanism.

If anyone has any information on my saw brand/model it would be greatly appreciated I do not have any information other than [Superior Tools 15" Made in Canada] that is cast into the top cover (OWWM is stumped).

Cheers,
Greg

[Chris Knudsen]

That is a nice bandsaw Greg, looks very solid. Sorry, I have never heard of Superior tools, might be the Avro Arrow of Woodworking machinery.

[John Thompson]

Thanks anyway... but I believe I'll pass on this new.. innovative idea. I can barely afford one length blade these days and am thinking... what were "they" thinking? ... :)

Sarge..

[Alan Schaffter]

I think it's a novel approach to a problem. Unfortunately the solution creates another expensive problem...at each height you need a different blade. Can you say $$$$?

Let's get realistic, how many people are going to constantly change blades and heights that this would make that much difference?

Now if it had some type of third idler-wheel where the third wheel would take up the slack of a long blade at the short height, it might be a great solution.

I concur 100% It is an answer to a problem that doesn't exist! If woodworkers regularly repaired blades it might be useful. I would rather see a heftier upper guide support assembly or if you really want to move something, a saw where the table is fixed but the entire frame and upper and lower wheels move up and down.

But I think combining your idler wheel idea with a stiffer upper guide assembly is the best idea and much easier to engineer and build!!!!!

Is there any reason that the upper guide assembly could not be braced from just above the rollers to the frame at the back, as long as the frame end of the brace could also move up and down? It seems to me most of the offending motion of the upper guides and support is not parallel to the direction of cut and along the cut line, but sideways and also, to some degree, torque. A support to the back of the frame would eliminate both.

But, again, are we talking a solution to a problem that doesn't exist?!?!?

[Doug Shepard]

This is flippin brilliant. Now the whole family can have a BS tailored to their own height. Dad, Mom, Junior, and Little Sis can all have their own blades of the appropriate length. Everybody smiling around the BS in a Norman Rockwell painting except little Sis carping about always getting hand-me-down blades that Junior grew out of:D. Flippin brilliant.

[Scott Wigginton]

Now there's a questionable rationalisation for you. If the cost is $4K, I'm calling Agazzani, MM, or, looking for a used Northfield.

John, the adjustable height saw is $1400, the $4K was in ref to a new PM bandsaw.

[Erik C. Hammarlund]

Actually, if you check general's catalog, you will see that they sell an extensible blade which is designed to stretch as you increase saw height, but will not wander when you lower the height. You can do it all with ONE BLADE!!! It's a really nifty alloy.

I lost the part number but I am sure you can find it in Google. It in the same catalog section as the board stretchers.

[Bill White]

Actually, if you check general's catalog, you will see that they sell an extensible blade which is designed to stretch as you increase saw height, but will not wander when you lower the height. You can do it all with ONE BLADE!!! It's a really nifty alloy.

I lost the part number but I am sure you can find it in Google. It in the same catalog section as the board stretchers.


Yep Erik.
That's the Glynflixenschufflecranken blade. They made one for table saws a while back. Variable diameter.
(Snark)
Bill

[John Bailey]

John, the adjustable height saw is $1400, the $4K was in ref to a new PM bandsaw.

Whoops!!:(:( Sorry.

John