Bandsaw too big for garage? or Festool Domino/Tracksaw?

[Tom M King]

Kind of hard to resaw with a track saw.

A large bandsaw is almost another tool entirely, compared to a 14" bandsaw. They both runs bands, but beyond that, the little one can't come close to what the big one will do (says an owner of a 24", 14", and two 10" bandsaws). Being able to tension a 1" band, with big teeth, will leave you never wanting to resaw anything on a 14" again. I sold all my 105" resaw bands the day after we unloaded the 24", and ran something through it.

Kind of like Yogi said about the fork in the road, when you come up on a great deal, take it.

[jeff norris 2011]

BIG bandsaws do one thing really well and not much else. If you want a resaw beast and make straight cuts in big wood, go for it. BUT you most likely need to keep you 14" saw if you like to cut curves on your BS.

So if you can't have two saws (budget or room constraints) a 24" beast may not be right for you.

[nicholas mitchell]

BIG bandsaws do one thing really well and not much else. If you want a resaw beast and make straight cuts in big wood, go for it. BUT you most likely need to keep you 14" saw if you like to cut curves on your BS.

So if you can't have two saws (budget or room constraints) a 24" beast may not be right for you.

You can’t cut curves on a big bandsaw?

[Patrick Irish]

Big bandsaw it is. Hopefully will get it next weekend. I've bought and sold enough to know what can happen in a week when both parties are many miles apart.

Figuring out how to get it has been fun. My 2001 yukon xl (suburban) doesn't have a hitch, it was sold when the SUV lived it's first 30k miles lowered. My 1988 dodge ram 50 has a ball on the bumper but the saw at 720lbs plus trailer, that'd be risky.

Brother in laws ford lightning has expired tags and a broken trans cooler bracket. The bracket is an easy fix though.

Soo....I bought a hitch and hope to get it thursday if shipping is fast enough. I plan to rent a trailer and load it vertically. I really don't want to take the big table off and lay down and struggle getting it back up. I figure I can strap it down like crazy. I may even have them put it on a pallet and then pallet jack out on to the driveway. It does have the mobility kit so maybe with enough guy, slowly wheeling it down the trailer and tilting into the garage wouldn't be a problem.

Seller didn't come down in price but for $2,000 I figure that it's a good price considering it was $5k new and the saw comes with several blades, mobility kit, and resaw fence. If I find I'm not using it enough I can sell it and maybe be out only a little.

Also forcing me to finally get a hitch which will come in hand I think more down the line.

I'm getting photos tomorrow and will probably send him a deposit.

[Matthew Hills]

You can cut curves on a big BS; and the large table is nice.
The big reason people keep a 2nd bandsaw for curves is to avoid the hassle of exchanging the blades.
A big saw's guides may also not work real well with a narrow blade, and you should be careful that you don't accidentally overtension a narrow blade...

Matt

[Tom Trees]

I definitely would take the table off for a few reasons,
If its the same as my Griggio/ACM 24" SNA600, then all that is holding the table is a single bolt.
Bandsaws are quite narrow top heavy and would fight you if you tried to move it off a trailer vertically.
It can be wobbled with a finger or two if pushed from the topside,
The machine will be easier to move with the help of a dolly and a few say 4" fenceposts and a bit of carpet or auld jacket.

I have removed the table many times, hands on infeed outfeed ends and butt my head against the cabinet.
Make sure to have some thick planks that can clear your feet, to sit it down against something beforehand.
If you wanted to play it safe get some timbers that would prop the table.from either side also.

As said above a good way to get a bandsaw from upright and onto its spine is to take it down from the column side,
It wont weigh anything as the weight is keen to keep the machine uppright, until its pivoted beyond somewhere around 45 degrees, then a sawhorse would be nice to take the weight, so you can change positions and lay it down.

Presuming a tall truck costs more than a trailer.

[jeff norris 2011]

You can’t cut curves on a big bandsaw?

depends on the size, most big band saws don't to do well with narrow blades. Sure you can make it work though.

[Mike Cutler]

BIG bandsaws do one thing really well and not much else. If you want a resaw beast and make straight cuts in big wood, go for it. BUT you most likely need to keep you 14" saw if you like to cut curves on your BS.

So if you can't have two saws (budget or room constraints) a 24" beast may not be right for you.

Jeff
I am going to politely disagree with you on this one. I do understand your point though.
I've seen some big bandsaws running 1/8" blades. It takes guide changes, but they can definitely do finer work.
One fellow creeker, about 20 minutes north of me, has a 36" Moak that has a 3/8" blade on it normally, and he can change to 1/8" blades quite easily.
It's the guide design that will have an impact on blade selection, but guides can be changed.

[Tom M King]

I took the table off of the 24" Centauro, and it wasn't really that big of a job. I would take the table off to not risk damage to the trunnions.

[Jim Becker]

Patrick

There is quite a bit of difference between a band saw and a track saw. They kind of don't really do the same things, but compliment each other well.

I think it's a matter of "either or for funding", not as alternative machines.

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Patrick...congratulations! I hope everything goes smoothly with the transaction and subsequent transportation. I don't think you're going to be able to wheel that down off a trailer on its mobility kit...most of the time, these setups are just adequate to move the tool over level surfaces for repositioning and the tool is barely off the floor when they are engaged. That, combined with the angle of a ramp, would be a pretty perilous situation. See if you can rent an appliance mover that can handle that much weight or have about six strong people including yourself to be able to carefully slide it off the back edge of the trailer onto the ground as close to your shop as possible.

[Tim M Tuttle]

Bandsaws don't really take up much space and there isnt really much of a difference between large and small. I have a Laguna 18BX and a WEN 10" on a rolling stand. They both take up a similar amount of floor space.

[Jim Becker]

True, unless they are too tall for the ceiling, Tim...

[Patrick Irish]

Regarding transporting, I chatted with Laguna customer service and they recommended tipping it over on the back spline. They said to place the saw bout 3-4ft from bed of truck with the help of 3 guys and tip over and push it in. This way no one is lifting the complete weight of the saw. Table is heavy but easy to remove as well.

Getting it out should just be the reverse.

I’m debating this. I don’t have a truck really but can rent one. Mine is a small 4cyl Dodge Ram 50. This saw does have the wheels on the rear. I wonder if during the tipping process it will kick out. I could always take the wheels off or hook up a come along to the bed and loop it around the top of saw to prevent that.

The table is 24x33” so it will stick out some. I’m not denying this, this will take up a lot of space in my garage. I have base cabinets along the garage wall it’s going. I might get rid of a set or just deal with it. All my tools are on wheels and we hope to be here maybe another year or two.

Height to the bottom of the roll up track is 87” giving the saw 3” to spare. It’s going to be higher than 83” during the tipping up at one point. I’m hoping once in the garage we can roll the door down and be ok to tilt it up. It’s 95” to the ceiling.

[Mike Kees]

I hauled my Centauro CO 600 home from Calgary (about 350 kms.)On my flat deck trailer laying on it's spine. I brought along 6-8 pieces of 2"x4" and a impact driver and screws, screwed pieces all the way around it to the trailer deck and secured it with about 4-5 rachet straps, it rode like a dream.

[Tom Trees]

I would definitely take those wheels off and give tipping it as said by Laguna, in the shed.
If it doesn't clear the ceiling you will be able to judge whilst tipping as its not weighing much, more of an issue keep it from standing upright, than lifting it...
you could get some blocks to make sure it dosent tip upright if it was important.

If that is too high you can always tip it lifting from the front of the machine, which can be done aswell albeit not as easily. Have a good sawhorse at hand for the changing of grip.

Another thing I forgot to mention which might be a good idea, is to make sure it doesn't tip over when it eagerly plonks itself upright, there was some swaying of the machine
the last time I set mine down, this could have been worse if it was worse floor.
Ill pull up a bench or something next to the back of the machine when I do this again.
Good luck with the saw Patrick