Make Your Own Bandsaw???

[Matt Hutchinson]

Here we go again. Random bandsaw parts for sale have spurred my curiosity.

Has anyone here made their own bandsaw? Personally, I would love to build my own bandsaw, custom made with an extra-large cutting height, but the task has a few key engineering problems to tackle. I just got done looking at a home made bandsaw on YouTube. If you want to see it, search "Phoenix bandsaw". A fellow turner located in Japan built it. He had some problems at first, but it seems that he worked them out. Has anyone here attempted this with success??

Hutch

[Jim Underwood]

Here and there you can find plans for making a bandsaw. The ones I'm most familiar with are the ones you find over at Lindsay books website. I got a copy of the book with plans for making one with a 2x4 frame.

You can also get aluminum parts to make one from that mail order place.... I forget the name of it. I got one of their catalogs once, to make a lathe, but bought the Jet mini instead. I didn't want aluminum castings. McGillians, or Gillians or something. They make a lot of aluminum parts and sell them as kits to build your own lathe, bandsaw, etc... Someone surely can remember if I don't. Used to advertise in some of the woodworking publications. They don't have a website, and you can only order over the phone or mail order.

The bandsaw doesn't appear to be all that complicated to build though...

[Chris Fierro]

The youtube videos are Stu from Tokyo, who at some point, I believe to have been a contributor here on the Creek. He may still be.

I believe that he moved on to a commercial bandsaw though.

[tim harris]

Matt, Thanks a great question.

We all are smart here, heck a lot of us make, build or design machines and computerized devices in our day jobs. So why not a 3 wheeled bladed machine to resaw wood?

I would like to build one and just found a small iron shop that is willing to weld pieces for me a a realistic cost.

I'll bet that 3 or 4, 3/4 inch pieces of plywood would make quite a stout frame if they were glued and laminated like a home construction engineered beam.

Where did you see your parts mentioned, e-bay or craigslist or something like that?

[Jim Underwood]

Ok.. I couldn't rest til I remembered the name of that outfit.

It's Gilliom Manufacturing

And here's a thread about the same sort of thing:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=43807

[John Schreiber]

I think you could laminate high quality plywood to make the the wheels too. If they are large, they wouldn't have to spin all that fast.

Another idea I had to provide a lot of exposed blade length and keep it all really strong was to run supports direct from axle to axle rather than the usual backbone with the axles cantilevered out. You would loose some depth, but gain a lot of strength.

I started to draw up this "bandsawasaurus" a while ago. The idea was 48" wheels. Wood could be fed on a conveyor between the wheels.

BandsawSauraus.jpg

[Jim Underwood]

In the book I bought, the fellow had the idea to twist the blade a bit in the throat so that it increased his "throat" distance so that he could cut off long stock.

You might use that idea with John's idea, and have a capable and unique saw.

[John Schreiber]

. . .the idea to twist the blade a bit in the throat so that it increased his "throat" distance so that he could cut off long stock. . . .

Some metal cutting band saws are set up that way. You can crosscut a pipe of any length with a small saw.

[Dennis Ford]

I have been using a home made band saw for about 12 years, it is ugly, noisy and underpowered but has cut a lot of wood and worn out a bunch of blades. Resaw height is 12", wheels are 20" dia x 1.5" thick (MDF). The frame is welded up steel (plywood used for wheel guards). The bottom wheel moves up and down for tension adjustment. I will probably build another one soon for more resaw height and better appearance. If you build one, do it because you have lots of time and little money or because you have lots of time and money and enjoy doing it yourself.

I saved money on the first one, used scrap parts and junk plywood. If I had to purchase all the material and hire out the welding/machining it would cost more than a good factory model.

Here we go again. Random bandsaw parts for sale have spurred my curiosity.

Has anyone here made their own bandsaw? Personally, I would love to build my own bandsaw, custom made with an extra-large cutting height, but the task has a few key engineering problems to tackle. I just got done looking at a home made bandsaw on YouTube. If you want to see it, search "Phoenix bandsaw". A fellow turner located in Japan built it. He had some problems at first, but it seems that he worked them out. Has anyone here attempted this with success??

Hutch

[Matt Hutchinson]

Well, I haven't done any researching since my original post, but I have been doing some pondering. What do I really need right now? Honestly, I don't think I need more than a functioning machine that has enoug beef to make it through 10" wet wood. I found a used Delta 14" for sale for $165. For the price of the cast and balanced bandsaw wheels I am looking at, I could buy this cheap machine, buy a used 2 hp industrial motor, a riser block kit, and still be able to buy a nice set of guideblocks.

Still, there's that little guy inside wanting to make a sweet beast of my own design. I will definitely be investigating some of the sources you all have mentioned. Thanks!!

By the way, I saw the parts on eBay. They look like quality wheels....cast and balanced. They even go up to 27" in diameter!!! Let me know if any of you get insipired and take the plunge.

Hutch

[Don Eddard]

The youtube videos are Stu from Tokyo, who at some point, I believe to have been a contributor here on the Creek. He may still be.

I believe that he moved on to a commercial bandsaw though.

Stu had the commercial bandsaw first. It is a Hitachi (I think) resaw machine with a very wide blade. He decided to build the Phoenix for cutting curved things like bowl blanks. He got it pretty well dialed in from what I hear. Read it somewhere on the Internet.

[Matt Hutchinson]

Okay, I went and bought the cheap Delta 14" bandsaw for $125. It needs some tlc, but it will be pretty nice when all is said and done. Needs new tires, guide blocks, a riser kit, and better motor (right now it only has 1/2 hp). A new 1 1/2 or 2 hp motor will do wonders! I think it will have no problem cutting my blanks. However, I have a feeling that these upgrades will give it indefinite longevity.

Maybe someday I will cannibalize this machine to make my own.

Hutch