Don't do it.. not on that saw. It's a 10" saw, and 1/2hp is more than enough for it. Plus, it uses a model specific motor mount which I am not sure can be utilized for a larger motor, or that it would be able to handle the additional weight. Put a sharp blade on it and go to town... it's the blade that does the work, and the motor just makes sure it spins. Oh, and it can't do 8" either

Cheers,
Brad

 

Not worth it. A used 14" Delta for $3- 400 will cut 6" material fine with a 1/2hp motor, or something like Laguna 14" will cut 12" for $$.

 

Thank you Brad, and jwoodcraft, I appreciate the quick replies and advice. To be clear Brad, you are saying my 10" Delta with a sharp blade should cut wood that is up to 6" tall (and that 8" is too tall for the saw I have due to the lack of clearance?)

 

8" will not fit under the guides, but one review of that saw said that even cutting through the 1 1/2" of a 2x4 was slow going, so I doubt any amount of fine tuning will give the result that you're looking for.

 

8" will not fit under the guides, but one review of that saw said that even cutting through the 1 1/2" of a 2x4 was slow going, so I doubt any amount of fine tuning will give the result that you're looking for.

8" will not fit under the guides, but one review of that saw said that even cutting through the 1 1/2" of a 2x4 was slow going, so I doubt any amount of fine tuning will give the result that you're looking for.

Thanks Jwoodcraft, I should have done more research before purchasing it, lessons learned. I bought it used and a good price, so i'll try it with new a new blade and if that doesn't work, save money and invest in a saw that is better suited for the job. again, thankyou for the quick reply nd advice.

 

Tell us more about the wood and the blade you tried. What kind of wood are you cutting, and which blade are you using? Width? TPI?

The thicker the wood, the fewer teeth per inch (TPI) you will want for your blade. If you have high TPI, the motor must work harder because there are more teeth inside the wood trying to cut it. More teeth also means smaller gullets that fill up quickly at the top of the wood and stop cutting the rest of the way through it. More friction means more burning and less cutting. A hot blade dulls quickly.

I would try a new 1/4 inch 3 TPI blade. Tune up the saw as best as you can. Whatever thickness that blade can cut is the best your saw can do. Try it on a scrap of the wood you need to cut. See if it will work for you. While you are at it, inspect the wood to see the blade mark cleanup that you must do afterwards.

You may find that your bandsaw may be able to cut thick basswood (very soft), but not thick maple or cherry. There is a point where the bandsaw simply cannot cut the wood. If you push too hard, the motor cannot power through it. If you push gently and slowly, the blade will overheat, burn the wood, and stop cutting.

If you are new to bandsaws, be sure you learn and follow good bandsaw safety practices. The "bandsaw mentor" in our club once came over to help inspect and setup a new-to-me bandsaw. While he was here, he reminded me that bandsaws were invented for the meat cutting industry. He believes that bandsaws are always trying to "get back to their roots" and have a taste of fresh meat ... so be careful.

 

I agree with aboveboard- put a decent 1/4" blade on and use it to cut curves and smaller stuff. If you get a bigger saw this will be useful as changing blades is somewhat a bother.

 

That saw doesn't have enough clearance to do 8"... IIRC, it's has the capability of doing something like 7" at the most. Even on my 14" Deltas, cutting thick stuff like 6" can be slow going depending on the wood. Don't be fooled by the videos you watch, as most of them are sped up for time reasons (same with the jig saw stuff you see). Slow and steady get the job done.

Having said that though, a 10" saw is not really designed to work with really thick wood. The table and trunnions are light weight and could be easily broken if you try to throw too much at them, particularly large, heavy stock. Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you should!

Cheers,
Brad

 

Yes, upgrading the motor from 1/2 HP to 1 1/2 or 2 HP is definitely possible, and it could help you cut through thicker wood more easily. Before upgrading, make sure your bandsaw frame and components are compatible with the larger motor, as some saws are built to handle specific power limits. You might also need to upgrade your power supply to 220V if the new motor requires it. Additionally, make sure you’re using a blade suited for thicker cuts, as this will also improve performance. If you’re planning on doing compound cuts, consider adjusting your cutting technique and feed rate to avoid overloading the motor. Better sawblades as well.