[GRVY]

I’m torn between adding a tablesaw or a bandsaw to my garage shop. I’m limited on room because my boat takes up a lot of room but I have a section cordoned off. So far I have been able to do longer rips with a jig I made for my circular saw. And if I need a table I can use my neighbors if he is around. I have my router sled, router table, 12 inch sliding miter saw, and band saw for now. Please correct me if I am wrong. Still kinda new to some of this but a nice band saw seems like it can rip boards, do curved cuts, and can be used relatively well with rough or unfinished lumber as long as you have a relatively clean side. Table saw can do rips pretty easy. What would be a better way to go here?i have access to a lot of rough lumber and slabs so that is mostly what I will be working.

if a band saw is the way to go, what would you recommend that is not an insane price?

 

[yamato72]

You're going to get a lot of opinions but my sense is they will be majority table saw. You can't beat it for accuracy. Both can rip boards but the table saw will typically leave a cleaner cut. The couple times I've ripped long boards on the band saw I've needed to plane the edge smooth. Can't cut curves or square notches with the table saw. Band saw limits how wide you can cut. Bigger table on the table saw makes a lot of cuts more stable.

I'm in the table saw camp, and the band saw complements it.

 

[builtinbkyn]

Tough call. Most people think a wood shop needs a table saw in it. But the reality is, it depends upon the type of projects you plan on doing and the tools you'll be using aside from either mentioned. Personally I feel a bandsaw is more versatile. It can do pretty much anything a table saw can do, but the reverse isn't true. However those tasks are limited in their size on a bandsaw - you cannot crosscut boards wider than the distance between the blade and the throat. However if you have a handheld circular saw, you're covered. Put the bandsaw on casters and it stores along a wall and can even be used there as long as the piece you're working on can be manipulated in the space. I guess my vote, if it means anything, is a bandsaw. Get a track saw as well, that stows away, and you'll have the best of both machines covered.

 

[GRVY]

You're going to get a lot of opinions but my sense is they will be majority table saw. You can't beat it for accuracy. Both can rip boards but the table saw will typically leave a cleaner cut. The couple times I've ripped long boards on the band saw I've needed to plane the edge smooth. Can't cut curves or square notches with the table saw. Band saw limits how wide you can cut. Bigger table on the table saw makes a lot of cuts more stable.

I'm in the table saw camp, and the band saw complements it.

If I go band saw…… Any recommendations on a good brand capable of handling a decent amount of work? Need something more than just a little tabletop that is used for plywood.

 

[sunnybob]

Spend decent money on a bandsaw. Cheap price means cheap made, and you will regret the purchase from day one.
This is the voice of experience. I wasted over a year fighting a piece of cheap crap before buying a decent one.
Cant advise make as I am not in the USA. but a 14" wheel is the size to aim for for all hobby work.
I had a bandsaw for a few years before I bought a table saw because I am limited on space. Ended up buying a DeWalt contractors site saw and put it on a movable trolley. It does work well above what you would think of something so small.
If I now had to get rid of one, it would be a very tough call but I would keep the bandsaw.

 

[MadMark]

Both. But it depends on what you want to make. If you have a boat, you have curved wood pieces that need replacing. So a good bandsaw could be a godsend. I agree with the others that a tablesaw can be much more accurate and cleaner cutting, but you can't beat a band saw for curves.

 

[JPatrickJ]

While a bandsaw can rip when equipped with a good blade, it's not really that good at it compared to a table saw. I would not want to be without a table saw in my shop. It's one of the most versatile tools you can have for not just ripping, but crosscutting, joinery, resawing, getting a straight edge, and many other tasks.

As an aside, what is your plan for going from roughsawn to usable lumber? Were you going to use hand tools?

Patrick

 

[BWSmith]

New here sort of.....?

Anyway,not the least bit new to the wood biz.... if I had to start over again,an XY panel saw would be one of the 1st pieces. Along with a modest spray booth. I have both now... just sayin. Both if which BTW,can be made to use almost zero real estate.

We have "several" (haha) TS's,and let's see....1,2,3,4,5 or 6 bandsaws. The XY panel saw saves space and time "busting down" sheets,then head to one of the TS's. One of which is a mid stroke slider. A 20/24" BS is really nice but is better reserved for resaw and straight line ripping. A second BS,14 or 16" is then setup with a thin,profile cutting blade. Swapping blades eats up too much time for a pro shop.

Good luck with your project. BWS

 

[wapakfred]

Whle the TS would be my personal choice, I'm told most European shops consider the BS the primary saw....I think you could do just fine with it.

 

[GRVY]

While a bandsaw can rip when equipped with a good blade, it's not really that good at it compared to a table saw. I would not want to be without a table saw in my shop. It's one of the most versatile tools you can have for not just ripping, but crosscutting, joinery, resawing, getting a straight edge, and many other tasks.

As an aside, what is your plan for going from roughsawn to usable lumber? Were you going to use hand tools?

Patrick

Right now I’m planing Dow rough luber in the router sled and when I get a good surface I rip it with a circular saw and jig. But this is not time nor wolf efficient. I have logs that I have been drying for few years. The couple I have broken down have been split with wedge and sledge to rough size and then an electric hand plan helps flatten two sides. Then on to the router sled to flatten twos side and rip down with a circular saw and jig. This has only been done a couple times as I just got some of jigs up and running. If I need to go more than that I use neighbors tablesaw. It works but is tiring. Lol. Wanted a bandsaw because it will be easier to tear down logs. The logs I work with are not huge btw.

As a side note what does everyone think of the a few alt 7485 jobsote table saw? I know it isn’t huge and isnt meant for ripping large pieces but it may work for what I need it for save space allowing me to get a nice bandsaw down the road.

 

[JackDuren]

It depends on what you intend to make.

 

[GRVY]

It depends on what you intend to make.

Not planning on framing houses. The biggest projects I’ve made in the past is tables of varying sizes. That is likely the biggest I’ll do again. Otherwise it is cutting boards, serving boards, small chests/boxes. I like smaller projects for the most part.

 

[GRVY]

I do smaller crafty stuff to but that is where the scroll saw comes in hand.

 

[Sylvain]

If you are going hand tools, the bandsaw is the only machine Paul Sellers would recommend.
Interesting use see pictures 6...9 from bottom of blog post .
In his hand-tool centric work, most of the bandsaw use is ripping long boards, making non straight pieces (e.g. chair back legs) or make thin boards to be bent laminated.

 

[ChefHDAN]

Not planning on framing houses. The biggest projects I’ve made in the past is tables of varying sizes. That is likely the biggest I’ll do again. Otherwise it is cutting boards, serving boards, small chests/boxes. I like smaller projects for the most part.

If you plan to make furniture pieces you MUST have straight square cuts. You can do it without a TS, but I'd lose my mind with my OCD if I tried to glue up a panel with stock I ripped on a BS

 

[Lazyman]

Another option is to get a good 17 or 18" bandsaw and a portable jobsite table saw with a folding base or (and) a track saw to conserve space. That will cover you for most things. A track saw can be used for both rip and cross cuts and is also better (IMO) than a table saw for breaking down large sheets of plywood.

 

[northwoodsman]

Instead of setting up shop and trying to find uses for tools, start building projects and see what you need to get the job done. It makes more sense financially and you won't have unused tools taking up space.

 

[GRVY]

Another option is to get a good 17 or 18" bandsaw and a portable jobsite table saw with a folding base or (and) a track saw to conserve space. That will cover you for most things. A track saw can be used for both rip and cross cuts and is also better (IMO) than a table saw for breaking down large sheets of plywood.

This is the route I think that makes most sense. Get the e small desalt portable tablesaw and save for a good band saw.

 

[GRVY]

DEWALT 8-1/4" Compact Jobsite Table Saw - DWE7485 | Blain's Farm & Fleet

will this saw rip good clean edges on hardwood?

 

[Lazyman]

I do not have one of those but I would probably go with a 10 inch job site saw. Unless you are just cutting small pieces, it will be a difficult to make long rip cuts or cross cuts on long stock. It is just a little too small.