I have a tiny bandsaw (7" black & decker). I can't really cut out shapes on 2x material. Looking for a bigger one. This one hasn't really been used in 2 years. The seller wants $125. should I buy it?
It's a 1 hp, 12" craftsman
I think you will regret it, save your money and go for at least a 14 inch bandsaw. I bought the ridgid bandsaw for around 300 dollars, I have done a lot of upgrading to it and am very satisfied. If all you want to do is scroll sawing with it I suppose it would work, but for any kind of resawing you are going to want a larger capacity, at least 6 inch of resaw. Just my opinion of course.
Greetings dmoney:... I completely agree with Rasta. I had a 12" Crapsman band saw years ago (my first one about 20 years ago), and it just couldn't "cut it". Look for at least a 14" or bigger, if you can find one. It'll do just about anything you want it to do…..you'll be happier in the long run… don't settle for something just because it sounds like a good deal…. it ain't…..... you'd never be happy with it…. trust us….keep on keeping on…...
I have a bit different opinion Derek. That is much more saw then your current 7" B&D model and it is a step up. The price is decent as I see people asking $200.00 to $300.00 for them around here. So depending on what you want to do with the saw it might work for you.
I do agree with the above posters that the Harbor Freight 14" saw is the better saw to have.
I had plenty of opportunity to grab one of those. Save a little more, or find one used, but grab a 14" cast iron frame band saw like the HF, Ridgid, Delta, Jet, Grizzly etc…
I have seen HF 14" band saws on Craigslist here for around $150.00
The saw isn't much good for resaw work but it will cut curves in 2"X stock.
It will also be handy for a quick cut here and there.
I still agree that the generic Harbor Freight/Rigid saw is a better piece of equipment and when set up properly will work for resaw work but that may not be what the OP is asking about.
If he isn't resaw'ing, planing and joining rough lumber then that 12" saw is certainly a step up over what he now has.
Actually, at one time I had one of those and there are some nice features. The tilting head is a really nice alternative. I prefer it to a tilting table. It was a nice big table for a small saw. It cut well. I think it was max of 1/2 in blade. 5" cutting height or so. Is it as nice as a saw that costs three times as much? No, but is was a step above the little dinky home improvement stores.
dmoney, a lot of people have recommended buying a 14" saw instead. My recommendation to you would be identify what your needs are. If you don't really need the capacity of a 14" bandsaw, why spend the extra money.
Thanks for all the helpe everyone.
i think I'm going to get it. in the future I might want/need something better but for right now this will probably do what I want. I'm cutting shapes in 2x stock right now with a jigsaw and hope this will cut straighter and nicer. I like the big table to help support the stock too.
i had that saw years ago ,
the tilting body was nice ,
but i never used it .
i had to glue a sheet of formica to the table ,
as the groves made the bottom splinters follow the groves ,
and made my cut ' groggy ' , not smooth .
i think the fence rode a rail on the back of the table ,
making adjustments somewhat tedious ,
as you had to go around to the back to do it .
with a good blade ,
bigger is better !
eventually you can have all your band saws ,
with dedicated thickness blades .
then just change them ,
without messing with the guides .
This is the only bandsaw in the world that cuts 45 degrees right AND left. and.. on a table that is fixed permanently in the horizontal position! If you need this feature…buy it!
My father has used a bandsaw like that heavily for several years, doing just what you say you want to do - cutting 4/4 and 8/4 material, but not ever resawing. My mother has a business of sorts painting tole type stuff which requires him to spend a couple hours a week cutting materials for her to paint - mostly pine. It's worked well for him for that, and it'll get you where you need to go until you get your hands on something else, and at the price, you should be able to get most of your money back. Dad's worn out two of those saws, and older model and now a newer one is running out of steam - so you can use them successfully enough if you want to.
I sold mine a year ago for $125. There was a lot of interest at that price.
I had Timberwolf blades on it and upgraded guide blocks and it never cut straight no matter how I adjusted for drift. It was just frustration. I thought it was me but when I finally got a Laguna I realized there was a night and day difference in quality.
Give it a try, it's a fair price, and as someone said, you should be able to get most of your money back if you decide to sell it.
Great! Hope the left-and-right 45-degree cutting feature comes in handy. This is what makes this tilt-head saw unique when compared to other bandsaws. Keep the upper and lower blade guides close to the workpiece, and the blade properly tensioned, and it will solve most of the drifting problems.
Lots of opinions… The bigger the better! ...but I just bought a 9" Rockwell just to cut small pieces of Plexiglass and such so i don't have to change and reset my 14" Rikon.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
LumberJocks Woodworking Forum
2.5M posts
96K members
Since 2006
A forum community dedicated to professional woodworkers and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about shop safety, wood, carpentry, lumber, finishing, tools, machinery, woodworking related topics, styles, scales, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!