Ah wrong choice of saw

[Wingy]

I recently bought a table saw and am beginning to wish i had bought a band saw instead, I had forgotten just how much room a table saw takes up!

Just a quick question; do you chaps think a bench top band saw would be up to the task of cutting a nice straight edge on small pieces of 3/4" ply and hardwood, or are the smaller band saws only really suitable for very light work?

Wingy

 

[marcros]

3/4" ply is light work!

 

[Wingy]

3/4" ply is light work!

Good point! I guess I have not explained myself very well.

I suppose what I am really asking is if the small bench top type of band saw are useful machines for light woodworking as my budget is going to be whatever I can sell the table saw for, around £200 I guess.

Wingy

 

[Graham Orm]

How much of the sheet are you hoping to get through the saw? The throat depth is probably only 200mm.

 

[Wingy]

Well I tend to make smaller items, boxes, clocks, maybe some more cigar box guitars, that type of thing.

Wingy

 

[RogerP]

Easily up to the task.

BUT bandsaws straight from the box most often do not cut straight but drift to one side so you have to follow a line manually rather than use a fence. To cut reliably straight with the fence you need a good saw to start with plus a very good blade (not the one that comes with the saw) and time taken learning to set it up correctly.

 

[marcros]

if you put wheels on the table saw, it neednt take up that much space. Personally, I find the table saw to be more useful than the bandsaw, although most people seem to say the opposite. if i only had room for one, it wouldnt be a 2 minute decision for me to make, particularly for box making. if box making was the principal consideration, I would favour the table saw.

 

[Jmcp]

Might be worth considering a good jigsaw

Cheers, John

 

[RobinBHM]

I cant see a bandsaw being any good for precision cuts that are any good for jointing, like small boxes. A table saw seems more suited for the task

 

[Wingy]

if you put wheels on the table saw, it neednt take up that much space. Personally, I find the table saw to be more useful than the bandsaw, although most people seem to say the opposite. if i only had room for one, it wouldnt be a 2 minute decision for me to make, particularly for box making. if box making was the principal consideration, I would favour the table saw.

Cheers Marcos,

Certainly does make life easier with the saw on a set of wheels, can even wheel it outside into the sunshine when I want to use it now



Wingy