Ah wrong choice of saw

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Wingy

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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":2ipzhd65 said:
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
 
How much of the sheet are you hoping to get through the saw? The throat depth is probably only 200mm.
 
Well I tend to make smaller items, boxes, clocks, maybe some more cigar box guitars, that type of thing.

Wingy
 
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.
 
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.
 
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
 
marcros":16h130dn said:
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 :D



Wingy
 
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