Can I just get by with a bandsaw for a few months?

[SlowSteve]

Hi,

I am in the middle of building Mathias' 16" bandsaw, and multi-tasking and blending it together with Stumpy Nub's bandsaw table.

When I'm doing, I have got a Mrs SlowSteve breathing down my neck demanding fancy doors, for which I need to finish the pantarouter (which I need a bandsaw to make)

I am going to run out of space for a while until I get time to build new benches, which realistically is going to be a few months away from being done - so I need to pack on of the machines away - and I'm thinking about the table saw

The bandsaw will be able to do angle cuts with a tilting table, has a set of miter slots, cross cutting table, variable tilt fence, and as the saw costs very little, I am going to get some decent blades as well - a v.skinny one, a 1" resawing blade and a regular blade.

So - on paper at least, I can do most woodworking operations - apart from cove cutting ( which i can't imagine ever doing) and using my box joint jig - although I would be able to rough cut on the bandsaw and finish off by hand I guess.

However - there seem to be a whole lot of people with a TS and no BS, but not many with a BS but no TS.

What am I going to loose out on in the Real World if I mothball my tablesaw for a few months? Is anyone running a shop with a bandsaw only - if so, how are you finding it?

Steve

 

[Alexam]

Hi Steve,

I have a good bandsaw and a P/T, but manage without a T/S. However, I am not a busy'shop' as such because I use my equipment for making bandsaw boxes and a few other items, but no furniture, benches etc. so size of timber is limited. The blades are the best (Tuffsaw of course) and I have found that the 3/4" blade is far more functional for larger cutting.

Not sure how much 'table saw' use you would need and only you can determine that from your own needs and I do have a power saw to use if needed.

Alex

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

I had a bandsaw for years before I got a tablesaw, and I'd ditch the latter before the former.

 

[custard]

Is anyone running a shop with a bandsaw only - if so, how are you finding it?

For many years living in central London I had a very small workshop with a bench, a bandsaw, a lunch box thicknesser, a router, and a good but compact collection of handtools.

I built an awful lot of fine, hardwood furniture with that set up. You need to get slick about truing a face and an edge with handtools, but where's the problem with that? After all we're supposed to be woodworkers, if we can't do a basic job like that reliably, consistently and efficiently then something's badly wrong.

 

[doubleb]

I have just purchased my first band saw. I intend to make this my one and only saw. Main reason is the lack of room I have.
I shall get rid of my saw bench, any sheet material that needs cutting I shall use the jigsaw and tidy up with the band saw.
I am not a furniture maker and I do not intend to make anything fancy, just shelves, door frames and a new kitchen later on.
I have a router table (Trend Mk3 with a T11) I have extended the legs and added a wheel kit, drill press and work bench, all on wheels to spread around for a safe working environment. At present I am working on a fold away bench for my 600m dovetail jig.
I am saving for a planer or maybe a combined unit...bb