Has Anyone On Here Ever Built Their Own Bandsaw?

[Doris]

Morning Chaps,

So I'm on the hunt for a bandsaw still at the moment to meet with my needs, which I'm beginning to realise don't exist and am now contemplating building my own machine. I'm after a small bandsaw with a deeper cut than most ready made ones will allow

I've seen lots of articles on making a bandsaw from scratch but wondered if there was a reason why smaller bandsaws have such a small depth to them. Also if I could take a cheap small two wheeler, dismantle it and then remount everything (wheels, guides, etc) in a slightly taller/ stretched housing. Buying a longer blade and fitting a ore powerful motor to it as well. We have a 1hp motor knocking around that I'm presuming would be powerful enough?

Cost is not an issue either I should add, its just space more than anything else I'm pretty skint on.

 

[dzj]

Some models allow you to install a riser block and thus increase the height.
Maybe that's what you should be looking for.

 

[DennisCA]

Lots of people have built the woodgears bandsaws

 

[Alexam]

I don't think the blades would be a problem as Tuffsaw can do almost anything, but what you need to be aware of, if you are not, deeper cuts will require greater beam strength.

It would not be a problem for manufacturers to build deeper cuts, but the additional cost is prohibitive in relation to what buyers are prepared to pay. What sort of budget do you have ovearall for a bandsaw?

 

[Doris]

£200-300 is my budget. I'm after a benchtop bandsaw with a depth cut height of over 6" which doesn't really exist. At least I haven't found one in this country. Lots of the old American bandsaws seem to have been able to do this but I can't find any uk versions.

 

[Alexam]

You would be extreemly luck to find anything in that level. Would a smaller depth of cut not be suitable until a later date? We all look for 'more', but rarely find it. If its something that needs work then you wll probably spend even more, so its a 'catch 22'.

Perhaps a re-think ? or perhaps re-build this small-cast-iron-bandsaw-for-spares-repair-t94181.html but I wouldn't go near if I were you.

 

[Doris]

You would be extreemly luck to find anything in that level. Would a smaller depth of cut not be suitable until a later date? We all look for 'more', but rarely find it. If its something that needs work then you wll probably spend even more, so its a 'catch 22'

I need the depth of cut as I need to be able to waste out larger carvings on the bandsaw. Currently I can only waste out properly tiny carvings at a depth of 10cm and even that's tricky. People are asking for larger carvings and so I need a bandsaw that meets my demands. I have a 7x7 shed and have to fit a 5' lathe, bench and pillar drill and a mountain of wood in this space so my floor space is non existent.

Like I said I know the bandsaw I'm after doesn't exist which is why I'm thinking of building my own.

 

[Paddy Roxburgh]

I've been fascinated by watching Mathias Wandel build his bandsaw on woodgears. I currently have a monster Wadkin saw but one day (hopefully sooner rather than later) I will leave my current bussiness and stick to making things at home, for this I will need a smaller machine. If I have time I would love to build Mathias' bandsaw from his plans, A cautionary note however, Mathias says a few times that if you just want a bandsaw then you are better off buying one, the only good reason to build one is if you actually WANT to build one, wise words I believe.
Paddy

 

[worn thumbs]

I haven't built a bandsaw,but in the late seventies I knew a man who did.He was fairly capable in such matters and his saw was mostly wood with steel sheet wrapped round the parts a departing blade might hit.The difficult part was creating the track on which the top wheel was adjusted for tension and tracking.He had a pal who could weld and used his skills to create the tracks and I remember the tracking adjustment involved a sturdy car door hinge.I didn't actually see the saw,but I did see one or two items that had been cut on it and I remember that the same motor was used to power his home made lathe.Fortunately I don't have to contemplate building a saw as I was lucky enough to stumble upon a bargain Startrite 18-S-5 that has an eight inch cutting depth at the penalty of occupying a lot of floor space.

 

[No skills]

Maybe a large bandsaw on wheels is the answer, roll it outside to use it and back again when finished. Or you and Dave need a bigger shed.

 

[DennisCA]

An average man can lift the wooden woodgears bandsaw, if the motor isn't too heavy anyway. And it could be put on a bench and carried in when needed, though a stand with wheels would be besst.

But I wouldn't keep a bandsaw, esp. a wooden one outdoors, maybe some other heated area in that case.

 

[marcros]

what do timber framers use- i seem to recall a portable bandsaw- would this be an option? no idea on price or availability.

 

[heimlaga]

Timber framers...... I cannot anser that but log house capenters use a petrol powered chainsaw.

 

[lurker]

I think you will struggle to find a b saw that will cut 6"+ without getting into high hundreds.
Have you thought about a arbor tech blade on an angle grinder for hogging out the waste bulk?
Or even a sculptors chainsaw blade and bar on an electric chainsaw?

 

[Andy RV]

Here you go;

http://scosarg.com/hand-tools/portable- ... AgPJ8P8HAQ

 

[woodaxed]

a kity 613 bandsaw may be the way to go they have detachable legs and i think around 7.5" depth of cut should fit on your bench
the table may end up a little high but a pallet to stand on would cure that and when done the pallet could be left outside with a cover on it
there was one forsale on here a while ago HTH

 

[dickm]

Was going to suggest the Kity. If you want the greatest depth of cut, go for the earlier model with the plain blade guides. The posher ball bearing guides lose about an inch of cut. Lignum blocks in the older type work well.

 

[MIGNAL]

I think a wheel kit is probably the best way to go. You might get fed up with lifting a bandsaw on and off the bench each time you need to use it. I know I did and that was only a little Burgess!

 

[Finial]

I built a bandsaw many years ago. It served me well for a long time but eventually wore out. Rather than give it a leg up I bought a Kity, then a Startrite 352 that I still have.

The homemade one was built around a spine of 2" x 1" solid steel. I bolted a steel arm at the bottom that carried the lower wheel. The upper wheel was on a movable steel arm, attached to a box made of bits of steel plate that could slide on the spine. It was a loose fit left to right, so tightening a bolt on the left of the box would tilt the arm up a bit and tension the blade and lock it to the spine. The wheels were plywood with rubber tyres. The guides were 3 ball races above and 3 below the table, which was plywood too. It was all assembled on a stand made of bed frame angle iron. The whole thing was made of scrap, all bolted together, no welding. I didn't work from a plan, just kept adding bits as I went along. I included guarding for the wheels and also dust extraction.

It looked terrible and broke a lot of blades. It would often stall the motor so I added a lever operated 'clutch'. I enjoyed making it. It could plank oak 13" thick from the log and kept me in turning timber for years.

Terry