Newbie hobbyist woodworking - Band saw or table saw

[jigsaw]

Hi everyone

OK I am new to woodworking and I wanted to take up this new hobby and create some nice neat boxes I can give to family and friends, I just enjoy making things.

Here is an example of the kind of thing I am wanting to make.

Some of you may have read my last post about buying a band saw and the fence would not sit level on the marker points on the table so I had to take it back, now I am in a position to buy a better quality band saw or maybe a table saw or even something else ?

Could someone tell me from their own experience the benefits and negatives of woodworking with both band saws and table saws and what would be best for my needs.

Many thanks in advance

 

[marcros]

both have their advantages.

I would personally look fr a used kity or inca bandsaw. It wont cost you much more than you paid for the other one.

It will enable you to start to process timber- take slices from wider stock to produce box thickness boards. The depth of cut would be too limited on a table saw to do so. When set up correctly, you can cut straights and curves, "shop made" veneers if you choose.

If you have a bit of spare money, get a router, and a used stanley/record no 4 or 5.

 

[jigsaw]

Thanks for that Marcros

Still learning the terminology here so I will go and put google to good use and educate myself as to what an kity or inca saw is.

Thanks mate

 

[marcros]

they are brands of bandsaw, that are a few years old now, but were european made and of much better quality than Many of the current far eastern (made to a price) models.

Ebay is your friend...

 

[jigsaw]

Hmm only one Inca for sale on evilbay but thats collection only and is 300 miles away, same with Kity only one for sale, again collection only.

I guess nearly all the 2nd hand ones are going to be collection only, with the luck I have had with my first and inexperience with them, I think maybe new would be the way to go too.

 

[marcros]

I have sent you a PM which may help you.

The problem with new is that you will have to spend a lot more money. That said, I don't know the price, but some of the axminster bandsaws have had a positive review.

IMO There isn't that much that can go wrong with a bandsaw, if the basic design is right- fence etc. You know what poor design is like! Ideally look for somebody who is upgrading for more depth of cut, and will show to you it all working etc.

 

[jigsaw]

Yeah thanks for that mate

There is only those 2 on ebay and I think the problem I am going to have is finding one firstly and needing it to be pretty local to me, I'm kind of itching to get started again.

I too have read good things about axminster, I'll check those now, I realise I may have to double what I was spending next time to get something good enough to do the job.

As the saying goes.. you buy cheap, you buy twice.. and here I am buying twice lol.

 

[marcros]

not sure also about the record power ones- worth a look and IIRC they have a good warranty on the motors.

If box making is your thing, then try to get something that will allow you to cut 6"-8". This will cover most of what you will need for resawing timber.

 

[pcb1962]

Could someone tell me from their own experience the benefits and negatives of woodworking with both band saws and table saws and what would be best for my needs.

Depending on when and where you pursue your hobby you may want to consider noise. I work in my garage in the evenings and I cannot use my table saw (cheapish Rexon) due to the awful screaming racket it makes. My band saw (Record BS300E) on the other hand probably wouldn't wake a baby in the next room.
A table saw with an induction motor would be a lot quieter but as far as I know all the cheapish portables are screamers. Just something you might want to bear in mind if you don't live in the middle of nowhere and you want to work in the evenings.

 

[AndyT]

For a new hobby user I would say a bandsaw is a much better buy than a tablesaw. Reasons why:

- Much safer and easier to use.
- Almost certainly quieter.
- Bigger depth of cut means you can re-saw thick wood into thin wood, veneer etc.
- Can do straight cuts and curves.
- Takes up less space in the workshop.

 

[Grahamshed]

I use a combination of bandsaw and track saw. I am not saying a table saw is unnecessary, many people couldn't live without one, but I have found no great need for one so far.

 

[jigsaw]

Thanks guys for the input, very helpful

I live in a flat and I have had some anti social noise problems from the people upstairs and they are having a baby soon so its good to find out now that the table saws are very loud, that wouldn't be sensible where I live.

So a nice quiet band saw it is

Cheers ccasion5:

 

[carlb40]

I might as well answer here

For small boxes etc or even big ones i would choose a bandsaw, especially if you are intending to use timber rather than manmade boards. I think a bandsaw offers more options for cutting compared to a table saw, especially for deep rips/ veneer making etc.

At the moment i have the axi TS 200 and as soon as i can afford it, it will be replaced with a decent bandsaw as i am now finding the TS too limiting with real timbers.

Marcros has suggested the same 2 bandsaws i thought of when i read your PM earlier. I think about 2 weeks ago there were at least 4 of the kity 613's on ebay.

 

[Steve Maskery]

TS and BS are different animals, with different strengths and weaknesses.
From what you have said I, too, would recommend a second-hand Kity or Inca. You will get a much better machine than if spending the same money on a new one.

However, the splines shown on the photograph you have posted are cut using a jig on a TS. I don't see how you can do that job well on a BS. But there are lots of other box design that you can make using a BS that you could not make on a TS, so it is a case of swings and roundabouts. There are several American books on making bandsaw boxes that you could use for inspiration.
HTH
Steve