obligatory first machine question!

[nimmaj]

Hello,

So i've been mainly using handtools up to this point but i feel the need to speed up preparation of wood for practice. I've invested a fair amount in planes, and can cheerfully flatten wood now. So i think i'll go for a saw first.

I've got space and power issues (single garage). Having read through the forums, i'm largely very confused!

I know most people would go for a table saw first. In the long run i'll probably get something like the axminster aw10bsb2 table saw, but it's too big and heavy for the moment.

I'm tempted by the ts200 and an extractor - this would be the same price as the following bandsaw and lots of people on this forum love the ts200. I'm just slightly worried that i'd be better off waiting until i have a bit more cash/space and getting the aw10bsb2.

So i'm leaning towards buying a bandsaw because i can probably get one that will last for years, now. I'll use it mainly for resawing. I've got my eye on the record 350 bandsaw. Slightly worried that i'll be limited by the max depth of cut.

My questions are threefold:

1/. is this saw big and powerful enough for resawing or am i being daft?!
2/. what do you think of the logic above?
3/. what type of dust extractor does one need for a bandsaw/table saw?

At the moment i'm mainly making things for the garage to attempt to organise myself a bit, and i'm starting to make small/medium boxes and bits of furniture. I'm planning on making another bench and possibly a dining room table medium term, if that helps.

Many thanks for your thoughts - sorry to bring up this much trodden topic again!

Ben

 

[MikeG.]

I think you are definitely heading in right direction by opting for a bandsaw, particularly given the size of your workshop. Too many people rush straight into getting a tablesaw, and they consume room in your workshop like nothing else will. It isn't the saw itself.........it is the working room around.

I don't know the machine you are looking at. All I would say is go for something at least 14" (which is both the wheel diameter and the throat measurement), and have a good think about buying second hand. You really will get an awful lot more machine for your money. Bearings, blades and guides are easy to replace, so don't be too put off by a machine that may not be absolutely perfect when you try it............they are easily fixable.

A decent table and guide fence are the bare necessities, in my view, and a good strong frame so that you can tension up a 3/4" blade at least. That is what you will need as a minimum for resawing successfully.

Mike

 

[xraymtb]

I just received my TS200 yesterday and, after a bit of fettling (I still actually haven't got the sliding table level) it works great.

I also had this dilemma a while back and bought a bandsaw first. Whilst they are great and useful machines, I could never guarantee a straight clean cut with them. I do think a table saw is much more useful for making furniture.

With regards to the logic of being able to afford a better bandsaw, the TS200 gets good reviews from lots of people, has a reasonable capacity and, unless you plan on cutting a lot of thick timber, the 8" blade is not an issue. And I believe the resale value is pretty good so if you do upgrade you won't lose much.

Having had both, I would say get the table saw first.

 

[matt]

I bought a tablesaw first (Xcalibur 805 (I think it's the 805)). Had it for a couple of years before I found myself doing things on it that we too dangerous (resawing...) so bough a Record Bandsaw (300X (I think)).

I would say both are essential for what they do. The bandsaw gets used more than the tablesaw because it so versatile and easy to use for small pieces etc. However, I wouldn't be without the tablesaw.

I think whichever you go for first you're gonna find yourself wanting the other one. I think I would go for the bandsaw first as you will get something that you will probably use for more things that you think.

Hope that helps (probably not :lol: )

BTW - I have both in a single garage... The table saw sits up against the up and over door (I have another door to access the garage) and gets pulled as far up the garage as necessary when in use.

 

[nimmaj]

All useful answers - thankyou!

On the subject of second hand machines, are there sources other than ebay?

Cheers,

Ben

 

[frugal]

The two big tools I first purchased were a bandsaw and a thicknesser. They have seen me through all of the woodwork I have needed to do.

If I need to cut up sheet materials then I put the wood on the ground supported by battens and use a handheld circular saw and a length of wood as a guide.

 

[woodbloke]

I bought my t/s (Kity 419) and bandsaw at the same time. If I had to choose which machine to buy first, it would be the b/s (less of a footprint and more versatile) though you will eventually need to buy a t/s as well. Whatever option you go for though, don't forget a few ducats for the extractor :wink: - Rob

 

[nimmaj]

Cool - it's beginning to sound like my bandsaw idea isn't such a daft one after all!

Re the extractor, rob, what sort do you use with your bandsaw/tablesaw? Presumably the dust the saws produce is at the finer end of the chipping spectrum?

Thanks,

Ben

 

[LarryS.]

i bought a ts200, then the axminster awefsbb 6 months later. if i had my time again i'd buy the bandsaw first (gets a lot more use).

 

[RobertMP]

I have a single garage size workshop. There are times when I'd like to have a tablesaw but they are not very often so I have not bought one.

I have a 14" Jet bandsaw which is supposed to take a 3/4" blade but can't really tension that thick a blade.... so I normally use a 1/2" which has never been a problem for normal cutting or resawing. Most important thing is getting it set up right and having a good quality blade like those you get from Dragon saws. I extract from it with a large shop vac which gets 98% of the dust. The other 2% goes out the wall extractor, drops on the floor or is stopped by my dust mask.

For sheet cutting I use a circular saw and a home made guide or three mostly made from laminate flooring leftovers.

Guess it depends on what you do most of. I won't be buying a tablesaw anytime soon.

 

[Ironballs]

I'd go for the bandsaw, I'm hoping to upgrade to a SIP 14" in the near future and as far as extraction goes I think the smaller dustbin type extractors will do the job adequately. My big extractor is fine for the P/T and tablesaw but overkill for the bandsaw

 

[nimmaj]

Nice one - thanks for all the advice.

ben

 

[woodbloke]

Cool - it's beginning to sound like my bandsaw idea isn't such a daft one after all!

Re the extractor, rob, what sort do you use with your bandsaw/tablesaw? Presumably the dust the saws produce is at the finer end of the chipping spectrum?

Thanks,

Ben

Unfortunately, Axminster have stopped making the extractor(s) I use but they're similar to this one except that mine came with a 63mm hose for the t/s and the other has a smaller hose with stepped reducer for the b/s and disc sander - Rob

 

[OPJ]

As Rob suggest, you really want a High Pressure Low Volume 'vacuum-type' extractor for sawdust. Unless you've got a lot of spare cash and can afford a HVLP with the fine filter cartridge, which could provide the best of both worlds (collecting large chips and fine dust)... :wink: