Bandsaw

Martin Roper

Martin
Senior User
Not mine, etc.

Grizzly 17" Bandsaw $800 - (Va. Beach)

1619118748849.png
 

Oka

Casey
Corporate Member
One other thing, because bandsaws are kinda quiet be best to have a brake to stop the roll so you are not walking away from a moving rotating blade. .........safety
 

Pop Golden

New User
Pop
My go-to saw is an old Delta made in the US. Bought it used. Has Carter guides, tires, brush & tension release. Delta riser block, fence & Mobil base. It's well made. From back when Delta made good stuff. If you can find one of these machines buy it. I paid $600 for mine.

Pop
 

Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member
My go-to saw is an old Delta made in the US. Bought it used. Has Carter guides, tires, brush & tension release. Delta riser block & Mobil base. It's well made. From back when Delta made good stuff. If you can find one of these machines buy it. I paid $600 for mine.

Pop
Agreed - I wish I could find one, I still fight with that '90's Taiwanese Delta... it works, but...
 

Phil S

Phil Soper
Staff member
Corporate Member
Chris must have gotten a lemon. My Hammer 4400 with ceramic guides and a 1" laguna resaw king cuts everything I throw at it. I use it almost daily and it went three years without a single adjustment, not even tension.
For curves I have a MiniMax s45n with bearing guides and a 1/2" blade. I am quite sure it would also resaw well
 

Bill J

Bill
User
I'm saving up for a new bandsaw to replace my little tabletop saw so this discussion has been great for me. I am hampered by a lack of 220 outlets and full panel so I would either have to stick with something that is 120V or swap the plug with my planer constantly. Thoughts? It looks like you can only go up to 1 3/4 HP at 120.
Hank - I'd love to see your final list!
 

Dbush714

DB
User
I’m going to echo Bill J. I’ve been monitoring this thread since I’m essentially in the same boat as Hank’s BIL, so the discussion has been so on point for me, too! My top three (on paper) had been the Rikon, Laguna and Jet models previously mentioned, but with an eye on other “options” if anything became available. 220 power isn’t a problem, so that seems to help based on the comments from several.

Hank - thanks for starting the thread! I too would like to see the final list, please. :)
 

cyclopentadiene

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Beyond the larger throat, a larger than 14 inch saw offers the advantage that the table is lower. It is the same height as my Sawstop which provides support for a long piece on the table saw or band saw. It is also moe comfortable for my height
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
It was the guide adjustments that made me go Harvey over Laguna and Rikon. Some complaints on the Laguna guides slipping, quite a few on the Jet upper hub failing on their 14 inch. Jet trunnion looked much smaller. A lot still have guides that need tools.
Bigger and heavier. The more massive the iron wheels the better. A little sawdust can make aluminum wheels vibrate.

Not to claim my saw is perfect. If I were to design a guide block, it would be fine threaded. I would do a different throat plate retainer and I would put in the "air scraper" in the lower cab ( I made one and slipped into the existing slots.) I would make a much larger table. I have some ideas to improve the dust collection tough it not bad. I would have a built in LED in the guide block to illuminate the cut. I would include a ring eye on top at the center of gravity to lift it by.

With me as the only one in the shop, I don't get a lot of value out of the brake, but handy when you need to back out of a long curve.

You can get a way with a 2 HP on a 20A 110 circuit. For re-saw tough, I would still go 3 HP. So far, the only place where any tool that does not follow "bigger is better" was in the back saw for cutting dovetails. I like my lighter smaller saw.
 

Dbush714

DB
User
Hey, Cyclo - I have a SawStop PCS, too, so that may be a consideration that I hadn’t thought of. Do you mind sharing what kind of band saw you have? Have you been happy with it’s performance? I had been thinking 17” would be better, but there are so many 14” out there...
 

cyclopentadiene

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I have a Jet 18 inch with a 2 hp motor. I purchased it several years ago so it was before the redesign and has the square back that in theory flexes (never saw an issue). Honestly, I think the new ones are a little overpriced. A new one with a 3 HP is listed at Woodcraft for $2500. The first things to change are the guides $350 additional and tiers $75. In addition, the fence is not stellar.

A new Laguna 18 inch is listed at $1999 with a 3 hp motor. It has similar specs to the Jet. I am not sure if the Woodcraft model has the rack and pinion table but it used to be available. Laguna often has demo models at a reduced price on their direct web site.

Another one that I have used at a woodworking school that was phenomenal is the Mini Max that Phil mentioned that he has. Used ones are in this same price range and if I were purchasing a new one, I would go this route.
 

Phil S

Phil Soper
Staff member
Corporate Member
I'm saving up for a new bandsaw to replace my little tabletop saw so this discussion has been great for me. I am hampered by a lack of 220 outlets and full panel so I would either have to stick with something that is 120V or swap the plug with my planer constantly. Thoughts? It looks like you can only go up to 1 3/4 HP at 120.
Hank - I'd love to see your final list!
I can build you a pigtail extension allowing both 220 machines to be plugged in - just use one machine at a time. I would need photos of the plugs and you will need to pay for the receptacles. I am in Raleigh
 

Pop Golden

New User
Pop
You folks keep talking about resawing with a bandsaw. If you REALLY into resawing here's the ticket. Hatchi CB-75F. 14.5 resaw, 2.8 hp with gear box, weight 403 lbs. 2.75 in. blade. This beast runs on 115 VAC. The only 3 I can come up with that's for sale are in Japan. In Japan the price is $960.

Hatchi CB 75F Bandsaw.jpg
Hatchi CB 75F Bandsaw.jpg

Pop :cool:
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
I'm saving up for a new bandsaw to replace my little tabletop saw so this discussion has been great for me. I am hampered by a lack of 220 outlets and full panel so I would either have to stick with something that is 120V or swap the plug with my planer constantly. Thoughts? It looks like you can only go up to 1 3/4 HP at 120.
Hank - I'd love to see your final list!
Another option is to install a couple half sized breakers. You get two circuits in the space occupied by one in the panel box. This way, you could add another 220 circuit. Or take your 220 circuit, up it to 60 amps and feed a small sub panel.
 

Dbush714

DB
User
Never heard of SCM MiniMax unit tonight. Wow! Who knew I needed $3500 for a band saw? :eek:
Definitely would have to find a used one, but they look impressive. Thanks, cyclo (I think.)
 

SabertoothBunny

SabertoothBunny
Corporate Member
With band saws horsepower is the big factor combined with re-saw capacity. Laguna or Powermatic seem to be leaders in this arena but Powermatic tends to be the higher HP.
 

Bill J

Bill
User
I can build you a pigtail extension allowing both 220 machines to be plugged in - just use one machine at a time. I would need photos of the plugs and you will need to pay for the receptacles. I am in Raleigh
Thanks Phil - I just realized that I will never run both at the same time so I can either add a pigtail or run a second outlet off the same breaker. I may take you up on the pigtail - let me look into either halfsize breakers or a second outlet. I am not ready to buy so I have some time to work on this.
 

cyclopentadiene

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Never heard of SCM MiniMax unit tonight. Wow! Who knew I needed $3500 for a band saw? :eek:
Definitely would have to find a used one, but they look impressive. Thanks, cyclo (I think.)
If you really have the $$ an agazanni (may not be spelled correctly) is also amazing. The bandsaw iscmy favorite tool and would be the second purchase behind a table saw that I would recommend to a new woodworker. You can always buy preplaned lumber or hand plane and joint it.
anyone out there tried the Pegasus bandsaw they have at Klingspor. It looks intruguing as it could serve as a bandsaw and a scroll saw that does not rattle your teeth when you use it!
 

ShortRound84

New User
ShortRound
Grizzly bandsaws seem to get really good reviews. I have an older 514XF (3HP, 19") and I cant imagine needing more. I was looking for a 14" bandsaw but I'm really glad I bought a larger one.

Didn't come with an RnP table which would be nice if you cut at an angle a bunch. But for resawing and ripping (which is what I do) it wasnt a deal breaker.
 

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