Need some advice regarding Size of Wood Band Saw

[cc4digital]

I am looking at purchasing a Wood Band Saw for Christmas.:eusa_danc I am trying to figure out what will be the best size. I have been told a 14" is a little bit small. I am therefore now looking at either a 17" or a 19".
What is you opion regarding the uses of the 17" or 19" saws?

I have been looking at the Grizzly Lines--
17"-> G0513, or G0513X2, or G0513X
19"-> G0514X, or G0514X3, or G0514X2
I still have to figure out the difference between the above, but if you have any negative or postive views I would love to hear about it.;-)

I am open to other brands, too.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[4yanks]

What you want to do with the saw will dictate what you should look for in one. In terms of capacity there are 2 things to consider. First is the throat depth (the distance between the blade and the frame), this is how band saws get their size designation. This will determine maximum rip capacity In this regard 14" is pretty wide given the availability of stock at this width or wider. However, greater throat depth also allows the operator to swing the stock in wider arcs when cutting curves, if the stock is shorter than the throat depth. The second consideration is the height of the upper guide assembly from the table. This gives the operator the ability to cut thicker stock. This is especially important for re sawing operations. Typical 14" saws have a 6" capacity. In my opinion this is the more important consideration. Manufacturers of better saws offer re sawing saws that have a smaller throat depth, hence a smaller size designation while offering a greater re saw capacity than other saws with the same size designation.

Having said all that I have owned a 14" Jet with a 6" riser block for about 15 years and it can handle anything I've thrown at it. 14" saws with a riser block typically give a 12" capacity. With a 1 hp motor and relative light weight it may be too small if you plan to cut your own veneer on a daily basis.

In any event quality will always trump excess capacity in my opinion.

 

[Makinsawdust]

I've got the lesser of the Grizzly saws you mention, the G0513. It has worked well for me. I use it to resaw exotic and domestic woods for my laminated products. I've had it for a few years now without an issue. If I was buying one today I'd go with the X or 2X versions. They weren't available when I bought mine. One other saw you should look at in that price range is the Rikon 18". It's a very nice saw for the money.
Rob

 

[Nativespec]

The smaller Rikon has a 16" resaw cap. and it is priced well, but the trunion is not that heavy duty. I know this might ruffle some feathers, but I would not buy a Grizly based on things I have read, heard and seen.

David

 

[sediener]

David, can you point me to where you you got the info about the Rikon trunion? Is this something that would only be a problem if you change angles a lot, or would it lead to the table sagging out of square in time? I'm thinking about a 17" Rikon.

- Steve

The smaller Rikon has a 16" resaw cap. and it is priced well, but the trunion is not that heavy duty. I know this might ruffle some feathers, but I would not buy a Grizly based on things I have read, heard and seen.

David

 

[Splinter]

I have the Grizzly G0513. I bought it lightly used from Turtlewood and I am totally pleased with it. I have used it with a 3/4" blade to rip some 6-8" cherry logs to make bowl blanks and it cut through them like butter. The blade change/setup is fairly easy and the dust collection works well (two ports).

 

[Nativespec]

Steve:

I went to Klingspor in Raleigh and was ready to purchase the Rikon 14" (I liked the 16" resaw) and everyone at the store seemed to like it but the trunion was mounted behind the blade and I was planning on using it for a small sawmill and would be placing logs on top of it. For that reason, the trunion might be an issue. I would go take a look at it, I think it is a good saw and a good buy. I bought a MiniMax MM16, but it is about 3.5 to 4 times the cost of the Rikon.

David

 

[thrytis]

Has anyone with a 14" bandsaw felt too limited by the throat size? I always read about people wanting more resaw capacity or a stronger motor, never more throat depth.

 

[Nativespec]

Not at all for me. Resaw is the more limiting factor.

Thanks,

David

 

[DavidF]

Has anyone with a 14" bandsaw felt too limited by the throat size? I always read about people wanting more resaw capacity or a stronger motor, never more throat depth.

I have a 12" throat size and 6" resaw and although both have limited my use on occasions, the resaw is the one that gets me most. However, having said that I only have a 6" wide jointer as well so generally 6" is my limit anyway as most pieces to be resawed ought to go over the jointer first.

 

[4yanks]

Has anyone with a 14" bandsaw felt too limited by the throat size? I always read about people wanting more resaw capacity or a stronger motor, never more throat depth.

No. Sometimes it is necessary to mark layout lines on both sides of the stock in order to be able to flip the stock when the frame gets in the way. In any event it is an easy work around.

 

[Trog777]

Has anyone with a 14" bandsaw felt too limited by the throat size? I always read about people wanting more resaw capacity or a stronger motor, never more throat depth.

guess it depends on your use. I don't use my tablesaw at all since I got a 20" bandsaw.

 

[Nativespec]

Even dados?

 

[Mike Wilkins]

Your post is exactly why I went from a Delta 14" machine to my current Laguna LT18. Nothing wrong with the Delta, I just got the itch for a machine that did not need to be modified to resaw 12" stock, had a bigger motor, and would last my lifetime.
I know lots of folks outfit a 14" machine with the riser block and a larger motor, but the determining factor is the frame itself. All the books I have read on bandsaws & resawing state it is difficult, if not impossible to properly tension a blade for resawing on the smaller machines. And for best resawing results, a wider blade is best for this operation. There will be differing opinions on this, but I have not regretted my decision to go with a bigger machine.
I did get a Rikon 10" bench top for the small/curvy stuff.
Good luck and watch those fingers.

 

[Trog777]

Even dados?

Router

 

[mkepke]

I am looking at purchasing a Wood Band Saw for Christmas.:eusa_danc I am trying to figure out what will be the best size. I have been told a 14" is a little bit small. I am therefore now looking at either a 17" or a 19".

Like Willie said, it depends on what sort of work you want to do. As well as your budget, of course.

I cut a lot more curves than veneers, and in 10 years, I have never needed to resaw a board over 10" wide. YMMV

My first bandsaw was/is a (16") Hitachi resaw with a 12" resaw and a 1.5HP motor. After 10 years, I don't "need" anything else, but recently added a 14" Delta for general curve cutting just so I didn't have to swap blades on the Hitachi.

I wouldn't trade this set up for a single, larger bandsaw.

-Mark

 

[cpowell]

I have been using a MM16 for about 2 years. It does all that I need. Big motor, euro style guides, plenty of resaw capacity, good sized table, rigid frame.

I haven't heard a lot of negative on Griz bandsaws, in fact most of what I've read has been favorable. I didn't consider Griz because I like to look over a machine that costs a few grand before I buy and there is not a local Griz store near me.

I will admit that since I have bought a good BS I also use it for a lot of tasks that used to be done on the TS. I leave a 1/2 blade on it and use it for rough stock ripping, resawing, tenons, long curve work, etc. If I want tighter curves I throw on a 1/4. Blade changes are pretty quick and guide setup is easy. Resawing is just another routine task. Set the height, set the fence, resaw. Just that simple.

Something not mentioned that matters to me is the larger table and heavier trunnions on a big BS. It makes a big difference when working with long/heavy stock.

I really like the euro style guides. They are the easiest to set accurately that I have used and don't move once set. No tools required to adjust them. They are miles ahead of the roller guides that I am familiar with.


Chuck

 

[cc4digital]

Thanks as always for the great feedback. It looks like the 17" should work for about anything I will throw at it.:eusa_danc

 

[DaveT]

I have the Ridgid 14". So far I am pretty happy with it. Like DavidF said, I have the limitation of a 6" jointer so I am limited in width of stock I can handle on other machines. 2 things I would like to upgrade on it, is possibly a more powerful motor as it bogs down a little when resawing. I have also seen plans for an auxillary table to build around the table. Since Ridgid does not include a fence, I would like to get a fence for it eventually to.

The only limitation I came across for throat depth is when I cut the arc on the kitchen table I built. I ended up rough cutting it with my jig saw and finalizing the arc on the jig saw.

I haven't had it long, but for what it's worth, this has been my experience so far.