I make wood boxes, currently by hand. I'm researching setting up a real shop sometime next year. I love the continuous grain look, so resawing is going to be important to me. So important, in fact, that I'm toying with the idea of not getting a table saw, and making the band saw the center of my workspace. And if I do skip the table saw...well that is more money I could put to a top of the line band saw.
I have some specific questions, but I'd also be happy to receive any general advice anyone has to offer.
I'd like to stick with 110V if at all possible.
First question is: what's the relationship between the size of the band saw and the maximum size of board it can resaw? Or is the HP the more important specification?
Also, for those of you who resaw: do you recommend cleaning up the just-sawn face between each pass? Can I do this on a thickness planer, or does it have to be on a jointer? (BTW, that is another tool I'm thinking of skipping).
And, finally, are there big variations in the time required to change the blade, and in the quality of the fence, among the different brands? I do love a good fence...
PS: Also, I like the technique of building a box carcass, closed up on all 6 sides, and then slicing it open in order to create the bottom and the lid. Mostly because that keeps the grain matching going. I have only ever done this in a class, on a table saw, using multiple passes. And, as I said at the beginning, I'm thinking about not getting a table saw. I assume that it would work on a band saw - and in a single pass too boot! Am I missing anything? Seems to me that since the interior of the box is empty space, this should go lickety-split.
I have some specific questions, but I'd also be happy to receive any general advice anyone has to offer.
I'd like to stick with 110V if at all possible.
First question is: what's the relationship between the size of the band saw and the maximum size of board it can resaw? Or is the HP the more important specification?
Also, for those of you who resaw: do you recommend cleaning up the just-sawn face between each pass? Can I do this on a thickness planer, or does it have to be on a jointer? (BTW, that is another tool I'm thinking of skipping).
And, finally, are there big variations in the time required to change the blade, and in the quality of the fence, among the different brands? I do love a good fence...
PS: Also, I like the technique of building a box carcass, closed up on all 6 sides, and then slicing it open in order to create the bottom and the lid. Mostly because that keeps the grain matching going. I have only ever done this in a class, on a table saw, using multiple passes. And, as I said at the beginning, I'm thinking about not getting a table saw. I assume that it would work on a band saw - and in a single pass too boot! Am I missing anything? Seems to me that since the interior of the box is empty space, this should go lickety-split.
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