Thread: Tool purchase; scroll vs. band saw

I have both, and my scroll saw sits unused... Everything I need to do, I can do with the band saw.

+1 on the scroll saw sitting around...anytime I need to do any "fine" curves I just change the band saw blade and fire up the sander.

I use both. The band saw is more versatile, you can put a fence on it and use it to re-cut wood blocks and rough cut scales, but the scroll saw is much more precise. I have not used the scroll to cut scales. I cut the rough shape on the band saw, and then do the shaping on the big belt sander or the osculating drum sander. I will cut the scales from a single block, sand to shape then put the fence on the band saw and split the blank into two scales, then hand sand to finish. The scroll saw cuts slower but makes very precise cuts for delicate scroll work. Either would work, but if I had to pick one, the band saw would be my choice.

Originally Posted by cannonfodder

...The band saw is more versatile, you can put a fence on it and use it to re-cut wood blocks and rough cut scales....

That's sort of what I was thinking but since I have no real time using either, it was a guess.

BTW- Thats a nice looking bike in your avatar! I'm more of a Geezer Glide sort of guy personally ('05 FLHTCUI my daily/primary transportation).


v/r

Allen

Add another mark to the band saw column, I buy large pieces of nice woods (cheaper per unit volume) and cut them down to the sizes I need.

But, they do take up a bit more room, though if your going to do woodworking that shouldn't be a deciding factor.

It was alluded to above, but you can change the blade on a band saw. A thinner, finer toothed blade gives you more range of motion before the wood binds with the blade and the finer the tooth, the cleaner the cut. Or hang a big old large tooth monster on it and rip planks.

Bikes are my first passion. I have a couple of them and would not trade them for anything. Winter is just a maintenance window, dying to get back in the saddle.

Personally i would go with a smaller sized bandsaw and get the finest blade you can to go with it. The versatility of the bandsaw will pay for itself very quickly. Scroll saws are great tools but are limited in their uses, especially when you start increasing the size of the stock, with a band saw all you need to do is adjust the gate and blade and you can cut massive stock easily and accurately.