Thread: Tool purchase; scroll vs. band saw

Looking at both, just wondering which would be more useful for fabricating scales and such. I don't really have the money for both so wondering which would be the 1st choice.

I am not much of a wood-worker but as I gather, both do the same thing with a little different approach. I was leaning toward a band saw since it looks like you can use a guide to get even, square cuts and would be more precise when cutting the rough scales in half. Again I don't know that's why I'm asking here. I was just not sure how much free-hand work you can do with a band saw when cutting curves.

The machine would also be used for other light fabricating (like making boxes and such) but the main idea is for scale work.

Thanks!

v/r

Allen

I had the same dilema, so I settled for a Scrolls aw because if you can get the wood cut all you need to do is shape it, and you can be a little more precise with it, a Bandsaw or jigsaw would be harder to use, btw I have a ryobi scoll saw, Benchsander, and a drill, so far they are well worth the money

regards,simon

The band saw is better for roughing in shapes and cutting stock. It is fine enough for you to rough out scale blanks with. The scrol saw ia for cutting tight curves and very fine cuts. You will find a band saw to have much greater utility for all around woodworking than the scroll saw.

That said I love doing scroll saw work, its fun cutting out intricate shapes with micrometer accuracy and I wish I had the spare cash to own one myself.

i have a small bandsaw and it does great work. i just wish i had a 1 in belt sander. that would save me more time than either of the saws.

vgod

You could do what you do with the scroll saw with coping saw and some patience and experience, but when you need a bandsaw, you need a bandsaw.

Get the band saw man! I have both and don't even touch the scroll saw. Use the bandsaw for pretty much all wood cutting. For fine curves on scales it can usually work as long as your saw blade isn't a huge one. The scroll saw isn't that useful in my opinion. Any work it would actually be good for is usually done with my belt sander anyway.

I think this is one of those it depends:
A good band saw blade can extend your scale stock dramatically
But fine angles and curves are better suited by a scroll saw.

I have neither but both are on my list.

- Bob

"I was leaning toward a band saw since it looks like you can use a guide to get even, square cuts and would be more precise when cutting the rough scales in half. . .The machine would also be used for other light fabricating (like making boxes and such) but the main idea is for scale work."

My 0.02 pesos worth:

If I were working on scales alone (i.e. no resawing planks into blanks for boxes) I would purchase the scroll saw first for a couple of reasons. First, they're very easy to control, great for curves and very compact. Typically a good scrollsaw will cost you much less than a decent bandsaw (half or less). You wouldn't need much sanding with the right blade, either.


If I were doing both boxes and scales and had to choose between the two I'd get a bandsaw with a variety of good blades (see Lee Valley or Highland Woodworking). A thin blade (1/8") will cut exactly the kind of curves you need for scales, a thicker blade (1/2" - 3/4") will resaw much of what you may work with. Again though, a good bandsaw can get expensive quickly and a bad bandsaw may cost you twice as much. I wouldn't get anything with less than a 93 1/2" wheel base/ 14" throat, and 3/4HP. I have a Delta 28-276 and feel it's way underpowered and very imprecise- even with a Kreg fence, Cool blocks and Carter guides. I can't imagine getting good results with anything smaller, but then again I'm pretty spoiled by my table saw.

If I had to choose behind door number three I would get a scroll saw and supplement it with a decent handsaw (a Japanese Ryoba would be my first choice) to cut rough blanks from. I think you'd get just as good performance, if not better, from the ryoba in terms of resawing and better curves with the scrollsaw. It's always tempting to overlook hand tools but sometimes they can really perform just as well, if not better, provided one's willing to put in the sweat equity. On top of that, they're typically much less expensive than machines and take up less room. Someone earlier mentioned that a scroll saw is pretty much an automated coping saw. Again, very true and another tool worth experimenting with. You may find between a Ryoba and coping saw everything you need to get you going for a long time while being able to move a few pennies toward the woods you like.

Best of luck!