Thread: Tablesaw or bandsaw?

I currently only have a coping saw and a mitre saw. Because of this I have only purchased 1/8 scale material. I would like to be a little more flexible with my wood choices, which means I need to be able to cut larger pieces.

Should I get a tablesaw or a bandsaw for this? I was initially thinking of a tablesaw, since it is pretty frickin' useful, but recently I have been thinking about a bandsaw because it would do the job plus allow me to potentially do some scroll type work.

Any suggestions either way?

bandsaw


Thats my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

Charlie

With a bandsaw you get much more versatility. Tablesaw is good for cabinets and boxes… long straight cuts. I get much more use from my bandsaw. Have fun with it and watch your fingers.

I have them all. While you cant make cabinets with a band saw, you cant cut scales on a table saw. You could resaw stock to slabs with a thin kerf blade on a table saw you cannot cut the curves or do the detail work. Each tool has its place, for resawing stock and doing the curve cuts for scales, a band saw is what you need. But be for warned, good tools are not cheap. I have a 1.5 horse Jet 14 inch band saw, you can run 1/8 to 3/4 inch blades for different work, although I would not recommend going over a half inch blade on that unit. With the thin 1/8 blade and the right guides, you can do near scroll saw work. A scroll saw shines for those super tight turns and you cannot do inside cuts with a band saw.

A table saw is good for big work. I just made a 33x12x12 inch red oak humidor this evening. Why the strange size? It is made to fit inside a horizontal filing cabinet. The Spanish cedar liner will get resawn to 1/4 inch slabs on the band saw and planed to uniformity. The right tool for the right job makes life so much easier.

Originally Posted by cannonfodder

While you cant make cabinets with a band saw, you cant cut scales on a table saw.

Yup. That about sums it up!

Hmmmmm tuff one, I have a lot of tools for Gunsmithing, all of which are big full size ones, that are scary as hell for working on little tiny razors

Buy the band saw first, IMHO, but a table saw sure makes life easy for ripping scale blanks, with a thin kerf blade as stated above....
There is a company, Proxxon (sp*) that makes mini power tools that I have been really considering just for this work, check out their stuff if this is only for small work...

Also the most useful tool for me when making scales, is actually a 4x36 belt sander, and they are cheap as all get out....

Want to save real money, check out the pawn shops first, especially right now there is an over abundance of tools in them....You can find high quality stuff for less than half price, and usually all they need is some cleaning and new blades....

Hey cannon, post pics of that humidor if you don't mind. I like the filing cabinet idea. I want to turn one of my big servers I don't need online into a humidor. My server room is already at a comfy 65 degrees.

Bandsaw, and get one that will also cut steel. then keep blades handy for both. I think you'd find it would do a good job for you on the g10, g11, carbon fiber etc. not that I've tried it, but I think a steel cutting blade would last you longer than a standard wood blade.

Red

The just rebuilt/refreshed table saw and the base humi. Used cabinet grade red oak 1/2 inch ply for the body since it will be in a cabinet. The lid will be half inch solid red oak with a half inch overhang on the front and sides with a flush back and rolled edges. Everything will be lined with 1/4 inch cedar and a countersink lid for sealing.

Originally Posted by Big Red

Hey cannon, post pics of that humidor if you don't mind. I like the filing cabinet idea. I want to turn one of my big servers I don't need online into a humidor. My server room is already at a comfy 65 degrees.

Bandsaw, and get one that will also cut steel. then keep blades handy for both. I think you'd find it would do a good job for you on the g10, g11, carbon fiber etc. not that I've tried it, but I think a steel cutting blade would last you longer than a standard wood blade.

Red

Man that's a big humidor. I'm taking it this is hidden right? I have a friend that I gave a large pelican case to. he uses that as his main humidor and puts all the boxes in there. then his desktop humidor he stocks from the big one, which he keeps in the closet where the wife doesn't look.

Red

Originally Posted by cannonfodder

I have them all. While you cant make cabinets with a band saw, you cant cut scales on a table saw. You could resaw stock to slabs with a thin kerf blade on a table saw you cannot cut the curves or do the detail work. Each tool has its place, for resawing stock and doing the curve cuts for scales, a band saw is what you need. But be for warned, good tools are not cheap. I have a 1.5 horse Jet 14 inch band saw, you can run 1/8 to 3/4 inch blades for different work, although I would not recommend going over a half inch blade on that unit. With the thin 1/8 blade and the right guides, you can do near scroll saw work. A scroll saw shines for those super tight turns and you cannot do inside cuts with a band saw.

A table saw is good for big work.

My thoughts exactly. I have a 14" bandsaw and 10" contractor's saw (table saw) and each has its uses. For ripping I use the tablesaw, for resawing I use the bandsaw. I used to use the tablesaw for resawing, a glueline ripping blade makes a nice smoot surface, but even with a thin kerf blade you lose a lot of material. I hate seeing several boardfeet of ebony lying as dust under my saw at the end of the day.