Thread: Scroll saw or band saw?

Originally Posted by BKratchmer

Bandsaw. Outside its obvious cutting and shaping abilities if you get a fence for it and a 3/4" blade you can use it to resaw your own blanks from larger stock... saves a bundle in the long run.

any good models or links?

Originally Posted by thewatermark

any good models or links?

Unfortunately I haven't been bandsaw shopping recently... and have no idea about what models in your price range would be good or bad. I use a relatively low-end contractor grade Delta, if that helps at all... you don't need a $10,000 German-engineered band saw to get good enough cuts (as pretty as those ones are...), just a saw with balanced, centered wheels and properly adjusted guides and such. You'll also find a great deal of value in keeping fresh sharp blades in your saw...

Wish I could help more.

I have both and used my band saw more...So much that I burned it out. I just saw another one at lowes for $114.00 (SKIL). So I will be buying that one. THe problem with a scoll is that hte blade is so small that it is easy to go off pattern....Just my opinion though.

I have a Delta Shopmaster & love it. It's designed a little above hobbiest, but below commercial grade. It was the best I could afford at the time... The Shopmaster series are pretty good for the home shop, no complaints here to date & I've had it a couple of years.

I have both and use my scrollsaw the most. My bandsaw gets rarely used.
Mainly because I also get my materials in 1/8' thickness so no need re-saw my own blanks as much. If I had to do it all over again, It will be a scrollsaw for sure.

Originally Posted by Maximilian

I have both and use my scrollsaw the most. My bandsaw gets rarely used.
Mainly because I also get my materials in 1/8' thickness so no need re-saw my own blanks as much. If I had to do it all over again, It will be a scrollsaw for sure.

If anyone but you said this, Max, I'd think they were crazy... now I just want to watch you work for a day and see how you do it! What functions do you use your scroll saw for over against the bandsaw? I know a bandsaw falls short in the shaping department...

Originally Posted by BKratchmer

If anyone but you said this, Max, I'd think they were crazy... now I just want to watch you work for a day and see how you do it! What functions do you use your scroll saw for over against the bandsaw? I know a bandsaw falls short in the shaping department...

Ha i know! i was just about to settle down with the idea of getting a bandsaw and then Max says he likes scroll saws better. Although i think hes right because i plan on getting 1/8th inch blanks anyway, and i think that would work best for me, thanks guys for all your opinions, im very grateful!!

Originally Posted by thewatermark

Ha i know! i was just about to settle down with the idea of getting a bandsaw and then Max says he likes scroll saws better. Although i think hes right because i plan on getting 1/8th inch blanks anyway, and i think that would work best for me, thanks guys for all your opinions, im very grateful!!

Well, it's not that difficult. Except the G10 I cut all my scales with my scrollsaw.. woods, horn, micarta (paper, linen and canvas,...), acrylics, paua/abalone, faux tortoise... It does it magically well, fast and acurate plus I can contour beautifully my drawn designs.

I thought I was going to use my bandsaw and start ripping blanks like a mad man but I've done so only twice cause I needed some wood that was not available in 1/8".

So for me personally my scrollsaw and both my belt sander are my most used tools (except the buffers off course) lol

Originally Posted by Maximilian

Well, it's not that difficult. Except the G10 I cut all my scales with my scrollsaw.. woods, horn, micarta (paper, linen and canvas,...), acrylics, paua/abalone, faux tortoise... It does it magically well, fast and acurate plus I can contour beautifully my drawn designs.

I thought I was going to use my bandsaw and start ripping blanks like a mad man but I've done so only twice cause I needed some wood that was not available in 1/8".

So for me personally my scrollsaw and both my belt sander are my most used tools (except the buffers off course) lol

Dang it, Max! Now I have to go buy a scroll saw! :-P

To satisfy my own tastes, wood or some other natural materials, need to be matched. I could not go without resawing. I just dont see enough tight radii curves in razor scales to choose scroll over band.

First choice for me: handtool. Hard to beat imho. by the time you change blades on the bandsaw you could be done handsawing. then again hobby level/bench top machines are cheaper than good hand tools in many instances. Nor do I have a schedule to meet or prices to beat.