benchtop bandsaws

Hi Jim

I would not buy the small band saw, people on the REC. that do have them are not pleased with them for sawing thick or and wet, or green wood for bowl blanks, you will be better off buying a chain saw, either gas or electric, I do have a 14" band saw with riser and still use my chain saw almost exclusively to make my bowl blanks, the chain saw is a tool you really need IMHO.

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

jamesleroy wrote:

Jim,

I have the Delta 9", which I've been using regularly for over 3 years. I have very limited space, and with a Jet Mini with a 10" swing, the Delta has proven invaluable. Bear in mind, however, that it does have some limitations. It is plastic, for the most part, but it has a decent motor, and if it has a sharp blade in it, it'll cut pretty much anything. I routinely cut 10" diameter, 12/4 hard maple bowl blanks with it. Sure, it takes a few minutes, but it's better than hacking it up with a chainsaw. If you remember that it's a 9" saw and not a

14" saw, you should have a good time with it. While I would love to have room for a 14" Jet or something like that, I'm glad for what I have, and would be lost without my little Delta.

That's the key. What size pieces will you need? A chainsaw is accurate to

1/4" in dimension, a bandsaw to 1/16". If your wood regularly challenges the swing of the lathe, you want a bandsaw. Taking a quarter inch off with the gouge or scrub to fit the lathe gets old fast. If your lathe will swing whatever you slap on it, chainsaw will do.

The 9" is just not much of a saw. The iron 12" are a pretty good value for the money, but even they should be considered an interim measure. If you can swing 12, you need 6 capacity (half a log), if more, match on the same basis.

One other thing to consider. From my brother's experience with his benchtop bandsaw. He found it hard to align & keep in alignment and it had a tendancy to break blades easily.