I can see where a bandsaw would a great tool to have in the arsenal.
I'm soliciting any suggestions as far as specs and brands.
I can't see myself getting into anything too large in the near future due
to the limitations of my lathe. I'm a rookie right now.
Thanks for your thoughts.



--
Bob Becker

www.becker.org

Good question Bob. I am thinking of moving up from my Jet 14" with riser
block so was about to ask for suggestions from this group.

"Bob Becker" wrote in message
...
I can see where a bandsaw would a great tool to have in the arsenal.
I'm soliciting any suggestions as far as specs and brands.
I can't see myself getting into anything too large in the near future due
to the limitations of my lathe. I'm a rookie right now.
Thanks for your thoughts.



--
Bob Becker

www.becker.org

In article ,
"Bob Becker" wrote:

I can see where a bandsaw would a great tool to have in the arsenal.
I'm soliciting any suggestions as far as specs and brands.
I can't see myself getting into anything too large in the near future due

A 14" is the smallest bandsaw worth bothering with, in my opinion.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

Really, the width of the cut doesn't have much importance for us. It is
the height of the cut which is important. I'd think that a 14" saw with
a big riser block would be much more useful than an 18" saw without.

However, usually, the bigger saws are more rigid and better built.

A larger table would be nice but you can always extend it with a piece
of plywood.

That said, I used to have access to a 30" saw with a 7 1/2 hp motor.
Heaven.

And, if you don't have a good chainsaw, buy that first, bandsaw second.

Bill

Ecnerwal wrote:
In article ,
"Bob Becker" wrote:


I can see where a bandsaw would a great tool to have in the arsenal.
I'm soliciting any suggestions as far as specs and brands.
I can't see myself getting into anything too large in the near future due


A 14" is the smallest bandsaw worth bothering with, in my opinion.

Bill Rubenstein wrote:
Really, the width of the cut doesn't have much importance for us. It is
the height of the cut which is important. I'd think that a 14" saw with
a big riser block would be much more useful than an 18" saw without.
......
And, if you don't have a good chainsaw, buy that first, bandsaw second.

Bob, I would suggest stopping and thinking about what you might be
wanting to turn. Bill is obviously very much a bowl turner, probably
working from logs. If as you said in your original post you will be
doing smaller work, possibly from sawn boards (not everyone has access
to or storage for large logs), possibly turning spindles as much as
bowls, then I would argue that wheel diameter IS more important than
height. There are many times when I wish I could cut 15" off the end of
a board with my bandsaw. It's much easier than getting the chainsaw out
for just one cut. Equally so, there are many times when extra height
would have come in handy too

There is no global right or wrong, just what will be the best compromise
for your requirements and budget.

--
Derek Andrews, woodturner

http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com
http://chipshop.blogspot.com - a blog for my customers
http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com/TheToolrest/ - a blog for woodturners

Derek:

You make good points.

I have a table saw but it is usually buried somewhere I can't get to.
But, every now and then I also would like to crosscut a board to, say 15
or 20" on the bandsaw. The way I do it -- I cut it a little long at an
angle -- whatever will work with the shorter end butted against the
blade-cover. Then I rotate it 180% and make the straight cut I wanted
to make in the first place. This wastes a little material but it keeps
me from having to get to the other saw.

Bill

Derek Andrews wrote:
Bill Rubenstein wrote:

Really, the width of the cut doesn't have much importance for us. It
is the height of the cut which is important. I'd think that a 14" saw
with a big riser block would be much more useful than an 18" saw without.

.....

And, if you don't have a good chainsaw, buy that first, bandsaw second.


Bob, I would suggest stopping and thinking about what you might be
wanting to turn. Bill is obviously very much a bowl turner, probably
working from logs. If as you said in your original post you will be
doing smaller work, possibly from sawn boards (not everyone has access
to or storage for large logs), possibly turning spindles as much as
bowls, then I would argue that wheel diameter IS more important than
height. There are many times when I wish I could cut 15" off the end of
a board with my bandsaw. It's much easier than getting the chainsaw out
for just one cut. Equally so, there are many times when extra height
would have come in handy too

There is no global right or wrong, just what will be the best compromise
for your requirements and budget.

I have never understood why bandsaws aren't labeled the way lathes are.
A 3520 lathe is 20 inch diameter max bowl and 35 inbetween centers. A
band saw should be 1412, 14 inch deep cut and 12 inch resaw. That said,
if you want a bandsaw that cuts 12 inches high, get one that is
designed to cut that high, not one that you can add on to so that you
can cut that high. Most of the family sized bowls that I turn are in
the 12 to 16 inch diameter size, so a 12 inch resaw is kind of minimal.
You don't need a bandsaw to make bowls that size, but it helps. If you
can do a good job with a chainsaw, then you can round it out on a
bandsaw (lay the log on a bench, draw vertical lines through the pith
on both ends of the log, draw a line between them, also draw lines for
the bottom of the bowl parallel to the center line, cut these first so
that you have a flat surface to set the blank on to round it out, cut
the center line, use a compas to draw a circle, cut on bandsaw or cut
off corners with the chainsaw).
robo hippy

Bill Rubenstein wrote:

But, every now and then I also would like to crosscut a board to, say 15
or 20" on the bandsaw. The way I do it -- I cut it a little long at an
angle -- whatever will work with the shorter end butted against the
blade-cover. Then I rotate it 180% and make the straight cut I wanted
to make in the first place.

I hate to ask stupid questions, but wouldn't a circular saw be easier?
My table saw still hasn't been reassembled since we moved to Florida
three or four years ago, but the circular saw and a sawhorse or two can
always be found.

Owen Davies

"robo hippy" wrote in message
oups.com...
Most of the family sized bowls that I turn are in
the 12 to 16 inch diameter size, so a 12 inch resaw is kind of minimal.
You don't need a bandsaw to make bowls that size, but it helps. If you
can do a good job with a chainsaw, then you can round it out on a
bandsaw

Thus the first criterion. What diameter can you swing on your lathe? Not
really as dumb a question as it sounds, because most 12" bowls come from
blanks 6" or less deep. You can also nibble over thickness blanks top and
bottom before center, making about a 7 1/2' depth possible.

Then there's the other question. If you're urban, you may see some big
wood. If you're relying on your woodpile, logging tends to produce 16 and
under, because the quality goes downward after a certain maturity.

Might want to get the standard 14" saw with a 1HP and work with it until
such time as you have a lathe or wood to justify the riser and blades.

Or you can just do without the bandsaw by the following method:

Mount a section of log the same length as it is in diameter between centers,
with the centers in the center of the log, not necessarily on the pith.
Then turn this into a rough round ball....eyeball round is good enough.

Mark a circle around the middle of the ball with a pencil. This circle
should be equidistant from the centers, in other words, if the centers are
at the N & S poles, the pencil circle would be the equator.

Prior to doing this, construct an "L" shaped piece from 1x4, like two sides
of a box with one side just longer than the distance from the bed to the
center of the spindle and the other side a few inches longer. Slide the
longer side along the ways and mark the center of the vertical leg at
exactly the spindle height, then drill a hole to hold a pencil at that
point.

With the rough-turned ball stationary, pick out the two points that you want
to be the bottoms of your bowl blanks and use your "L" shaped device to mark
the equator on each side of the lathe. These become the new points to
re-mount the rough ball.

After re-mounting the rough ball with the pith now perpendicular to the ways
of the lathe, turn the ball until it is round again. Also turn a tenon at
each center location, (spur center and live center) if you have a chuck. If
you are using a faceplate, just cut a flat area at each center location,
then before screwing on the faceplate, knock off the little tenon that was
left when you turned the flat area. With a long parting tool, cut the ball
along the pith. If your parting tool is too short, cut as deep as you can
then saw the ball in two with a coarse handsaw, chainsaw, or what have you.

Now you have two pieces ready to mount on a chuck, or a faceplate.

This method is actually faster than chainsawing the log in half, marking out
circles, cutting out on a bandsaw, mounting the piece on the lathe, and
roughing out a bowl shape.

Try it, you will like it.

Regards,
James R. Johnson



"Owen Davies" wrote in message
...
Bill Rubenstein wrote:

But, every now and then I also would like to crosscut a board to, say 15
or 20" on the bandsaw. The way I do it -- I cut it a little long at an
angle -- whatever will work with the shorter end butted against the
blade-cover. Then I rotate it 180% and make the straight cut I wanted
to make in the first place.

I hate to ask stupid questions, but wouldn't a circular saw be easier?
My table saw still hasn't been reassembled since we moved to Florida
three or four years ago, but the circular saw and a sawhorse or two can
always be found.

Owen Davies

Owen:

Yes, a circular saw would work but the bandsaw is plugged in and always
in the same place. The circular saw may be in the garage, the truck,
the warehouse...

Also, where did I put those damned sawhorses?

Bill

Owen Davies wrote:
Bill Rubenstein wrote:

But, every now and then I also would like to crosscut a board to, say
15 or 20" on the bandsaw. The way I do it -- I cut it a little long
at an angle -- whatever will work with the shorter end butted against
the blade-cover. Then I rotate it 180% and make the straight cut I
wanted to make in the first place.


I hate to ask stupid questions, but wouldn't a circular saw be easier?
My table saw still hasn't been reassembled since we moved to Florida
three or four years ago, but the circular saw and a sawhorse or two can
always be found.

Owen Davies

Bill Rubenstein wrote:

Owen:

Yes, a circular saw would work but the bandsaw is plugged in and always
in the same place. The circular saw may be in the garage, the truck,
the warehouse...

Also, where did I put those damned sawhorses?

Bill

Then there is the bow saw which is a lot cheaper to buy and maintain. Plus
we'd all get to work off that extra 300 pounds. G

Lobby Dosser wrote:
Bill Rubenstein wrote:

Then there is the bow saw which is a lot cheaper to buy and maintain. Plus
we'd all get to work off that extra 300 pounds. G

Good point! I'll buy one immediately.

Well, he has a point but it doesn't apply to me, I'm afraid. Due to
having a pretty small frame, age, being short and some health problems,
I weigh about 117 lbs. I have to fight to keep weight on.

Bill

Owen Davies wrote:
Lobby Dosser wrote:

Bill Rubenstein wrote:


Then there is the bow saw which is a lot cheaper to buy and maintain.
Plus we'd all get to work off that extra 300 pounds. G


Good point! I'll buy one immediately.