benchtop bandsaws
 

I don't have much room to work in and was considering a saw to cut bowl
blanks. Ryobi and delta 9" saws look so cheap and flimsy. I have a
dremel 19" scroll saw but figure it won't handle it. Any suggestions
are appprediated. Jim

Think electric chain saw. You can get the blank close enough to round
with the chain saw. Sooner or later you will want a chain saw.

On 7 Jan 2005 17:07:50 -0800, "jamesleroy"
wrote:

I don't have much room to work in and was considering a saw to cut bowl
blanks. Ryobi and delta 9" saws look so cheap and flimsy. I have a
dremel 19" scroll saw but figure it won't handle it. Any suggestions
are appprediated. Jim

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:

I don't have much room to work in and was considering a saw to cut bowl
blanks. Ryobi and delta 9" saws look so cheap and flimsy. I have a
dremel 19" scroll saw but figure it won't handle it. Any suggestions
are appprediated. Jim

On 7 Jan 2005 17:07:50 -0800, "jamesleroy"
wrote:

I don't have much room to work in and was considering a saw to cut bowl
blanks. Ryobi and delta 9" saws look so cheap and flimsy. I have a
dremel 19" scroll saw but figure it won't handle it. Any suggestions
are appprediated. Jim

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.



--
Chuck *#:^)
chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply.


September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

"Chuck" wrote in message
...
On 7 Jan 2005 17:07:50 -0800, "jamesleroy"
wrote:

I don't have much room to work in and was considering a saw to cut bowl
blanks. Ryobi and delta 9" saws look so cheap and flimsy. I have a
dremel 19" scroll saw but figure it won't handle it. Any suggestions
are appprediated. Jim

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.

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.