Is a .5hp motor a good size for a band saw? What other specs would you look
for if planning to purchase? I ask due to someone selling a used one though
the only specs thus far are the .5hp he lists and it stands 6 feet high.
Otherwise, I will call for the rest of the info and questions I need to ask.

Thank you

"SBH" wrote in message
...
Is a .5hp motor a good size for a band saw? What other specs would you
look for if planning to purchase? I ask due to someone selling a used one
though the only specs thus far are the .5hp he lists and it stands 6 feet
high. Otherwise, I will call for the rest of the info and questions I need
to ask.

Thank you


Good for a trial to see if you are going to really be interested in using
one. I had a 1/2 hp BS once and it is ok for cutting thin soft woods,
hardwoods not so good. Basically you can do better with a jig saw. I also
like to resaw, if you are thinking of resawing buy one with 2 hp or more, my
current BS has 4.5 hp.

On Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:14:10 -0400, "SBH"
wrote:

Is a .5hp motor a good size for a band saw? What other specs would you look
for if planning to purchase? I ask due to someone selling a used one though
the only specs thus far are the .5hp he lists and it stands 6 feet high.
Otherwise, I will call for the rest of the info and questions I need to ask.

Thank you



What power you need depends on how you will use the saw. Many
bandsaws are 1 HP. More important than power is accuracy of cut.
Bandsaws are notorious for getting out of tune, so you will have
long-term benefits by buying quality.

"Leon" wrote in message
...

"SBH" wrote in message
...
Is a .5hp motor a good size for a band saw? What other specs would you
look for if planning to purchase? I ask due to someone selling a used one
though the only specs thus far are the .5hp he lists and it stands 6 feet
high. Otherwise, I will call for the rest of the info and questions I
need to ask.

Thank you


Good for a trial to see if you are going to really be interested in using
one. I had a 1/2 hp BS once and it is ok for cutting thin soft woods,
hardwoods not so good. Basically you can do better with a jig saw. I
also like to resaw, if you are thinking of resawing buy one with 2 hp or
more, my current BS has 4.5 hp.
What about the possibility of removing the .5 hp motor and installing a 2hp+
motor in it's place?

Half hp would be a pretty small BS, maybe a desktop unit, good for
small work like model making or pattern cutting thin stock, etc.

Main spec of a BS is the throat. You'll see something like 14" or 18".
This indicates the distance from the blade to the backbone, or how
wide you can cut on the restricted side. A bigger numer is generally a
better saw (not exactly but generally bigger is better. 6 feet high
doesn't mean anything. You could configure a 12" bandsaw to be 6 feet
high.

A typical starting size for a serious bandsaw is 14" and a 20" is
industrial grade and bigger than that is only for sepcialized ops
(IMNSHO). A typical 14" will have at least 3/4 hp. 18" are pretty much
the standard for top end garage models and will have 2 or 3HP.

I get by with a 14" but have my eye out for an 18 or 20 but I don't
bandsaw much but would like to do some resaw in the future.

The other capacity is depth. 6" is pretty standard for the small sized
models. You can get extensions to raise the head and increase that
dimesnion but if you really want to resaw, just buy a bigger, more
stable saw.

On Jun 29, 3:14*pm, "SBH" wrote:
Is a .5hp motor a good size for a band saw? What other specs would you look
for if planning to purchase? I ask due to someone selling a used one though
the only specs thus far are the .5hp he lists and it stands 6 feet high.
Otherwise, I will call for the rest of the info and questions I need to ask.

Thank you

"SBH" wrote in message
...
What about the possibility of removing the .5 hp motor and installing a
2hp+ motor in it's place?


The saw may not be built to withstand the extra strain for a reasonable
amount of time.

On Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:14:10 -0400, "SBH"
wrote:

Is a .5hp motor a good size for a band saw? What other specs would you look
for if planning to purchase? I ask due to someone selling a used one though
the only specs thus far are the .5hp he lists and it stands 6 feet high.
Otherwise, I will call for the rest of the info and questions I need to ask.

Thank you


1/2 HP is too small for serious work with hardwoods.

Other specs:

Wheel diameter - bandsaws for hobbyist woodshops will usually run in
the 12" to 18" range with the most common probably the 14" size.
Versatility/usability is directly related to the wheel diameter. The
throat dimension (distance from the backbone to the blade and the
largest circle, similar to the throw dimension in drill presses) and
usually the maximum resaw dimension - cutting height above the table -
increases with wheel diameter.

Resaw height - runs from about 6" to 12" typically for hobbyist type
machines. Most of the 14" machines with cast iron frames require a
riser block to reach 12". With the newer welded steel frames, what you
get is all you have. There's no provision for riser blocks. Bigger is
better if you plan on resawing, but using the larger capacity requires
more power.

Motor horsepower - normally as the bandsaw size increases, the power
of the standard motor also increases. Don't know all the specs for all
the saws, but my 16" came with a 1.5 HP motor which I burned up
resawing some green maple. Replaced it with a 3 HP Baldor Industrial
motor ($$$) and now it works fine.

Minimum and maximum blade widths the saw will handle. The width you'll
use is dependent on what you're doing. Narrow blades down to 1/4" for
tight curve cutting, wider blades for straight cuts and resawing. Many
folks recommend as wide a blade as possible for resawing. 1/2" blades
work fine. Wider isn't really necessary. If the saw will tension a
3/4" blade properly, that's all you'll probably ever need.

Blade Length - There are several "standard" lengths in bandsaw blades.
In general, the larger the saw, the longer the blade. If the length
required is not one of the common standards, blades will have to be
custom ordered. That not as bad as it may sound, because many, if not
most, suppliers of quality blades weld blades to order even for the
"standard" lengths. However, a non-common blade length may prevent
your dropping into your local borg and picking up a blade off the
shelf.

Number of wheels - virtually all the current crop of bandsaws are two
wheel saws. There are some three wheel models out they are relatively
rare. They will generally have larger throats and resaw capacity that
a 2 wheel saw with the same diameter wheels. I understand they tend to
break blades more often than comparable 2 wheel saws but have no
experience with them. I surmise that, along with non-"standard" blade
lengths may be why they are not very popular.

Whatever you're planning on doing with the bandsaw, consider that
you'll wind up wanting to do more and bigger things as you gain
expertise with the saw. Plan accordingly.

Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA

"SBH" wrote in message
...
Is a .5hp motor a good size for a band saw? What other specs would you
look for if planning to purchase? I ask due to someone selling a used one
though the only specs thus far are the .5hp he lists and it stands 6 feet
high. Otherwise, I will call for the rest of the info and questions I need
to ask.

Thank you
A 1/2 horse motor is adequate for everything but resawing in most woods if
you have a good sharp blade. Larger motor is better, much better. Save
youself some trouble and get a larger motor if you can, you will want to
increase the motor size in the future up from 1/2, trust me on that.

I have a 1 horse on my Delta wood and a 1 horse on my horizontal metal band saws.

It depends on what you cut. My delta is a 14" tall version for bowl cutting.
I do nominal re-saw on it - but mostly nominal wood work.

Martin

SBH wrote:
Is a .5hp motor a good size for a band saw? What other specs would you look
for if planning to purchase? I ask due to someone selling a used one though
the only specs thus far are the .5hp he lists and it stands 6 feet high.
Otherwise, I will call for the rest of the info and questions I need to ask.

Thank you

Great post.

On Jun 29, 6:02*pm, Tom Veatch wrote:
On Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:14:10 -0400, "SBH"
wrote:

Is a .5hp motor a good size for a band saw? What other specs would you look
for if planning to purchase? I ask due to someone selling a used one though
the only specs thus far are the .5hp he lists and it stands 6 feet high.
Otherwise, I will call for the rest of the info and questions I need to ask.

Thank you

1/2 HP is too small for serious work with hardwoods.

Other specs:

Wheel diameter - bandsaws for hobbyist woodshops will usually run in
the 12" to 18" range with the most common probably the 14" size.
Versatility/usability is directly related to the wheel diameter. The
throat dimension (distance from the backbone to the blade and the
largest circle, similar to the throw dimension in drill presses) and
usually the maximum resaw dimension - cutting height above the table -
increases with wheel diameter.

Resaw height - runs from about 6" to 12" typically for hobbyist type
machines. Most of the 14" machines with cast iron frames require a
riser block to reach 12". With the newer welded steel frames, what you
get is all you have. There's no provision for riser blocks. Bigger is
better if you plan on resawing, but using the larger capacity requires
more power.

Motor horsepower - normally as the bandsaw size increases, the power
of the standard motor also increases. Don't know all the specs for all
the saws, but my 16" came with a 1.5 HP motor which I burned up
resawing some green maple. Replaced it with a 3 HP Baldor Industrial
motor ($$$) and now it works fine.

Minimum and maximum blade widths the saw will handle. The width you'll
use is dependent on what you're doing. Narrow blades down to 1/4" for
tight curve cutting, wider blades for straight cuts and resawing. Many
folks recommend as wide a blade as possible for resawing. 1/2" blades
work fine. Wider isn't really necessary. If the saw will tension a
3/4" blade properly, that's all you'll probably ever need.

Blade Length - There are several "standard" lengths in bandsaw blades.
In general, the larger the saw, the longer the blade. If the length
required is not one of the common standards, blades will have to be
custom ordered. That not as bad as it may sound, because many, if not
most, suppliers of quality blades weld blades to order even for the
"standard" lengths. However, a non-common blade length may prevent
your dropping into your local borg and picking up a blade off the
shelf.

Number of wheels - virtually all the current crop of bandsaws are two
wheel saws. There are some three wheel models out they are relatively
rare. They will generally have larger throats and resaw capacity that
a 2 wheel saw with the same diameter wheels. I understand they tend to
break blades more often than comparable 2 wheel saws but have no
experience with them. I surmise that, along with non-"standard" blade
lengths may be why they are not very popular.

Whatever you're planning on doing with the bandsaw, consider that
you'll wind up wanting to do more and bigger things as you gain
expertise with the saw. Plan accordingly.

Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA

"SBH" wrote in message
...
Is a .5hp motor a good size for a band saw? What other specs would you
look for if planning to purchase? I ask due to someone selling a used one
though the only specs thus far are the .5hp he lists and it stands 6 feet
high. Otherwise, I will call for the rest of the info and questions I need
to ask.

Thank you


Thank you all for the replies. It helps me make a better decision when
purchasing. One more question which many have indicated about "resawing".
What exactly is "resawing"?

Thanks

"SBH" wrote in message
...

"SBH" wrote in message
...
Is a .5hp motor a good size for a band saw? What other specs would you
look for if planning to purchase? I ask due to someone selling a used one
though the only specs thus far are the .5hp he lists and it stands 6 feet
high. Otherwise, I will call for the rest of the info and questions I
need to ask.

Thank you


Thank you all for the replies. It helps me make a better decision when
purchasing. One more question which many have indicated about "resawing".
What exactly is "resawing"?

That is when you take a thicker peice of wood and slice it into thinner
peices. Often done to create venners. This is how a bandsaw can save you
some money. Buy some expensive wood, resaw it and glue it to cheaper wood to
make various projects.

Standing a board on edge and splitting it in half. At the saw mill
they cut the boards and maybe plane them to a thickness. Then you can
"resaw" them into thinner boards.

They also use the term to indicate the type of finish because it is
sort of rough, so some wood comes with a resawn finish. Many times you
will see exterior trim boards available in the construction lumber
area with one smooth face and one resawn face. You can decide if you
want smooth trim or resawn (rough) when you apply it to the house.

On Jun 30, 10:05*am, "SBH" wrote:
"SBH" wrote in message

...

Is a .5hp motor a good size for a band saw? What other specs would you
look for if planning to purchase? I ask due to someone selling a used one
though the only specs thus far are the .5hp he lists and it stands 6 feet
high. Otherwise, I will call for the rest of the info and questions I need
to ask.

Thank you

Thank you all for the replies. It helps me make a better decision when
purchasing. One more question which many have indicated about "resawing".
What exactly is "resawing"?

Thanks

Wood from a mill may come rough sawn, (unplaned) S2S (surfaced 2 sides) ,
S4S (surfaced 4 sides) meaning it has been planed after sawing.
The pieces for this "what-not" shelf were *resawn* from a piece of 1 X 4
(actually 3/4 X 3 1/2 finished size)
http://picasaweb.google.com/contrari...96161094057298

Max


"SonomaProducts.com" wrote
Standing a board on edge and splitting it in half. At the saw mill
they cut the boards and maybe plane them to a thickness. Then you can
"resaw" them into thinner boards.
They also use the term to indicate the type of finish because it is
sort of rough, so some wood comes with a resawn finish. Many times you
will see exterior trim boards available in the construction lumber
area with one smooth face and one resawn face. You can decide if you
want smooth trim or resawn (rough) when you apply it to the house.

On Jun 30, 10:05 am, "SBH" wrote:
"SBH" wrote in message


Thank you all for the replies. It helps me make a better decision when
purchasing. One more question which many have indicated about "resawing".
What exactly is "resawing"?

Thanks

"SonomaProducts.com" wrote in message
...
Standing a board on edge and splitting it in half. At the saw mill
they cut the boards and maybe plane them to a thickness. Then you can
"resaw" them into thinner boards.

Slight correction here, resawing is not necessarily splitting in half, I
typically resaw and get 5-6 pieces out of a 3/4" thick board.

On Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:13:09 -0500, "Leon"
wrote:

The saw may not be built to withstand the extra strain for a reasonable
amount of time.

Valid thought.

Let's look at some numbers. My calculations show replacing a 1.5 HP
motor with a 3.0 HP motor increases the maximum load on the lower
wheel bearings by about 3%. Yep, that's 3 (three) percent. Don't
believe it? Read on.

WARNING! Mathematics follows, continue at your own risk!

What are the forces on a bandsaw? First, understand that the maximum
load on the upper wheel (assuming a 2 wheel saw) occurs when the blade
is tensioned, but the saw is not running. When the saw is cutting, the
load on the upper wheel is actually less than when the saw is not
running. So we can ignore the upper wheel and its bearings when
looking at the cutting loads supplied by the motor. However, the load
on the lower wheel is increased by the cutting loads.

When the saw is cutting, the force necessary to pull the blade through
the workpiece comes from the motor through the lower wheel. That force
is applied to the blade by the lower wheel, transferred by the blade
to the workpiece, and reacted by the bandsaw table support structure.
So the load on the table acting downward is equal to the load acting
upward on the lower wheel bearing. But what is that load?

First take the case of the motor developing its rated power at its
rated speed. Further assume that all processes occur at 100%
efficiency. That is a conservative assumption since lower efficiency
means lower loads on the wheel bearing and table structure.

Assume a 3HP motor. That means the motor at 100% efficiency provides
Power = 3 X 550 X 60 = 33,000 foot-pounds/minute

Assume the blade moves at 3000 feet/minute when the motor is turning
at its rated speed. That value is from the specifications for my
bandsaw and is, I believe, a fairly typical value for woodcutting
bandsaws.

Force on the blade = 33,000/3000 = 11 pounds.

So, a 3 HP motor developing is full rated power at its rated speed
during a cut will pull downward on the table and upward on the lower
wheel with a force of 11 pounds. Dividing by 3 (for a 1 HP motor)
yields 3.667 pounds per horsepower load on the internal parts of the
saw. Round it off to 4 pounds per horsepower for simplicity.

If you think that's a trivial load and can't possibly be the maximum
load developed within an operating bandsaw, you are absolutely
correct. The calculations used rated speed and power. The problem is
the motor doesn't develop maximum torque at its rated speed. Maximum
torque is developed when the motor is very nearly stalled out and is
barely turning if it's turning at all. And it's the maximum torque
that produces the maximum load on the bandsaw.

I'm no motor expert and don't know how much higher the maximum torque
may be than the "rated" torque. But, capacitor start induction motors
are built that way so they will have a high starting torque. For these
purposes, I'm going to estimate that the maximum torque of a capacitor
start, induction motor that would typically be used for a bandsaw
would be on the order of 5 times the running torque. Perhaps a motor
expert can improve on that estimate.

If the 5x estimate is anywhere close to the right ballpark, look for
something on the order of 20 pounds per motor horsepower to be the
maximum load applied to the table structure and lower wheel bearing by
the motor.

1 HP = 20 pounds
2 HP = 40 pounds
3 HP = 60 pounds

So unless my estimated maximum torque is wildly low, the load added to
the bandsaw components by the motor is really fairly small.

To get the full load in the lower wheel bearing, you have to take into
account the load due to the blade tension. That load is proportional
to the width and thickness of the blade and the tensile stress in the
tensioned blade..

According to the guys at Suffolk Machinery, the makers of Timberwolf
blades, the tension should be such that a stress of about 12,500 psi
is developed in the blade.

So if we assume a 1" blade, .035 thick, 12500 psi equates to a tension
load of 437.5 pounds. Since the blade has a wrap angle of 180 degrees
on the wheel, the wheel bearing sees double that value, or 875 pounds
of side loading.

With a static load of 875 pounds from the blade tension, the added
maximum load of 60 pounds from a 3 HP or 30 pounds from a 1.5 HP motor
doesn't seem to be anything to lose much sleep about. That's why I
never hesitated to replace the 1.5 HP motor on my bandsaw with a 3 HP
motor . It increases the load on the bandsaw wheel bearings from 905
pounds to 935 pounds - about a 3% increase.

Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA

"Leon" wrote in message
Slight correction here, resawing is not necessarily splitting in half, I
typically resaw and get 5-6 pieces out of a 3/4" thick board.

Yeah, but.... You've got one of those $320,000 Laguna bandsaws and a 1/2
micron thick 3" wide titanium/diamond equipped bandsaw blade to do your
resawing.

What is everybody else supposed to do? You could of course invite is all
over to your place to use your bandsaw and when a few of us accidentally cut
a few fingers off, we promise not so sue if we can have all your woodworking
tools.

"Tom Veatch" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:13:09 -0500, "Leon"
wrote:

The saw may not be built to withstand the extra strain for a reasonable
amount of time.

Valid thought.

Let's look at some numbers. My calculations show replacing a 1.5 HP
motor with a 3.0 HP motor increases the maximum load on the lower
wheel bearings by about 3%. Yep, that's 3 (three) percent. Don't
believe it? Read on.




WARNING! Mathematics follows, continue at your own risk!

What are the forces on a bandsaw? First, understand that the maximum
load on the upper wheel (assuming a 2 wheel saw) occurs when the blade
is tensioned, but the saw is not running. When the saw is cutting, the
load on the upper wheel is actually less than when the saw is not
running. So we can ignore the upper wheel and its bearings when
looking at the cutting loads supplied by the motor. However, the load
on the lower wheel is increased by the cutting loads.

When the saw is cutting, the force necessary to pull the blade through
the workpiece comes from the motor through the lower wheel. That force
is applied to the blade by the lower wheel, transferred by the blade
to the workpiece, and reacted by the bandsaw table support structure.
So the load on the table acting downward is equal to the load acting
upward on the lower wheel bearing. But what is that load?

First take the case of the motor developing its rated power at its
rated speed. Further assume that all processes occur at 100%
efficiency. That is a conservative assumption since lower efficiency
means lower loads on the wheel bearing and table structure.

Assume a 3HP motor. That means the motor at 100% efficiency provides
Power = 3 X 550 X 60 = 33,000 foot-pounds/minute

Assume the blade moves at 3000 feet/minute when the motor is turning
at its rated speed. That value is from the specifications for my
bandsaw and is, I believe, a fairly typical value for woodcutting
bandsaws.

Force on the blade = 33,000/3000 = 11 pounds.

So, a 3 HP motor developing is full rated power at its rated speed
during a cut will pull downward on the table and upward on the lower
wheel with a force of 11 pounds. Dividing by 3 (for a 1 HP motor)
yields 3.667 pounds per horsepower load on the internal parts of the
saw. Round it off to 4 pounds per horsepower for simplicity.

If you think that's a trivial load and can't possibly be the maximum
load developed within an operating bandsaw, you are absolutely
correct. The calculations used rated speed and power. The problem is
the motor doesn't develop maximum torque at its rated speed. Maximum
torque is developed when the motor is very nearly stalled out and is
barely turning if it's turning at all. And it's the maximum torque
that produces the maximum load on the bandsaw.

I'm no motor expert and don't know how much higher the maximum torque
may be than the "rated" torque. But, capacitor start induction motors
are built that way so they will have a high starting torque. For these
purposes, I'm going to estimate that the maximum torque of a capacitor
start, induction motor that would typically be used for a bandsaw
would be on the order of 5 times the running torque. Perhaps a motor
expert can improve on that estimate.

If the 5x estimate is anywhere close to the right ballpark, look for
something on the order of 20 pounds per motor horsepower to be the
maximum load applied to the table structure and lower wheel bearing by
the motor.

1 HP = 20 pounds
2 HP = 40 pounds
3 HP = 60 pounds

So unless my estimated maximum torque is wildly low, the load added to
the bandsaw components by the motor is really fairly small.

To get the full load in the lower wheel bearing, you have to take into
account the load due to the blade tension. That load is proportional
to the width and thickness of the blade and the tensile stress in the
tensioned blade..

According to the guys at Suffolk Machinery, the makers of Timberwolf
blades, the tension should be such that a stress of about 12,500 psi
is developed in the blade.

So if we assume a 1" blade, .035 thick, 12500 psi equates to a tension
load of 437.5 pounds. Since the blade has a wrap angle of 180 degrees
on the wheel, the wheel bearing sees double that value, or 875 pounds
of side loading.

With a static load of 875 pounds from the blade tension, the added
maximum load of 60 pounds from a 3 HP or 30 pounds from a 1.5 HP motor
doesn't seem to be anything to lose much sleep about. That's why I
never hesitated to replace the 1.5 HP motor on my bandsaw with a 3 HP
motor . It increases the load on the bandsaw wheel bearings from 905
pounds to 935 pounds - about a 3% increase.

Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA



I did not read it all, but did any of that take into account the increased
ability to resaw much wider boards which would also put more strain on
guides? Did it take into account faster feed rates which would also create
more strain on bearings and guides. Did it take into account the ability to
cut larger heavier pieces which might damage marginal trunions and or
tables?
I was sorta indicating premature failure because of the extra capacity
during actual use, not just from turning the BS on.
My old BS was pretty much all aluminum as far as the frame/housing was
concerned. I viewed the smaller hp motor as being a safety measure to keep
the frame from distorting and twisting, a condition that would be present
when cutting heavier and thicker pieces of wood with a larger hp motor.
I was pretty impress with your detail however. ;~)
Perhaps a larger motor on a "fan" would not have as much potential to do
harm.

"Upscale" wrote in message
...

"Leon" wrote in message
Slight correction here, resawing is not necessarily splitting in half, I
typically resaw and get 5-6 pieces out of a 3/4" thick board.

Yeah, but.... You've got one of those $320,000 Laguna bandsaws and a 1/2
micron thick 3" wide titanium/diamond equipped bandsaw blade to do your
resawing.

What is everybody else supposed to do? You could of course invite is all
over to your place to use your bandsaw and when a few of us accidentally
cut
a few fingers off, we promise not so sue if we can have all your
woodworking
tools.

That is a 1/2 micron thick 3" wide titanium/diamond "Special Edition"
bandsaw blade, smarty pants! ROTFL

LOL,,,, But surely with a marginal, well my first BS could resaw into 3 or
4 pieces, a 2 bu 4. ;~)

On Wed, 1 Jul 2009 07:28:35 -0500, "Leon"
wrote:

I did not read it all,

If you had plowed through all that, I'd be tempted to advise you to
"get a life". 8-)

but did any of that take into account the increased
ability to resaw much wider boards which would also put more strain on
guides? Did it take into account faster feed rates which would also create
more strain on bearings and guides. Did it take into account the ability to
cut larger heavier pieces which might damage marginal trunions and or
tables?
I was sorta indicating premature failure because of the extra capacity
during actual use, not just from turning the BS on.
My old BS was pretty much all aluminum as far as the frame/housing was
concerned. I viewed the smaller hp motor as being a safety measure to keep
the frame from distorting and twisting, a condition that would be present
when cutting heavier and thicker pieces of wood with a larger hp motor.
I was pretty impress with your detail however. ;~)
Perhaps a larger motor on a "fan" would not have as much potential to do
harm.

No, I didn't consider the weight of the workpiece on the table and
trunnions, or the effect on the guides, just the additional loads that
a larger motor could possibly apply to the structure during a cut that
used the motor to its maximum power/torque output.

To be honest about it, I was surprised to find, especially with the
largest blade my bandsaw is "rated" to use, the structural load due to
tensioning the blade is huge! So large, in fact, that the added loads
on a bandsaw from cutting at maximum developed motor power/torque
fades almost to insignificance.

But, it's important to note that those numbers are not blanket
justification for arbitrarily or thoughtlessly increasing motor power
on any tool, bandsaw or otherwise. Your cautionary statement is still
very much on point and valid.

At the very least, when someone modifies a tool by increasing the
motor size, or any other significant change for that matter, they can
toss the warrantee in the burn barrel. And on the other end of the
spectrum, they could very easily increase the risk of serious damage
to the tool and themselves. We, as customers, rarely know the basis
for all the sizing decisions made by the tool designers.

Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA

Tom Veatch wrote:
On Wed, 1 Jul 2009 07:28:35 -0500, "Leon"
wrote:

I did not read it all,

If you had plowed through all that, I'd be tempted to advise you to
"get a life". 8-)
....
trunnions, or the effect on the guides, just the additional loads that
a larger motor could possibly apply to the structure during a cut that
used the motor to its maximum power/torque output.

To be honest about it, I was surprised to find, especially with the
largest blade my bandsaw is "rated" to use, the structural load due to
tensioning the blade is huge! So large, in fact, that the added loads
on a bandsaw from cutting at maximum developed motor power/torque
fades almost to insignificance.
....
I didn't read it all either, other than skim it. I would wonder if the
dynamic analysis of the loads during heavier usage wouldn't factor in
over the static analysis...just a thought; I've really not considered it
in great detail.

There is one self-limiting factor I'll agree with, though, and that is
the maximum tension force one can manage to apply to a small saw is
limited by the small blade capacity. If one were to try to put a large
resaw blade and tension it properly on such a small saw, it's at least a
decent chance you'd collapse the frame before ever starting so the motor
hp to pull it wouldn't matter...

--

On Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:12:49 -0500, Tom Veatch wrote:

Assume a 3HP motor. That means the motor at 100% efficiency provides
Power = 3 X 550 X 60 = 33,000 foot-pounds/minute

That's a mistake. The value, 33,000 foot-pounds/minute, is for a 1 HP
motor. 3 HP = 99,000 foot-pounds per minute. (as an explanation for
the error, I can only offer the though that it was written in the wee
hours of the morning during a bout of insomnia)

That means all the motor loads in my previous treatise should be
multiplied by 3.

1 HP = 60 pounds
2 HP = 120 pounds
3 HP = 180 pounds

Also, the calculation of the percentage increase in loads from
increasing motor is as follows:

Load in the lower bearing from blade tension = 875 pounds (no change
from the original post)

Load in the bearing from maximum cutting load with 1.5 HP motor = 90
pounds. 3 HP motor = 180 pounds.

Total load with 1.5 HP motor = 875 + 90 = 965 pounds
Total load with 3.0 HP motor = 875 + 180 = 1055 pounds

Percent increase = (1055/965) - 1 = 9.3%

So instead of a 3% increase, there's almost a 10% increase in load on
the bearings. That is beyond calling it a trivial increase, but still
should be well within design margins of the saws structure.

I am embarrassed by, and apologize for, the arithmetic error. If it
were possible, I would delete the previous post and replace it with a
corrected version.

Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA

"Tom Veatch" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 1 Jul 2009 07:28:35 -0500, "Leon"
wrote:

I did not read it all,

If you had plowed through all that, I'd be tempted to advise you to
"get a life". 8-)

but did any of that take into account the increased
ability to resaw much wider boards which would also put more strain on
guides? Did it take into account faster feed rates which would also
create
more strain on bearings and guides. Did it take into account the ability
to
cut larger heavier pieces which might damage marginal trunions and or
tables?
I was sorta indicating premature failure because of the extra capacity
during actual use, not just from turning the BS on.
My old BS was pretty much all aluminum as far as the frame/housing was
concerned. I viewed the smaller hp motor as being a safety measure to
keep
the frame from distorting and twisting, a condition that would be present
when cutting heavier and thicker pieces of wood with a larger hp motor.
I was pretty impress with your detail however. ;~)
Perhaps a larger motor on a "fan" would not have as much potential to do
harm.

No, I didn't consider the weight of the workpiece on the table and
trunnions, or the effect on the guides, just the additional loads that
a larger motor could possibly apply to the structure during a cut that
used the motor to its maximum power/torque output.

To be honest about it, I was surprised to find, especially with the
largest blade my bandsaw is "rated" to use, the structural load due to
tensioning the blade is huge! So large, in fact, that the added loads
on a bandsaw from cutting at maximum developed motor power/torque
fades almost to insignificance.

But, it's important to note that those numbers are not blanket
justification for arbitrarily or thoughtlessly increasing motor power
on any tool, bandsaw or otherwise. Your cautionary statement is still
very much on point and valid.

At the very least, when someone modifies a tool by increasing the
motor size, or any other significant change for that matter, they can
toss the warrantee in the burn barrel. And on the other end of the
spectrum, they could very easily increase the risk of serious damage
to the tool and themselves. We, as customers, rarely know the basis
for all the sizing decisions made by the tool designers.
..
Agreed!

"Tom Veatch" wrote

We, as customers, rarely know the basis
for all the sizing decisions made by the tool designers.

Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA

Especially when it's a Craftsman. G

Max

SBH wrote:
Is a .5hp motor a good size for a band saw? What other specs would you look
for if planning to purchase? I ask due to someone selling a used one though
the only specs thus far are the .5hp he lists and it stands 6 feet high.
Otherwise, I will call for the rest of the info and questions I need to ask.

Thank you



About 15 years ago, I bought a used 14" Rockwell/Delta bandsaw. It had
(and still has) a 1/3hp motor. Since acquiring the saw, I've managed to
resaw 6" wormy chestnut and other hardwoods (slowly). Feeding too fast
caused the saw to stall. Never had an issue with cutting hardwood "on
the flat" as long as the blade was sharp.

Current versions of this saw can be purchased with a maximum of 1hp
motor. I believe that Norm Abram uses this model and relies on it to do
resawing when needed.

~Mark.

Tom Veatch wrote:
On Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:12:49 -0500, Tom Veatch wrote:

....
That means all the motor loads in my previous treatise should be
multiplied by 3.
....
Also, the calculation of the percentage increase in loads from
increasing motor is as follows:
....
Percent increase = (1055/965) - 1 = 9.3%

So instead of a 3% increase, there's almost a 10% increase in load on
the bearings. That is beyond calling it a trivial increase, but still
should be well within design margins of the saws structure.

I am embarrassed by, and apologize for, the arithmetic error. If it
were possible, I would delete the previous post and replace it with a
corrected version.
....

That seems in realm; no slight intended and I didn't look at it hard
enough to catch the arithmetic but it did somehow just seem to have too
little of an effect.

The strength of usenet is also at times a weakness--once it's in the
ether, it's never to be reclaimed... [and ; I've more than once
wished for the same facility]

--

"Woody" wrote in message
...


About 15 years ago, I bought a used 14" Rockwell/Delta bandsaw. It had
(and still has) a 1/3hp motor. Since acquiring the saw, I've managed to
resaw 6" wormy chestnut and other hardwoods (slowly). Feeding too fast
caused the saw to stall. Never had an issue with cutting hardwood "on the
flat" as long as the blade was sharp.

Current versions of this saw can be purchased with a maximum of 1hp motor.
I believe that Norm Abram uses this model and relies on it to do resawing
when needed.

~Mark.


But that was 15 years ago and it was used then. They don't build'em like
they usta. HP rating are now exagerated. As a side note, I just retired
and sold my 30 year old Rockwell DP that had a 1/3 hp motor, it never
stalled regardless of what size forstner bit it was spinning.

Leon wrote:
"Woody" wrote in message
...

About 15 years ago, I bought a used 14" Rockwell/Delta bandsaw. It had
(and still has) a 1/3hp motor. Since acquiring the saw, I've managed to
resaw 6" wormy chestnut and other hardwoods (slowly). Feeding too fast
caused the saw to stall. Never had an issue with cutting hardwood "on the
flat" as long as the blade was sharp.

Current versions of this saw can be purchased with a maximum of 1hp motor.
I believe that Norm Abram uses this model and relies on it to do resawing
when needed.

But that was 15 years ago and it was used then. They don't build'em like
they usta. HP rating are now exagerated. As a side note, I just retired
and sold my 30 year old Rockwell DP that had a 1/3 hp motor, it never
stalled regardless of what size forstner bit it was spinning.

I'm glad you said that because my 55 year old Rockwell/Delta 14" bandsaw
has a small motor, I think its 1/2 hp but could be 3/4. It has never
felt underpowered to me. I never installed a riser block so it only
cuts 6" deep, and I've resawn white oak and hard maple to near that
depth. I can't even imagine a 4 1/2 HP motor on a bandsaw? Wow! The
other thing is I hate 1/2" blades on the thing, not because of power
issues though, but because of turning radius issues. My favorite blade
was aways a 3/16th inch skip tooth. I bought one when I was cutting
names out of 2x4 lumber and needed speed and small turning radius.
Turned out I liked that blade for everything, including resawing.

Anyway, my BS has never disappointed me and I wouldn't trade it for
anything less than one of those "$320,000 Laguna bandsaws with a 1/2
micron thick 3" wide titanium/diamond equipped bandsaw blades" that some
of you have.

I'd have to replace the blade though:-)

--
Jack
Using FREE News Server: http://www.eternal-september.org/
http://jbstein.com

On Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:41:41 -0500, Jack Stein
wrote:

Leon wrote:
"Woody" wrote in message
...

About 15 years ago, I bought a used 14" Rockwell/Delta bandsaw. It had
(and still has) a 1/3hp motor. Since acquiring the saw, I've managed to
resaw 6" wormy chestnut and other hardwoods (slowly). Feeding too fast
caused the saw to stall. Never had an issue with cutting hardwood "on the
flat" as long as the blade was sharp.

Current versions of this saw can be purchased with a maximum of 1hp motor.
I believe that Norm Abram uses this model and relies on it to do resawing
when needed.

But that was 15 years ago and it was used then. They don't build'em like
they usta. HP rating are now exagerated. As a side note, I just retired
and sold my 30 year old Rockwell DP that had a 1/3 hp motor, it never
stalled regardless of what size forstner bit it was spinning.

I'm glad you said that because my 55 year old Rockwell/Delta 14" bandsaw
has a small motor, I think its 1/2 hp but could be 3/4. It has never
felt underpowered to me. I never installed a riser block so it only
cuts 6" deep, and I've resawn white oak and hard maple to near that
depth. I can't even imagine a 4 1/2 HP motor on a bandsaw? Wow! The
other thing is I hate 1/2" blades on the thing, not because of power
issues though, but because of turning radius issues. My favorite blade
was aways a 3/16th inch skip tooth. I bought one when I was cutting
names out of 2x4 lumber and needed speed and small turning radius.
Turned out I liked that blade for everything, including resawing.

Anyway, my BS has never disappointed me and I wouldn't trade it for
anything less than one of those "$320,000 Laguna bandsaws with a 1/2
micron thick 3" wide titanium/diamond equipped bandsaw blades" that some
of you have.

I'd have to replace the blade though:-)


But, a Horsepower 55 years ago is a lot more powerful than today's
horsepower. What's so crucially important is how well the bandsaw is
tuned. Even an underpowered one will resaw with ease, it will just
take a little longer.

Leon wrote:

But that was 15 years ago and it was used then. They don't build'em like
they usta. HP rating are now exagerated.


Jack Stein wrote:
I'm glad you said that because my 55 year old Rockwell/Delta 14" bandsaw
has a small motor, I think its 1/2 hp but could be 3/4. It has never
felt underpowered to me.

Phisherman wrote:
But, a Horsepower 55 years ago is a lot more powerful than today's
horsepower. What's so crucially important is how well the bandsaw is
tuned. Even an underpowered one will resaw with ease, it will just
take a little longer.

Yes, that was Leon's point I think. Someone here said to look at the
amperage of the motor, and 1 hp should use like 12 amps. This at least
should be fairly consistent you would think.

Still, 4.5 hp seems like a hell of a lot to me for a BS. I never
resawed a 12" hunk of Oak and I figure that would take around 2x the
power of my saw or 1 to 1 1/2 hp? I can't get at my motor now to read
the HP rating but it certainly in not more than one HP, and memory and
size tells me it's 1/2.

If I were buying a bs today, I would buy the best one I could afford.
To me, the bs is my most used tool. Perhaps the drill press is used as
much but I would think even a cheap DP would do the job. A band saw
needs to be high quality to work right and adjust easily and the bigger
the better, and more expensive. Cheap saws probably can work fine, but
are difficult to set up right and STAY that way.

In that regard, Leon's bs sucks, in the nicest possible way:-)

--
Jack
Using FREE News Server: http://www.eternal-september.org/
http://jbstein.com

"Jack Stein" wrote in message
...

Yes, that was Leon's point I think. Someone here said to look at the
amperage of the motor, and 1 hp should use like 12 amps. This at least
should be fairly consistent you would think.

Still, 4.5 hp seems like a hell of a lot to me for a BS. I never resawed
a 12" hunk of Oak and I figure that would take around 2x the power of my
saw or 1 to 1 1/2 hp? I can't get at my motor now to read the HP rating
but it certainly in not more than one HP, and memory and size tells me
it's 1/2.

If I were buying a bs today, I would buy the best one I could afford. To
me, the bs is my most used tool. Perhaps the drill press is used as much
but I would think even a cheap DP would do the job. A band saw needs to
be high quality to work right and adjust easily and the bigger the better,
and more expensive. Cheap saws probably can work fine, but are difficult
to set up right and STAY that way.

In that regard, Leon's bs sucks, in the nicest possible way:-)



Yeah, It "sucks" goooood. LOL. The last resawing for a kitchen "re-do was
in October, I was resawing 3/4" thick and 6" wide hard maple. I was getting
5 veneers just a hair under 3/32" thick from each board. With the 4.5 hp I
was able to resaw the 6" maple about as fast as I could push the wood
through the blade. Probably as fast as simply ripping 3/4" thick hard maple
on my cabinet saw.

"Tom Veatch" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:14:10 -0400, "SBH"
wrote:

Is a .5hp motor a good size for a band saw? What other specs would you
look
for if planning to purchase? I ask due to someone selling a used one
though
the only specs thus far are the .5hp he lists and it stands 6 feet high.
Otherwise, I will call for the rest of the info and questions I need to
ask.

Thank you


1/2 HP is too small for serious work with hardwoods.

I must be fooling myself about the seriousness of my work, then. 1/2 HP is
just fine. The blade makes much more difference in the quality and ability
to cut. Certainly a larger motor is nice, but mostly, it's a matter of
marketing and pandering to consumer bias.

(I saw your earlier analysis. Can't say I can find fault with it.

Resaw height - runs from about 6" to 12" typically for hobbyist type
machines. Most of the 14" machines with cast iron frames require a
riser block to reach 12". With the newer welded steel frames, what you
get is all you have. There's no provision for riser blocks. Bigger is
better if you plan on resawing, but using the larger capacity requires
more power.

Folks tend to forget it's not just the riser block that limits the resaw
height. I'm more limited by what I can flatten on the 6" jointer. (Serious
work, indeed.)

Motor horsepower - normally as the bandsaw size increases, the power
of the standard motor also increases. Don't know all the specs for all
the saws, but my 16" came with a 1.5 HP motor which I burned up
resawing some green maple. Replaced it with a 3 HP Baldor Industrial
motor ($$$) and now it works fine.

It does depend on what you're cutting, of course. And the blade you use.

folks recommend as wide a blade as possible for resawing. 1/2" blades
work fine. Wider isn't really necessary. If the saw will tension a
3/4" blade properly, that's all you'll probably ever need.

Blade Length - There are several "standard" lengths in bandsaw blades.
In general, the larger the saw, the longer the blade. If the length
required is not one of the common standards, blades will have to be
custom ordered. That not as bad as it may sound, because many, if not
most, suppliers of quality blades weld blades to order even for the
"standard" lengths. However, a non-common blade length may prevent
your dropping into your local borg and picking up a blade off the
shelf.

Yes, I'm an affirmed member of the holy church of best blade for the job. I
need not worry about having to drop in at the borg for mediocre blades,
though. I have a small collection of superior quality blades, and any one of
them will substitute in a pinch if the "best" blade happens to break, prove
dull, etc. I'm not on a production schedule, you see, and FedEx rings my
doorbell even on Saturdays.

But here's the punchline. Every single blade I use for wood is plain,
ordinary high carbon steel. No bi-metal, no high speed steel, no welded
carbide teeth.

Whatever you're planning on doing with the bandsaw, consider that
you'll wind up wanting to do more and bigger things as you gain
expertise with the saw. Plan accordingly.

Phooey on that. Thinking back only the 12 years since they made my
bandsaw, only the marketing focus has changed, not the work or the material.

"MikeWhy" wrote in message
...

I must be fooling myself about the seriousness of my work, then. 1/2 HP is
just fine. The blade makes much more difference in the quality and ability
to cut. Certainly a larger motor is nice, but mostly, it's a matter of
marketing and pandering to consumer bias.

(I saw your earlier analysis. Can't say I can find fault with it.

Resaw height - runs from about 6" to 12" typically for hobbyist type
machines. Most of the 14" machines with cast iron frames require a
riser block to reach 12". With the newer welded steel frames, what you
get is all you have. There's no provision for riser blocks. Bigger is
better if you plan on resawing, but using the larger capacity requires
more power.

Folks tend to forget it's not just the riser block that limits the resaw
height. I'm more limited by what I can flatten on the 6" jointer. (Serious
work, indeed.)

Motor horsepower - normally as the bandsaw size increases, the power
of the standard motor also increases. Don't know all the specs for all
the saws, but my 16" came with a 1.5 HP motor which I burned up
resawing some green maple. Replaced it with a 3 HP Baldor Industrial
motor ($$$) and now it works fine.

It does depend on what you're cutting, of course. And the blade you use.

folks recommend as wide a blade as possible for resawing. 1/2" blades
work fine. Wider isn't really necessary. If the saw will tension a
3/4" blade properly, that's all you'll probably ever need.

Blade Length - There are several "standard" lengths in bandsaw blades.
In general, the larger the saw, the longer the blade. If the length
required is not one of the common standards, blades will have to be
custom ordered. That not as bad as it may sound, because many, if not
most, suppliers of quality blades weld blades to order even for the
"standard" lengths. However, a non-common blade length may prevent
your dropping into your local borg and picking up a blade off the
shelf.

Yes, I'm an affirmed member of the holy church of best blade for the job.
I need not worry about having to drop in at the borg for mediocre blades,
though. I have a small collection of superior quality blades, and any one
of them will substitute in a pinch if the "best" blade happens to break,
prove dull, etc. I'm not on a production schedule, you see, and FedEx
rings my doorbell even on Saturdays.

But here's the punchline. Every single blade I use for wood is plain,
ordinary high carbon steel. No bi-metal, no high speed steel, no welded
carbide teeth.

Whatever you're planning on doing with the bandsaw, consider that
you'll wind up wanting to do more and bigger things as you gain
expertise with the saw. Plan accordingly.

Phooey on that. Thinking back only the 12 years since they made my
bandsaw, only the marketing focus has changed, not the work or the
material.

Have you resawed a 6" wide piece of hard maple on a Laguna LT16 HD with a
1.25" wide Resaw King blade yet? If not and you get the chance to do so you
might rethink some of your above answers.

Before getting a Laguna BS I resawed 6" hard maple on a 12" 1/2 hp BS with a
brand new 3 tpi premium quality steel blade. It took approximately 2-3
minutes to make a single pass to resaw the 24" long pieces.

I did the same a few months ago with the Laguna taking about 10 seconds per
pass to resaw a 6" wide, 48" long piece piece of hard maple.

I also did this with the Laguna and a 1.3 tpi steel blade in about the same
amount of time but the smoothness of the cut dropped dramitically. With
the bi-metal ResawKing I was able to get more pieces from the 3/4" stock.

On Wed, 8 Jul 2009 14:24:15 -0500, "MikeWhy"
wrote:

1/2 HP is too small for serious work with hardwoods.

I must be fooling myself about the seriousness of my work, then. 1/2 HP is
just fine.

Perhaps "serious" has the wrong connotation. "Heavy" might be closer
to what I intended. There was no intent to imply that small, thin,
light, etc. was frivolous or lacking in skill or craftsmanship. If you
inferred that, be assured that was not my intention.

Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA

"Leon" wrote in message
...
Phooey on that. Thinking back only the 12 years since they made my
bandsaw, only the marketing focus has changed, not the work or the
material.

Have you resawed a 6" wide piece of hard maple

Sort of, and more or less routinely. Not a big deal. Not quite 6"; 5-1/2" is
about all that will fit under the guard. Despite all that, I haven't felt
limited by the tool.

on a Laguna LT16 HD with a 1.25" wide Resaw King blade yet? If not and
you get the chance to do so you might rethink some of your above answers.

I haven't had the pleasure. Is that an invite?


Before getting a Laguna BS I resawed 6" hard maple on a 12" 1/2 hp BS with
a brand new 3 tpi premium quality steel blade. It took approximately 2-3
minutes to make a single pass to resaw the 24" long pieces.

I did the same a few months ago with the Laguna taking about 10 seconds
per pass to resaw a 6" wide, 48" long piece piece of hard maple.

For sure, a 48" pass in 10 seconds is doing justice! But maybe we part
company on the need to do so. A worthwhile slab that benefits from resawing
to veneers is an unusual find. The money I didn't spend on machinery and
diamond studded blades buys a lot of bookmatched flitches. But I do
understand your doing so. Just having the tool, I expect I would welcome the
opportunity to put it through its paces.

I have a basically stock 14" Delta open stand made mid-90 something. Setting
it up for resaw, I take paper thin cuts on whatever I have on hand to prove
out the fence drift and setup. That's as good as I need it work. It's worth
repeating, as it was the point I was trying to make in my original post: I
don't feel limited by my bandsaw. The jointer is a bit small sometimes, but
even that matches the bandsaw.

"MikeWhy" wrote in message
...
"Leon" wrote in message
...
Phooey on that. Thinking back only the 12 years since they made my
bandsaw, only the marketing focus has changed, not the work or the
material.

Have you resawed a 6" wide piece of hard maple

Sort of, and more or less routinely. Not a big deal. Not quite 6"; 5-1/2"
is about all that will fit under the guard. Despite all that, I haven't
felt limited by the tool.

on a Laguna LT16 HD with a 1.25" wide Resaw King blade yet? If not and
you get the chance to do so you might rethink some of your above answers.

I haven't had the pleasure. Is that an invite?

Yeah! Come'on down. ;~)





Before getting a Laguna BS I resawed 6" hard maple on a 12" 1/2 hp BS
with a brand new 3 tpi premium quality steel blade. It took
approximately 2-3 minutes to make a single pass to resaw the 24" long
pieces.

I did the same a few months ago with the Laguna taking about 10 seconds
per pass to resaw a 6" wide, 48" long piece piece of hard maple.

For sure, a 48" pass in 10 seconds is doing justice! But maybe we part
company on the need to do so. A worthwhile slab that benefits from
resawing to veneers is an unusual find. The money I didn't spend on
machinery and diamond studded blades buys a lot of bookmatched flitches.
But I do understand your doing so. Just having the tool, I expect I
would welcome the opportunity to put it through its paces.

Actually I just needed thick veneers for the refacing of the kitchen cabinet
face frames. I basically turned 2, 8' 1x6 s4s pieces of hard maple into
10. I did not want to resaw 5 in half and plane to 3/16"


I have a basically stock 14" Delta open stand made mid-90 something.
Setting it up for resaw, I take paper thin cuts on whatever I have on hand
to prove out the fence drift and setup. That's as good as I need it work.
It's worth repeating, as it was the point I was trying to make in my
original post: I don't feel limited by my bandsaw. The jointer is a bit
small sometimes, but even that matches the bandsaw.

I had my old BS for about 20 years and seldom used it. The new one is such
a pleasure to use with limitless posibilities that I use it much more often.
I found that I can quickly cut up dried firewood for my BBQ smoker and often
find prize pieces when doing so. ;~)

"Leon" wrote in message
...
I had my old BS for about 20 years and seldom used it. The new one is
such a pleasure to use with limitless posibilities that I use it much more
often. I found that I can quickly cut up dried firewood for my BBQ smoker
and often find prize pieces when doing so. ;~)

I couldn't agree more. A good bandsaw opens up possibilities we might
otherwise miss. It appeals most to my frugal side, as under-nourished as
that half is. The ultra thin kerf and ability to turn one board into 2 or 3
are its main attractions. Timbers I had been hoarding because they were too
special and too precious to waste with the cavernous cuts of other tools
found their way out of the shop when I rediscovered the bandsaw. But that's
also the side that rebels when thoughts turn to upgrading. Herr Helshoj
still writes me (personally, I'm sure) from time to time, following up from
when I wrote him for literature and DVDs. Don't get me wrong. I'm extremely
envious of your Laguna, and probably wouldn't even remember the cost to
complain a week after it shows up. But until then, the quiet little voice
that says, "No! Do you have ANY IDEA how many board feet you can buy with
that?" wins out. C'est la vie. The old Delta works fine enough. For now.

Leon wrote:
I had my old BS for about 20 years and seldom used it. The new one is such
a pleasure to use with limitless posibilities that I use it much more often.
I found that I can quickly cut up dried firewood for my BBQ smoker and often
find prize pieces when doing so. ;~)

I do a fair amount of that with my MiniMax. I have a Weber kettle and probably 98% of my
barbecuing is done with hardwood scraps and cutoffs from woodworking projects (the rest with
charcoal) that I've cut into manageable pieces on the bandsaw. I pretty much have more
barbecue fuel than I know what to do with! But I'm workin' on it, and I don't call myself
"bbqboyee" for nothing! :-)

--
Free bad advice available here.
To reply, eat the taco.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bbqboyee/

The current Delta collection of 14" bandsaws:

http://www.deltaportercable.com/Prod...4274.4313.4325

Note the motor sizes, which have changed very little in the last 40
years. A resaw band saw and a garden variety band saw are worlds apart.

MikeWhy wrote:

I have a basically stock 14" Delta open stand made mid-90 something.
Setting it up for resaw, I take paper thin cuts on whatever I have on
hand to prove out the fence drift and setup.

"Steve Turner" wrote in message
...
Leon wrote:
I had my old BS for about 20 years and seldom used it. The new one is
such a pleasure to use with limitless posibilities that I use it much
more often. I found that I can quickly cut up dried firewood for my BBQ
smoker and often find prize pieces when doing so. ;~)

I do a fair amount of that with my MiniMax. I have a Weber kettle and
probably 98% of my barbecuing is done with hardwood scraps and cutoffs
from woodworking projects (the rest with charcoal) that I've cut into
manageable pieces on the bandsaw. I pretty much have more barbecue fuel
than I know what to do with! But I'm workin' on it, and I don't call
myself "bbqboyee" for nothing! :-)


I use scraps to start the fire but beyond that it tends to burn too hot and
too quickly. I prefer fire wood in the raw once the fire is going.