I've had a Dewalt contractor's saw for a while, and while I've had great
results with it, I get itchy when I think of the times I've had kickback.

So I started to wonder if I could do the same jobs with other tools. I
have a dado blade, sure, but I could do dadoes on the router. I can cut
to length with my chop saw, or my circular saw for wider boards. And as
for ripping... well, that's what I'd like to ask about.

How does a bandsaw compare to a tablesaw for ripping the length of a
board? Does it make better-quality cuts? Does the elasticity of the
blade make for less-than-flat cuts? How are safety issues?

I've had a Dewalt contractor's saw for a while, and while I've had great
results with it, I get itchy when I think of the times I've had kickback.

I have had some scary kickbacks also.
They stopped when I put a splitter in and used a pusher that pushed down on
the wood.

Some people here say a bandsaw is a good substitute. I can't see it though.

"Brian Siano" wrote in message
...
I've had a Dewalt contractor's saw for a while, and while I've had great
results with it, I get itchy when I think of the times I've had kickback.

So I started to wonder if I could do the same jobs with other tools. I
have a dado blade, sure, but I could do dadoes on the router. I can cut
to length with my chop saw, or my circular saw for wider boards. And as
for ripping... well, that's what I'd like to ask about.

How does a bandsaw compare to a tablesaw for ripping the length of a
board? Does it make better-quality cuts? Does the elasticity of the
blade make for less-than-flat cuts? How are safety issues?

IMHO. there is no comparison in the quality of the rip cut. The tablesaw
beats it hands down. Resawing or curved cuts, that's another story.

I'd look into why you're getting kickbacks. In a whole lot of years of using
a tablesaw, I've only gotten a few and it was always MY fault. I'd check
your alignment, your tools and your technique.

Vic

I've had a Dewalt contractor's saw for a while, and while I've had great
results with it, I get itchy when I think of the times I've had kickback.

So I started to wonder if I could do the same jobs with other tools. I
have a dado blade, sure, but I could do dadoes on the router. I can cut
to length with my chop saw, or my circular saw for wider boards. And as
for ripping... well, that's what I'd like to ask about.

How does a bandsaw compare to a tablesaw for ripping the length of a
board? Does it make better-quality cuts?

No.

Does the elasticity of the
blade make for less-than-flat cuts?

Rough, not necessarily unflat.

How are safety issues?

Much safer than a table saw. I will not throw anything at you.

Here is an alternative suggestion: A table saw will kick back when the back
of the blade comes in contact with the work-piece. This can happen easily if
the workpiece is twisted and rocks as you make the cut. If your stock is
properly jointed (one face and one edge, not just the edge) the workpiece
can be ripped easily and safely.

Therefore, a jointer may be the tool to solve that problem.

If, for some reason ,would would like to rip *before* jointing, a bandsaw is
an excellent choice as it is very safe and you are not making a finish cut,
but just a rough-cut.

-Steve

Brian Siano wrote in news:cv2ffs$6p6q$1
@netnews.upenn.edu:

How does a bandsaw compare to a tablesaw for ripping the length of a
board? Does it make better-quality cuts? Does the elasticity of the
blade make for less-than-flat cuts? How are safety issues?

You asked for opinion, which I can offer, rather than solid fact, which
others may assume to provide.

The choice of tools is not 'this OR that', for all situations. For
every situation, one of these tools may be preferred over the other, or
both may be entirely, or partially, unsuitable.

I did without a bandsaw in my shop for the first three years, using
alternate methods for the few curved cuts I made. I upgraded
(substantially) the tablesaw, and about 6 months later, bought a
reasonably good bandsaw, which got only sparing use for the first year
or so.

Now the bandsaw is used on almost every project, because what I'm doing
has changed.

Every cut on _MY_ bandsaw has to be finished before next process
happens. On the tablesaw, I can often, not always, go directly to
glueup. A bandsawn rip must be jointed, somehow, before it can become a
glue joint.

A bandsaw is much preferred for ripping thick, irregular and/or gnarly
stock. I also use it when the size of the resulting parts are small
and/or thin. And most things headed for the lathe I cut on the bandsaw.

You can't take either of them out of my shop, unless you trade me one of
those big, honking Oneway lathes. (Then I'll use hand tools for a
while, to prep turning stock.)

Like Toller said - tune up that tablesaw, so it's safe and efficient. I
HATE to read accident stories.

Patriarch

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 11:07:23 -0500, Brian Siano
wrote:

I've had a Dewalt contractor's saw for a while, and while I've had great
results with it, I get itchy when I think of the times I've had kickback.

So I started to wonder if I could do the same jobs with other tools. I
have a dado blade, sure, but I could do dadoes on the router. I can cut
to length with my chop saw, or my circular saw for wider boards. And as
for ripping... well, that's what I'd like to ask about.

How does a bandsaw compare to a tablesaw for ripping the length of a
board? Does it make better-quality cuts? Does the elasticity of the
blade make for less-than-flat cuts? How are safety issues?

I have a RAS and CMS... also a few "skill" saws, recip, jig saw, etc..
Just added a 14" band saw and will install the riser block tonight to enable 12"
cuts..
Bottom line: as soon as I can afford it, I'll be adding a table saw..
IMHO, there are many things that a TS just does better and easier.. I can cut
very thin strips with the bandsaw, but not as fast or as easily as on the TS,
even my tired old Shopsmith..
I also use the SS for overhead routing for dados.. but they're not nearly as
fast as on the TS and I just can't get the nerve up to try dados on the RAS..

I picked up the used RAS mostly for ripping... but even with fence and feather
boards, I really don't feel safe doing them.. you're talking MAJOR chance of
kick back there..
I can do dados on my router table, though I wouldn't try the 3/4" ones that I do
on the shopsmith.. but when you compare setup time and actual production time, a
TS seems far better and maybe safer..

Keep in mind that you have kick back issues with routers and skill saws, too..
YMMV


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Vic Baron wrote:
"Brian Siano" wrote in message
...

I've had a Dewalt contractor's saw for a while, and while I've had great
results with it, I get itchy when I think of the times I've had kickback.

So I started to wonder if I could do the same jobs with other tools. I
have a dado blade, sure, but I could do dadoes on the router. I can cut
to length with my chop saw, or my circular saw for wider boards. And as
for ripping... well, that's what I'd like to ask about.

How does a bandsaw compare to a tablesaw for ripping the length of a
board? Does it make better-quality cuts? Does the elasticity of the
blade make for less-than-flat cuts? How are safety issues?

IMHO. there is no comparison in the quality of the rip cut. The tablesaw
beats it hands down. Resawing or curved cuts, that's another story.

I'd look into why you're getting kickbacks. In a whole lot of years of using
a tablesaw, I've only gotten a few and it was always MY fault. I'd check
your alignment, your tools and your technique.

The kickbacks are rare, actually, but they have been memorable. But I
had one problem that's made me very wary of the tablesaw.

I wantd to rip a piece of wood with a 45 degree bevel-- basically, I
tilted the blade at 45 degrees. It tilts to the left, so the top of the
blade is further away from the fence than the base.

Thing is, when I ran the wood through, the blade kept trying to lift the
wood up and away from the fence. NOT fun. Had to use a lot of clamps and
guide boards to keep it from happening-- and it's not easy to find good
clamp angles on my DeWalt.

I can't help but think that a bandsaw'd be safer.

Brian Siano wrote:
Vic Baron wrote:

"Brian Siano" wrote in message
...

I've had a Dewalt contractor's saw for a while, and while I've had great
results with it, I get itchy when I think of the times I've had
kickback.

So I started to wonder if I could do the same jobs with other tools. I
have a dado blade, sure, but I could do dadoes on the router. I can cut
to length with my chop saw, or my circular saw for wider boards. And as
for ripping... well, that's what I'd like to ask about.

How does a bandsaw compare to a tablesaw for ripping the length of a
board? Does it make better-quality cuts? Does the elasticity of the
blade make for less-than-flat cuts? How are safety issues?


IMHO. there is no comparison in the quality of the rip cut. The tablesaw
beats it hands down. Resawing or curved cuts, that's another story.

I'd look into why you're getting kickbacks. In a whole lot of years of
using
a tablesaw, I've only gotten a few and it was always MY fault. I'd check
your alignment, your tools and your technique.


The kickbacks are rare, actually, but they have been memorable. But I
had one problem that's made me very wary of the tablesaw.

I wantd to rip a piece of wood with a 45 degree bevel-- basically, I
tilted the blade at 45 degrees. It tilts to the left, so the top of the
blade is further away from the fence than the base.

Thing is, when I ran the wood through, the blade kept trying to lift the
wood up and away from the fence. NOT fun. Had to use a lot of clamps and
guide boards to keep it from happening-- and it's not easy to find good
clamp angles on my DeWalt.

I can't help but think that a bandsaw'd be safer.

You should try some hold-down wheels
(http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/11388). I've got a pair on my
tablesaw and they work great.

They push down at an angle toward the fence so the wood is pushed down
on the table top and pressed against the fence. They also have a high
friction surface and turn only clockwise. That helps prevent kickback
since the saw has to slide the wood against the wheel surface to throw
it back at you.

Jeff

"Brian Siano" wrote in message
...
Vic Baron wrote:
"Brian Siano" wrote in message
...

I've had a Dewalt contractor's saw for a while, and while I've had great
results with it, I get itchy when I think of the times I've had
kickback.

So I started to wonder if I could do the same jobs with other tools. I
have a dado blade, sure, but I could do dadoes on the router. I can cut
to length with my chop saw, or my circular saw for wider boards. And as
for ripping... well, that's what I'd like to ask about.

How does a bandsaw compare to a tablesaw for ripping the length of a
board? Does it make better-quality cuts? Does the elasticity of the
blade make for less-than-flat cuts? How are safety issues?

IMHO. there is no comparison in the quality of the rip cut. The
tablesaw
beats it hands down. Resawing or curved cuts, that's another story.

I'd look into why you're getting kickbacks. In a whole lot of years of
using
a tablesaw, I've only gotten a few and it was always MY fault. I'd check
your alignment, your tools and your technique.

The kickbacks are rare, actually, but they have been memorable. But I
had one problem that's made me very wary of the tablesaw.

I wantd to rip a piece of wood with a 45 degree bevel-- basically, I
tilted the blade at 45 degrees. It tilts to the left, so the top of the
blade is further away from the fence than the base.

Thing is, when I ran the wood through, the blade kept trying to lift the
wood up and away from the fence. NOT fun. Had to use a lot of clamps and
guide boards to keep it from happening-- and it's not easy to find good
clamp angles on my DeWalt.

I can't help but think that a bandsaw'd be safer.


No question that it's safer, just that the quality of the cut is not as
good. If you plan ahead and don't mind finishing the bandsaw cut to size on
a jointer or sander or with a plane - then go for it. One thing I've learned
through the years is there's always more than one way to accomplish the
task. Do what YOU feel comfortable with and if it takes a bit longer or
wastes a bit more wood - so be it.

I've always had a rule - if I don't feel comfortable with the operation - I
don't do it. Still have all 10 fingers that way.

Good luck!

I've had a few kick-backs on the TS as well as other things happen over the
years that really made me think about what I was doing. In each case,
something went wrong because of something I did. It mostly comes down to not
thinking things through, not following the safety rules the manufactures
have written, rushing to get something done, or just not paying attention to
what I'm doing. I'm better, but not perfect, but always want to improve.
When something doesn't feel right, I find another way.

I dumped my RAS because it really scared me. I use a router for all dados
because it's comfortable for me. I do very little cross cutting on my TS,
mitersaw is a safer solution for me. I rip materials that are flat (or as
near as I can), so I prep my stock.

My long winded response here is to say "use what works for you." Tools are
inherently dangerous. Ask yourself each time you start an operation "What is
the worst thing that can happen" and put some sort of control in place to
reduce the risk (a feather board, a clamp etc...).

I'm not trying to talk you out of using a BS, but the TS is better suited
for ripping. The BS will leave an edge that needs more work then left by the
TS. The BS is less forgiving on stock with imperfections (knots, twists
etc...)

The worst thing that happened to me is stitches in my abdomen because I was
to lazy to reposition a piece of wood, guess where the chisel ended up.

My 2 cents

-nick


"Brian Siano" wrote in message
...
I've had a Dewalt contractor's saw for a while, and while I've had great
results with it, I get itchy when I think of the times I've had kickback.

So I started to wonder if I could do the same jobs with other tools. I
have a dado blade, sure, but I could do dadoes on the router. I can cut
to length with my chop saw, or my circular saw for wider boards. And as
for ripping... well, that's what I'd like to ask about.

How does a bandsaw compare to a tablesaw for ripping the length of a
board? Does it make better-quality cuts? Does the elasticity of the
blade make for less-than-flat cuts? How are safety issues?

In article , Brian Siano wrote:

I wantd to rip a piece of wood with a 45 degree bevel-- basically, I
tilted the blade at 45 degrees. It tilts to the left, so the top of the
blade is further away from the fence than the base.

Thing is, when I ran the wood through, the blade kept trying to lift the
wood up and away from the fence. NOT fun. Had to use a lot of clamps and
guide boards to keep it from happening-- and it's not easy to find good
clamp angles on my DeWalt.

I can't help but think that a bandsaw'd be safer.

I can't help but think that you don't have your fence aligned properly.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

In article , Brian Siano wrote:
I've had a Dewalt contractor's saw for a while, and while I've had great
results with it, I get itchy when I think of the times I've had kickback.

So I started to wonder if I could do the same jobs with other tools. I
have a dado blade, sure, but I could do dadoes on the router. I can cut
to length with my chop saw, or my circular saw for wider boards. And as
for ripping... well, that's what I'd like to ask about.

How does a bandsaw compare to a tablesaw for ripping the length of a
board? Does it make better-quality cuts? Does the elasticity of the
blade make for less-than-flat cuts? How are safety issues?

Kickback is pretty much a non-issue on a bandsaw. However, there is no way
that you're going to get a rip cut that's anywhere nearly as clean and smooth
as what you can on a table saw using even mediocre blades.

Bandsaws excel at curved cuts, resawing, cutting *thick* stock, and ripping
twisted, bowed, or warped lumber to *rough* size. But they are not substitutes
for table saws.

IMO you should investigate the reasons you've experienced kickback on the
table saw. Here are some starting points for your investigation:
a) do you have a splitter?
b) were you trying to cut freehand?
c) are the fence and miter slots correctly aligned to the blade?
d) are you trying to cut lumber that isn't straight and flat?

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

Doug Miller wrote:

In article , Brian Siano wrote:


I wantd to rip a piece of wood with a 45 degree bevel-- basically, I
tilted the blade at 45 degrees. It tilts to the left, so the top of the
blade is further away from the fence than the base.

Thing is, when I ran the wood through, the blade kept trying to lift the
wood up and away from the fence. NOT fun. Had to use a lot of clamps and
guide boards to keep it from happening-- and it's not easy to find good
clamp angles on my DeWalt.

I can't help but think that a bandsaw'd be safer.


I can't help but think that you don't have your fence aligned properly.

You just reminded me of something, and in fact, the problem was just the
opposite; The _motor_ had been thrown out of alignment. And I guess my
memory got scrambled, because the problem I described happened before
I'd fixed it. (I haven't done any 45-degree rips since the fix-- still
nervous, I guess.)

Here's a safety tip for Dewalt 744 users. When your blade and fence
aren't exactly parallel, check the metal arc-shaped rails underneath.
Mine got clotted up with sawdust, and it was packed just enough to throw
the motor out of alignment. Cleaned it out, checked the alignment, and
it seems to be OK now.

Brian Siano wrote:

I've had a Dewalt contractor's saw for a while, and while I've had great
results with it, I get itchy when I think of the times I've had kickback.

So I started to wonder if I could do the same jobs with other tools. I
have a dado blade, sure, but I could do dadoes on the router. I can cut
to length with my chop saw, or my circular saw for wider boards. And as
for ripping... well, that's what I'd like to ask about.

How does a bandsaw compare to a tablesaw for ripping the length of a
board? Does it make better-quality cuts? Does the elasticity of the
blade make for less-than-flat cuts? How are safety issues?

First, a confession. I am a big fan of the bandsaw. If I could have
only one power saw, that would be it.

However, as others have pointed out, there is no way it will rip as
smoothly as a circular saw (table or RAS). When I rip with the
bandsaw, I think of it as a motorized hand saw. The finish is fairly
comparable, and I tend to steer the cut along (and just outside of) a
cut line rather than worrying about setting up a fence. I always plan
to "clean up" a cut made on the bandsaw.

Others have pointed out that the bandsaw is probably the safest of the
big power saws, but don't get complacent! It's safety comes because
the motion of the blade is to hold the work to the table, not to push
it toward you. And you have to provide very little force toward the
blade to get it to cut since the blade is not pushing back. But that
blade is still dangerous. Take the 2 seconds required to set the blade
guard and top guides to the right height for safety and quality of
cut. And keep your hands away from the cut line. I also occasionally
imagine the blade breaking--not to create immobilizing fear, since the
wheel guards would probably contain the broken blade, but to keep a
healthy respect and remind myself to wear safety glasses.
--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 11:07:23 -0500, Brian Siano
wrote:

I've had a Dewalt contractor's saw for a while, and while I've had great
results with it, I get itchy when I think of the times I've had kickback.

So I started to wonder if I could do the same jobs with other tools. I
have a dado blade, sure, but I could do dadoes on the router. I can cut
to length with my chop saw, or my circular saw for wider boards. And as
for ripping... well, that's what I'd like to ask about.

How does a bandsaw compare to a tablesaw for ripping the length of a
board? Does it make better-quality cuts? Does the elasticity of the
blade make for less-than-flat cuts? How are safety issues?
================================================== =======
You have already gotten at least 10 replies to your question BUT I
have not read any of them... YET.... I will as soon as I fire off my
opinion...

Sure a Bandsaw is capable of ripping lumber... just a little slow at
doing it... and I guess that the accuracy could be equal...the quality
of the cut itself most likely would be ok BUT not nearly as good as
the cut a good tablesaw will produce..

Personally I would use a tablesaw 100 percent of the time if given the
choice... Honest I would..no ands' no ifs' and no buts'

BUT in the 40 or so years I have been a serious woodworker I can not
recall more then 2 or 3 "kickbacks" ever occuring when using any of my
tablesaws ... .and every one of those were caused by some stupid thing
I did ...all could have been avoided if only I had put my brain in
gear ...

I think your tablesaw is just not "set up" correctly or you do not put
your own brain in gear before you hit the power switch...

Now I guess I will look what others have posted... I know there will
be a few that do all their ripping on a Bandsaw... I just like to use
the correct tool for the job... and for ripping my tablesaw is the
correct tool

Bob Griffiths

"Brian Siano" wrote in message
...

How does a bandsaw compare to a tablesaw for ripping the length of a
board?

Your not even playing on the same ball field. Each has it's own merits. RM~

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 11:02:43 -0600, Patriarch
wrote:

A bandsaw is much preferred for ripping thick, irregular and/or gnarly
stock. I also use it when the size of the resulting parts are small
and/or thin. And most things headed for the lathe I cut on the bandsaw.


or when you need to stop cut in the middle of a board.....

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 11:07:23 -0500, Brian Siano
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

I bought a BS years ago, ad never regretted it. It's not even a very
good one. I had to learn a few things about what wentr wrong, but when
I did it performed well, and has bever kicked back G

I bought a TS and have regretted it ever since. But that's me. For me
it was an expensive purchase that did not suit me, and I could have
bought a heap of other tools (or _wood_) for the money.

To me, the TS is very demanding. It needs striaght wood, it needs a
great deal of setting up and alignment. It needs real care when using
it, I feel above and beyond most other tools.

I think you will get more out of a modest BS than you will from a
modest TS.

I actually break all rules and use a 14 TPI metal cutting blade in my
BS, and get quite a good cut. It does not need finishing for many
projects, as long as the cut is striaght. I cut hardwood with it, and
have no trouble. It also stays sharp far longer than the normal
blades.

It's not much use for sheet good, though G. But then, I would use a
hand circ saw and finish _that_ with a router.

BSs are far safer, but you still lose a finger. I reckon the
difference is that you could have something to sew back on, whereas
apparently a TS simply shatters the lot in many cases.

BSs are much less a machine and more a tool, IMO. That's why with care
you get better results from a modest BS than a modest TS.

I've had a Dewalt contractor's saw for a while, and while I've had great
results with it, I get itchy when I think of the times I've had kickback.

So I started to wonder if I could do the same jobs with other tools. I
have a dado blade, sure, but I could do dadoes on the router. I can cut
to length with my chop saw, or my circular saw for wider boards. And as
for ripping... well, that's what I'd like to ask about.

How does a bandsaw compare to a tablesaw for ripping the length of a
board? Does it make better-quality cuts? Does the elasticity of the
blade make for less-than-flat cuts? How are safety issues?

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 11:07:23 -0500, Brian Siano
wrote:

I've had a Dewalt contractor's saw for a while, and while I've had great
results with it, I get itchy when I think of the times I've had kickback.

So I started to wonder if I could do the same jobs with other tools. I
have a dado blade, sure, but I could do dadoes on the router. I can cut
to length with my chop saw, or my circular saw for wider boards. And as
for ripping... well, that's what I'd like to ask about.

How does a bandsaw compare to a tablesaw for ripping the length of a
board? Does it make better-quality cuts? Does the elasticity of the
blade make for less-than-flat cuts? How are safety issues?

A band saw does a poor job ripping. A table saw is the best tool for
ripping. The band saw needs constant adjustment and tune up, but it
is more versatile than a table saw. A band saw is probably safer than
a table saw. A band saw produces lots of fine dust. I prefer the
band saw when doing small cuts or cutting small pieces. I'd probably
miss my table saw more than my band saw, but I like both.

On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 08:28:02 +0800, OldNick
wrote:



I bought a TS and have regretted it ever since. But that's me. For me
it was an expensive purchase that did not suit me, and I could have
bought a heap of other tools (or _wood_) for the money.

Yep I agree it is you...and honestly there is nothing wrong with
that...if it works for you that is all that is required..

To me, the TS is very demanding. It needs striaght wood, it needs a
great deal of setting up and alignment. It needs real care when using
it, I feel above and beyond most other tools.

Here I completely disagree... I can not determine what you mean my
demanding...BUT I sure do not think it is at all demanding...

And my using a sled (with a staright edge ) to clamp the irregular
shaped piece of rough cut lumber I can run it thru the TS without any
problems to get a perfect straight edge...absolutely not a problem...

Every time I change the blade on my Bandsaw I have to set everything
up again...adjyst the fence to account for the drift of the blade,
adjust the guides above and below the table etc... BUT the last time I
spent setting up my TS was 15 years ago when I bought it...Not exactly
true as I have checked it out every few years but rarely had to spend
10 minutes doing any adjustments...

I think you will get more out of a modest BS than you will from a
modest TS.

You have so I will not dispute that fact... But from my experience I
would say just the opposite... To each his own I guess...

I actually break all rules and use a 14 TPI metal cutting blade in my
BS, and get quite a good cut. It does not need finishing for many
projects, as long as the cut is striaght. I cut hardwood with it, and
have no trouble. It also stays sharp far longer than the normal
blades.

Here I have no clue...I never had the guts or need to put on a metal
cutting blade in my Bandsaw...

It's not much use for sheet good, though G. But then, I would use a
hand circ saw and finish _that_ with a router.

Got news for you working alone my Cabibet Saw is not my machine of
choice for working with a 4x8 foot piece os sheet goods...I also pull
out the circuar saw and a straight edge...and go at it on the floor...


Bob Griffiths

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 22:48:49 -0500, Bob G vaguely
proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

hmmm...apparently we are each welcomr to our opinions, but just need
to point that out....




On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 08:28:02 +0800, OldNick
wrote:



I bought a TS and have regretted it ever since. But that's me. For me
it was an expensive purchase that did not suit me, and I could have
bought a heap of other tools (or _wood_) for the money.

Yep I agree it is you...and honestly there is nothing wrong with
that...if it works for you that is all that is required..

In article , Phisherman wrote:

A band saw does a poor job ripping. A table saw is the best tool for
ripping.

That depends on your definition of "poor job" and what type of ripping you're
doing. If you mean finish-quality rip cuts, ready for glue-up, sure, a band
saw does a lousy job of that. They're not intended for that purpose.

OTOH, for ripping rough stock to approximate dimensions, the band saw excels.

Oftentimes, boards are cut at the mill with their edges not parallel to the
grain of the wood. IMO projects look better if the edges of the boards *are*
parallel to the grain. I can't think of a better tool than a band saw for
doing that sort of rip cut.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

Brian Siano wrote in news:cv2ffs$6p6q$1
@netnews.upenn.edu:

I've had a Dewalt contractor's saw for a while, and while I've had great
results with it, I get itchy when I think of the times I've had kickback.

So I started to wonder if I could do the same jobs with other tools. I
have a dado blade, sure, but I could do dadoes on the router. I can cut
to length with my chop saw, or my circular saw for wider boards. And as
for ripping... well, that's what I'd like to ask about.

How does a bandsaw compare to a tablesaw for ripping the length of a
board? Does it make better-quality cuts? Does the elasticity of the
blade make for less-than-flat cuts? How are safety issues?

I love the bandsaw. As alexy said, if I could have only one power tool it
would be the bandsaw.

The bandsaw is unmatched for resaws and curves. It also does a credible
job with tenons. I always rough cut on the bandsaw since the bandsaw won't
kick back if you encounter reaction wood. Also, since the bandsaw doesn't
care about board twist, you need not joint the rough lumber prior to rough
cutting it.

It will rip reasonably well, but the rip width is limited to the throat
depth of the bandsaw ... and the cut will not be as smooth as the table
saw. Still, with a decent blade it will be reasonably smooth and will
clean up in one or two passes of a handplane.

On Sun, 20 Feb 2005 09:13:16 GMT, Nate Perkins
wrote:

It will rip reasonably well, but the rip width is limited to the throat
depth of the bandsaw ... and the cut will not be as smooth as the table
saw. Still, with a decent blade it will be reasonably smooth and will
clean up in one or two passes of a handplane.

Sometimes, it's the only way to rip with power.

Yesterday, I was working with a bunch of 8/4 hard maple, 9-12" wide,
my jointer is 8" wide. After drawing some guidelines, I was able to
freehand rip with very little waste. This wood is heavy, so there
were several times where I needed to reposition myself. Stopping to
move while holding the board in place with one hand is perfectly safe
on a bandsaw, I get the heebie jeebies even thinking about it on a
tablesaw.

I could then face and edge joint the parts, plane them to thickness,
and rip to final width on the table saw.

Barry

"Ba r r y" wrote in message
...

Yesterday, I was working with a bunch of 8/4 hard maple, 9-12" wide,
my jointer is 8" wide. After drawing some guidelines, I was able to
freehand rip with very little waste. This wood is heavy, so there
were several times where I needed to reposition myself. Stopping to
move while holding the board in place with one hand is perfectly safe
on a bandsaw, I get the heebie jeebies even thinking about it on a
tablesaw.


No outfeed on the table saw Barry?

--

-Mike-

"Nate Perkins" wrote in message
. 125.201...
Brian Siano wrote in news:cv2ffs$6p6q$1
@netnews.upenn.edu:

I've had a Dewalt contractor's saw for a while, and while I've had great
results with it, I get itchy when I think of the times I've had
kickback.

So I started to wonder if I could do the same jobs with other tools. I
have a dado blade, sure, but I could do dadoes on the router. I can cut
to length with my chop saw, or my circular saw for wider boards. And as
for ripping... well, that's what I'd like to ask about.

How does a bandsaw compare to a tablesaw for ripping the length of a
board? Does it make better-quality cuts? Does the elasticity of the
blade make for less-than-flat cuts? How are safety issues?

I love the bandsaw. As alexy said, if I could have only one power tool it
would be the bandsaw.

The bandsaw is unmatched for resaws and curves. It also does a credible
job with tenons. I always rough cut on the bandsaw since the bandsaw won't
kick back if you encounter reaction wood. Also, since the bandsaw doesn't
care about board twist, you need not joint the rough lumber prior to rough
cutting it.

It will rip reasonably well, but the rip width is limited to the throat
depth of the bandsaw ... and the cut will not be as smooth as the table
saw. Still, with a decent blade it will be reasonably smooth and will
clean up in one or two passes of a handplane.

Ditto. Jim

On Sun, 20 Feb 2005 08:19:28 -0500, "Mike Marlow"
wrote:


No outfeed on the table saw Barry?

My TS outfeed is 4 x 7, but why would that make a difference?

This is wood that is not yet prepped for table saw ripping. I'm
ripping it down to less than 8" wide. The wood is neither straight or
flat, and quite heavy. Ripping it on a table saw at this stage is
asking for trouble.

Barry

"Jim L." wrote in message
...

"Nate Perkins" wrote in message
. 125.201...


It will rip reasonably well, but the rip width is limited to the throat
depth of the bandsaw ... and the cut will not be as smooth as the table
saw. Still, with a decent blade it will be reasonably smooth and will
clean up in one or two passes of a handplane.

Ditto. Jim




C'mon.

Out of Nate I'd expect it, based on his other "contributions."

Surely you must realize that there are two sides to that blade. The
distance to one is (supported) infinite, the other limited.

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 11:07:23 -0500, Brian Siano
wrote:

I've had a Dewalt contractor's saw for a while, and while I've had great
results with it, I get itchy when I think of the times I've had kickback.

So I started to wonder if I could do the same jobs with other tools. I
have a dado blade, sure, but I could do dadoes on the router. I can cut
to length with my chop saw, or my circular saw for wider boards. And as
for ripping... well, that's what I'd like to ask about.

How does a bandsaw compare to a tablesaw for ripping the length of a
board? Does it make better-quality cuts? Does the elasticity of the
blade make for less-than-flat cuts? How are safety issues?

Alright- before I get into my experience ripping with the bandsaw, I'd
just like to point out that I've just got a little sucker, so a nice
big bandsaw may be a different story.

As far as my experience goes, ripping with the bandsaw works just as
well as doing it on the tablesaw, but it leaves a lot more saw marks
than a nice blade on the tablesaw. Where it really shines is making
stopped cuts- instead of having a curved cut that takes out more
material than necessary, the blade is perpendicular to the face of the
stock, and leaves a nice clean inside corner. Was using my bandsaw
for that today when making the frame for my router table, as a matter
of fact, and it worked beautifully.

The elasticity of the blade is really going to vary depending on the
width of the blade, the amount of tension on it, and your feed rate.
If your saw isn't set up properly, and/or you shove the stock in too
quickly, you can get a bowed cut, but with a little practice and a rip
fence it's not too terribly hard to get a nice straight cut. When the
blade starts to go, it will have a tendancy to walk to one side,
unlike the table saw.

As far as safety goes, my opinion is that it's quite a lot safer than
a tablesaw, though that does not mean that a bandsaw is always the
right tool for the job. It's quite a bit more fussy when you change
blades, and the depth of your cut is limited by the depth of the
throat on the saw. Of course, if you're making a curved cut it's the
best way to go- so your needs are going to dictate which saw is better
for you.

Then again, you've already got a table saw- get yourself a bandsaw and
keep the table saw as well. You can move a lot of your jobs to the
bandsaw if that makes you feel more comfortable, and still have the
tablesaw to do those things which the bandsaw cannot do easily.

Hope this helps.


Aut inveniam viam aut faciam

"George" george@least wrote in :


"Jim L." wrote in message
...

"Nate Perkins" wrote in message
. 125.201...


It will rip reasonably well, but the rip width is limited to the
throat depth of the bandsaw ... and the cut will not be as smooth
as the table saw. Still, with a decent blade it will be reasonably
smooth and will clean up in one or two passes of a handplane.

Ditto. Jim


C'mon.

Out of Nate I'd expect it, based on his other "contributions."

Well, that was reasonably nasty. Hope you have a nice day, too.

Surely you must realize that there are two sides to that blade. The
distance to one is (supported) infinite, the other limited.

No, really???

Doug Miller wrote:

IMO you should investigate the reasons you've experienced kickback on the
table saw. Here are some starting points for your investigation:
a) do you have a splitter?
b) were you trying to cut freehand?
c) are the fence and miter slots correctly aligned to the blade?
d) are you trying to cut lumber that isn't straight and flat?

I ought to mention that the kickback incidents have been few, but _very_
memorable.

No splitter-- been doing dado cuts a lot lately.
Never cut freehand. TOO damn scary, that.
I checked the alignment, and it's OK.
As for straight and flat lumber... that may be part of the problem.

I've started on the prototype for a radiator cover. The final product
will use nice wood, like cherry or mahoghany, but the prototype's being
made of cheap 3/4" pine boards. I've been ripping pieces that are about
two feet long, and roughly 1/2" by 3/4" thick (for a Craftsman-style
grate design). And that pine is, well, a little less that flat or straight.

It was the memory of those kickback incidents, and the thought of
pushing 1/2" stock past the blade, that gives me the serious willies.

So maybe I ought to invest in a jointer-- or use that method with a
straight bit and the router table.

So maybe I ought to invest in a jointer-- or use that method with a
straight bit and the router table.


Don't do the router table thing. To eliminate twist, you need to both
face-joint and edge joint, leaving you with two adjacent flat surfaces at 90
degrees to one another This will "ride" the fence quite safely with minimal
down/side pressure.

The router trick can only joint and edge, it will not flatten the face of a
board or fix twist.

-steve

Brian Siano wrote in
:

snip
So maybe I ought to invest in a jointer-- or use that method with a
straight bit and the router table.


Or prototype with mdf...

Patriarch

On Tue, 22 Feb 2005 09:53:34 -0500, Brian Siano
wrote:

Doug Miller wrote:

IMO you should investigate the reasons you've experienced kickback on the
table saw. Here are some starting points for your investigation:
a) do you have a splitter?
b) were you trying to cut freehand?
c) are the fence and miter slots correctly aligned to the blade?
d) are you trying to cut lumber that isn't straight and flat?

I ought to mention that the kickback incidents have been few, but _very_
memorable.

No splitter-- been doing dado cuts a lot lately.
Never cut freehand. TOO damn scary, that.
I checked the alignment, and it's OK.
As for straight and flat lumber... that may be part of the problem.

I honestly have to doubt that the saw is set up correctly...The lumber
does have to be "somewhat" straight and flat ...99.9 percent of my
purchased lumber has been fine...from cheap #2 Common Pine to the
:"good stufff".....

Bob Griffiths

Bob G. wrote:
On Tue, 22 Feb 2005 09:53:34 -0500, Brian Siano
wrote:

No splitter-- been doing dado cuts a lot lately.
Never cut freehand. TOO damn scary, that.
I checked the alignment, and it's OK.
As for straight and flat lumber... that may be part of the problem.

I honestly have to doubt that the saw is set up correctly...The lumber
does have to be "somewhat" straight and flat ...99.9 percent of my
purchased lumber has been fine...from cheap #2 Common Pine to the
:"good stufff".....

Either way, I'm planning on spending a few hours cleaning the saw's
innards-- a perfect time to check alignments and stuff.