Table top bandsaw recommendation

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Vpetrell

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I've been looking for a small table top bandsaw for my work bench. Since I am limited in space I need a smaller piece of equipment.

What are some good ones to look at. Don't want to spend too much and the smaller the better. I would be doing wood processing for handles and the occasional blade cutout.

Let me know any successs you have had with what you have.

Thanks


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If you are going to be doing blade cutouts with it, I'd recommend a metal bandsaw converted to work vertically with a table. A wood bandsaw is going to have too high of a speed for metal cutting and not enough torque. I can't think of the tables name right off hand, I made my own, but I'm sure someone will chime in with the name and same recommendations.
 
Wood & metal are two different machines. Wood cutting requires a fast speed, metal is slow. Check craigslist & be patient...
 
One option is to get an older 10" or 12" benchtop Craftsman or similar well built unit, and change the motor to 3Ph with a VFD. You want one with a V-belt pulley on the motor. This modification will allow slow speed for a metal cutting blade, and fast for wood.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-194...266211?hash=item2a6089bde3:g:75UAAOSwXshWrUF~

Modifying modern band saws is harder, because the motor mounts to the frame and the multi-groove pulleys are not going to fit most 3Ph motors. It can be done, but isn't plug-and-play.

For a fairly good modern benchtop saw for wood only, Craftsman and Ryobi make decent units.

For metal, get a HF4X6" metal cutting bandsaw and throw away the base and vise ( or keep it for some other project). Mount the bandsaw arm vertical on your bench and beef up the flimsy sheet metal cutting table with a 1/4" steel plate. Mount the motor behind it on the benchtop and connect to the gear box with a V-belt. Run on the slowest setting. If you have the ability to weld, lengthen the upper arm 6" so the throat space will get down to 1". This setup can also be changed to 3Ph and VFD. Since changing the V-belt to various pulley slots is pretty simple, the VFD setup isn't much of an advantage, but if you have the stuff laying around it is cool to have. A DC treadmill motor and controller can be used for this, too.

If you find an old Craftsman floor model, many are really just a bench model on a stand. These will be great. They can be found for $100 in the trader papers and places like Craig's list.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Cra...629372?hash=item2cb7961cfc:g:FT4AAOSwdzVXlLBU
 
Thanks everyone. I am browsing the used ads now to see what I can find. I may have to go with a porta band and mount in a vise or build a stand for. My biggest issue is space. I need one that is on the small side since I am so limited


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E.Carlson said:
Miluakee deep cut with a swag off road table. Get a foot switch too.
Click to expand...

I have this combo too and love it but I was wondering if there was a fence out there for it. I'd like to cut wood blocks into scales accurately with it. I've looked but haven't seen anything yet. If you or anyone has a recommendation please let me know. Thanks!
 
necrolicious said:
I have this combo too and love it but I was wondering if there was a fence out there for it. I'd like to cut wood blocks into scales accurately with it. I've looked but haven't seen anything yet. If you or anyone has a recommendation please let me know. Thanks!
Click to expand...
I use a table saw for that but you may look for t slot tools that you could use as a base and modify.
https://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/miter_t-slot_accessories.html
 
necrolicious said:
I have this combo too and love it but I was wondering if there was a fence out there for it. I'd like to cut wood blocks into scales accurately with it. I've looked but haven't seen anything yet. If you or anyone has a recommendation please let me know. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Third vote for the portaband. I have the Dewalt version and Swag off road table and love it. I have a tiny shop and it's footprint is very small.
I use a Dewalt table saw to cut scales, a little more material loss but it has a rip fence that works well.
 
Now looking on the bat I see Milwaukee and dewalt items that come either cordless or corded. Any recommendation on this? I'm thinking corded so I don't run out of juice since I will not be using this outside of my shop


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Vpetrell said:
Now looking on the bat I see Milwaukee and dewalt items that come either cordless or corded. Any recommendation on this? I'm thinking corded so I don't run out of juice since I will not be using this outside of my shop


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Click to expand...
Definitely corded. Not only do you not need to worry about having a dead battery, but it gives you the option of adding a foot switch which I recommend.
 
necrolicious said:
I have this combo too and love it but I was wondering if there was a fence out there for it. I'd like to cut wood blocks into scales accurately with it. I've looked but haven't seen anything yet. If you or anyone has a recommendation please let me know. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Clamp a piece of angle iron from both sides with spring clamps. Makes for a nice fence


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I would recommend the Dewalt DW328 as the motor is out of the way and gives you just that much more clearance for blank cutting. The blade orientation on all these portable units reduces clearance a bit.
 
Just purchased a ryobi bs904 table band saw for 40 bucks. I will need to get the yellow key for the switch and a blade but can't beat the price. Any experience with these? I see they don't recommend metal cutting with this, but some searches came up with people using this to cut metal. Any advice on this?


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I had one of those, for trimming scales to the tang shape, and the motor went bad on me. Ryobi describes it as a "powerful" motor, but it isn't made to cut much thickness.


Advice:

DON'T cut metal with it. It isn't made to do it.
Get a good blade with carbide teeth. They will cut wood for years with care. I use Lenox Die-master 2 blades from cyberwoodworking.com
Clean everything, grease what gets greased, and tune it up to get everything square.
Upgrade the guide rollers if they are bad or cheap.
Connect to a vacuum or dust collector system. It will make the tool last longer and keep the shop a lot cleaner. An automatic switch that will turn the vac on when you turn the saw on costs about $40.
Don't force the cut. Let the saw cut at its own rate.
 
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Vpetrell said:
Just purchased a ryobi bs904 table band saw for 40 bucks. I will need to get the yellow key for the switch and a blade but can't beat the price. Any experience with these? I see they don't recommend metal cutting with this, but some searches came up with people using this to cut metal. Any advice on this?


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Click to expand...

I imagine they are talking about light gauge aluminum or brass. With a good blade, you might get away with .060" and under on soft metals like that, but I wouldn't risk trying to cut blade stock or anything like that. Even the soft metals will likely be pretty taxing on that machine.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Advice:
Don't force the cut. Let the saw cut at its own rate.
Click to expand...

This. A lot of people complain about bandsaw because they "can't" cut straight lines. Even using a solid fence I've come out with slightly wavy cuts. Even if you don't push hard enough to make funny noises or anything like that, you still might be pushing too hard.

Get some scraps, draw some random lines and get a feel for the saw before you cut anything important.
 
That's for the advice everyone. I will play with it about and see how it works after I get up and running. If nothing else for 40 bucks it'll be a learning experience


VP


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