Buying a Band saw [Archive]

macca2

25th January 2003, 10:18 PM

I am very new to this woodturning game and would like to hear from anyone who has experience with the Delta 9" Band saw. Is it a worthwhile buy for a beginner or is a toy.

Thanks
Macca

DarrylF

26th January 2003, 08:34 AM

I have the Delta 12" (now discontinued) and it's a nice machine, but it's only just large enough to cut blanks for my lathe. 9" is too small. Save your pennies and buy a decent 14", there are some very nice euro style machines out now.

macca2

26th January 2003, 11:53 AM

Darry

Thanks for the advice.I better start saving or get used to the idea of roughing down blanks on the lathe

Macca

rsser

26th January 2003, 07:39 PM

You can do quite a lot with a good electric chainsaw, for fewer $$ than a bandsaw, if chunking logs into blanks is your main purpose.

On the other hand, with a decent bandsaw you'll find a multitude of uses for it and wonder how you ever did without.

Solution? More $$!

Cheers,

Ern

macca2

27th January 2003, 08:03 PM

Thanks Ern......up till now my main reason for wanting Bandsaw is to cut bowl blanks from planks etc.I am currently useing an electric chain saw to roygh out a circle and then onto the lathe to rough it down.

When they say 9" Bandsaw,where is this measured?

Macca

Red neck

27th January 2003, 08:50 PM

Macca

Across the throat (blade to post).

rsser

28th January 2003, 05:56 AM

Not sure in this case. Traditionally the measure was of the wheel diameter, but other measurements are important - partic. the max height that can be cut.

Most of the machines on the market were limited to 6" height of cut and if you're roughing out from logs, this is a bit restricting, so as a previous poster said, look at some of the newer machines coming out with 8-9" capacity.

Some machines could be fitting with a riser kit to lift the top wheel and assembly by 6" but I'm not sure how successful this was.

Cheers,

Ern