Thread: bandsaw or jigsaw - which way to go.

Hi Monty,
it is difficult to advise without knowing what you make.
I make furniture on a semi-professional basis and have a 14" bandsaw which gets regular use,I don't even own a jigsaw and have rarely needed one.
The advantage of the jigsaw is that it is more portable and has no limitations on throat size.
A bandsaw is a different animal and has it'sown strengths and weaknesses,I think the machine you are looking at appears to be a reasonable machine spec-wise with a decent sized motor.

Hi Mark, thanks. As for what I make, that's hard to say, i'm an occasional weekend woodworker/bit of DIY stuff so its a pretty wide range of stuff that's get done in the garage.

I think there's been maybe 1 or 2 times i've used a jigsaw outside of the shop and that was to cutout the back of a TV cabinet. So thats about the only thing the bandsaw couldn't do. That being said, I've never really felt the need to resaw anything or cut anything thicker than 25mm.

I think the bandsaw would make the jobs easier that I'd use it mostly for. But it would likely all be jobs I'd be able to acheive with a jigsaw as well. eg: cutting curves on small peices. But then the bandsaw comes at a price.

Originally Posted by mark david

I think the machine you are looking at appears to be a reasonable machine spec-wise with a decent sized motor.

Yeah its about the minimum recommended as a first machine it seems - of course i could get a machine for the same price as those jigsaws, but they seem like they'd just be a headache and require replacing in the future (something im trying to avoid going forward).

Originally Posted by mark david

The advantage of the jigsaw is that it is more portable and has no limitations on throat size.

And, don't forget you can cut holes with a jig saw and thats about the only time mine gets used, probably once a month or so.

However, I would recommend getting a BS before a JS but if you are going to get a BS, unless you can afford a small one and a big one, I wouldn't recommend a BC smaller than a 14"
This size BS can be used rip timber which is one of a BS big advantages.

I found a 10" BS during kerbside rubbish pick up time (it had a broken switch and it needed new tyres) but as I have a bigger (19") BS I hardly used the small one and ended up giving it to my son.

I have 2 jig saws, a Ryobi bought in the mid 70's for about $25, and another Ryobi with all the bells and whistles given to me about 8 years ago. The first one has had probably three blades in it, and is as new, the second I have used a couple of times, and is still stored in it's original box.
I also have a 12 inch bandsaw bought in the late seventies and it is used almost every day that I am in the workshop. The advantage of the bandsaw is that it is always plugged in and ready to go, virtually no set-up required apart from height adjustment. Having a tablesaw as well means I don't use the fence on the bandsaw very often.
The only advantage with the jigsaw is it's portability in doing jobs too cumbersome to do on a bandsaw including household modifications such as wall and ceiling penetrations.
My recommendation would to buy a reasonable quality bandsaw, and a cheap jigsaw if and when one is required.

Hope this helps.

Alan...

Originally Posted by BobL

And, don't forget you can cut holes with a jig saw and thats about the only time mine gets used, probably once a month or so.

Yeah as i mentioned, thats one thing going for the jigsaw, but i'd maybe do something like that once a year if i'm lucky.

However, I would recommend getting a BS before a JS but if you are going to get a BS, unless you can afford a small one and a big one, I wouldn't recommend a BC smaller than a 14"
This size BS can be used rip timber which is one of a BS big advantages.

The one i linked above is 340mm - so just under 14" - I guess that would be ok? Seems likes it close enough.

Originally Posted by Monty85

Yeah as i mentioned, thats one thing going for the jigsaw, but i'd maybe do something like that once a year if i'm lucky.



The one i linked above is 340mm - so just under 14" - I guess that would be ok? Seems likes it close enough.

As well as the size, motor HP that is important and the one you have linked to has a 1.5hP which is standard for most 14" saws.

Originally Posted by Uncle Al

My recommendation would to buy a reasonable quality bandsaw, and a cheap jigsaw if and when one is required.

Hope this helps.

Alan...

Thanks Alan - that does help. I have the old crapper Ryobi jigsaw still, so should I go for a bandsaw, I can always use that if I absolutely must.

Good points about the bandsaw always being plugged in as well. Keeping that point in mind a bandsaw might actually get used a lot more than im anticipating (which is a good thing).

I have a small 14" bandsaw, a scrollsaw, a handful of jigsaws and a bunch of other equipment. If I can, I will use the bandsaw to cut the curves because it is easier and reliable. But the bandsaw can't do it all. It can't cut internal shapes, and it can only crosscut ~13" so when I hit those limitations I pick up a jigsaw or the scrollsaw. I use the bandsaw every week, and I use the jigsaw every week and I use the scrollsaw every week. So the answer is, buy everything

Originally Posted by Kuffy

I have a small 14" bandsaw, a scrollsaw, a handful of jigsaws and a bunch of other equipment. If I can, I will use the bandsaw to cut the curves because it is easier and reliable. But the bandsaw can't do it all. It can't cut internal shapes, and it can only crosscut ~13" so when I hit those limitations I pick up a jigsaw or the scrollsaw. I use the bandsaw every week, and I use the jigsaw every week and I use the scrollsaw every week. So the answer is, buy everything

I guess everyone uses machines specific to their needs.
I would use my BS nearly every day, I use it to cut PVC, Acrylic, Aluminium, frozen dog bones and chicken frames, oh yes, occasionally wood and mill short logs with it.
I would use my jigsaw about once a month, mainly to cut out holes for switches in Plastic electrical control boxes.
I have never felt the need to buy a scrolls. There's one at the mens shed but I haven't ever used it .
I also have metal cutting bandsaw.

Monty, I wouldn't rush out and buy a bandsaw or a jigsaw. Just commit the information to memory and when the time arises that you actually have a need for one or the other, you can buy it then and not get caught short with the wrong gear.

Originally Posted by Monty85

So my current jigsaw ($50 Ryobi job) is about as useful as a paper weight most of the time. So was looking at something decent to replace it with (was thinking along the lines of the Dewalt DW331K or the Bosch GST150BCE.

It got me thinking though, that i might be better off spending some extra coin on a bandsaw - based off some other threads i've read, it seems the best entry level one would be the Hafco BP360.

I've never owned a bandsaw before and as space is limited, big machines aren't on the top of my priority list, but a bandsaw shouldnt take up too much room should I go that way, so it is doable.

Anyway, just after some opinions on what you would suggest doing. Is the money better spent on the bandsaw, or should i stick with the jigsaw first, which leaves some funds open for other things as well.

As i've never owned a bandsaw, its hard to know if I'll make good use of the additional things its capable of.

Monty, what do you need the saw to do?

I have a decent Makita jigsaw, but I have used it once in 10 or more years since I purchased a bandsaw. As others have pointed out, a jigsaw is useful for inside cuts. I hardly need to do those for the furniture I build. A bandsaw is more accurate, and able to perform sawcuts (ripping, joinery, resawing, sawing curves, crosscuts to short lengths) so much better than anything a jigsaw can.

In my world I rarely need a jigsaw. I keep it around for those few occasions. You have to decide what you need a jigsaw to do, and whether a bandsaw can do it better.

Regards from Perth

Derek

A fixed machine where you move the material being cut will give you a better result than when the material is fixed (or clamped) and you move the tool.
If you are doing curves on small material a scroll saw could be better than a jigsaw or bandsaw.
If you are after straight cuts, then I would consider a table saw or a tracksaw.
As others have said, it does not matter what you have, each tool has its strengths and weaknesses, it all depends on the job you are doing. If money and space are limited only purchase what you need for a specific job when you do not have the right tool. Sometimes you might be able to borrow or try a tool out at member's shed, or even hire a tool to see if it will do what you want. Best wishes with what ever you decide.

As you can see the trend is with bandsaws. Like Derek said since I got a bandsaw i only use a jigsaw every now and then. Even the high end jigsaws will only be a slight improvement on the cheap ones. They all fall down due to the blade deflecting especially in deeper cuts.
A bandsaw does so much better a job of most cuts. Inside cuts being the one thing a bandsaw cant do. Bandsaw box makers may argue this point however. If you are going to woodwork for the long haul and can afford a bandsaw then get one. I keep a cheap jigsaw for those rare times the bandsaw cant cut it so to speak but that would be less than 1 time in any year.
Regards
John

I've been using a jigsaw a lot lately because my tablesaw isn't set up yet and I don't have a circular saw. So I've been cutting plywood sheets with a jigsaw to finish lining my shed. I would much prefer to use my table saw to do that as it is much more accurate and easier. I've got my 14 inch bandsaw set up just recently and use it often. For all of the reasons others have mentioned it is much better than a jigsaw. But, there is a huge difference between using a cheapo jigsaw (hate them) and a decent jigsaw (makita middle of the range). A decent jigsaw is reasonably accurate (with practice) and reasonably efficient. Not suitable for precision work. I have a suspicion that once I have my tablesaw up and running, and have my workshop more sorted, that the jigsaw will go into a draw and rarely see the light of day. Hope this helps...