Band saw or table saw for toy-making?

I hope my question has not been put elsewhere but, if it has, I have not been looking in the correct places.

To make wooden toys from hard and/or soft stock of 25mm to 50mm thickness of no greater than 320mm high and 250mm width, should I buy a band saw, table saw or both, together with a linisher, please?

i personally use every bit of equipment i can use,the more the better. It all comes down to what you are trying to build and what you need to use wether it be powered or by hand.I have small bandsaw,scroll saw,table saw,drop saw,jig saw, large circular saw and small cordless circular saw and use them all, so i say you need them all.

I think it all comes down to the type of thing you are going to make such as the shape of the item. If you are going to make something with a few curves then the bandsaw maybe your best bet but if you need to make something that has straight lines to it then the table saw would probably be the way to go. Both pieces of equipment would be ideal.

All of the toys shown below were made in the past 12 months using:-

(a) bandsaw
(b) router mounted in a very rough-as-guts table consisting of a bit of pre-loved melamine board on saw horses
(c) a cheap GMC belt sander


My technique has been to cut out a MDF template for each component piece on the bandsaw and to smooth the cut on the belt sander clamped sideways on a board and then by using the router with a straight cutting template following bit, after rough cutting of the workpieces on the bandsaw, trim them all to be identical shapes.

The router can then be used with a round-over bit to give rounded edges and then all finally sanded by hand.

Routing small pieces on a routing table safely can be a challenge. For a discussion about same refer to https://www.woodworkforums.com/f20/ro...-safely-98565/


http://img.skitch.com/20091024-bg4m8...3e.preview.jpg
Click for full size - Uploaded with plasq's Skitch

I would start with a bandsaw first .... gives you the option of curves and straight and is fairly safe when cutting small parts. There are small toy parts that I cut that I wouldn't dream of using a table saw for.

Sanding is always needed so don't skimp here ... many small parts can be easily shaped on the sander alone.

As others have said however the more tools the better .... it give you more options and is often safer. However with everything you just have to take your time and build up you machinery.

Sometimes you can get in trouble using the wrong tool to do a job. As posted here already, get 'em all, it'll make your time safer and more productive. The gear I've got isn't expensive and each tool does a particular job. Table saw for straight cutting, router for routing, linisher and drum sanders on drill press for sanding, planer on triton for straightening and removal of small amounts that the table saw cant do. Jigsaw and scrollsaw for twisty curvy cutting. Lathe for turning. Hammer for hitting my thumb. Beer fridge for ...well you know. Cheers, billy

Many thanks to all you coves for your advice, much appreciated.

Charleville, thanks for great pics. I am drawn to your minimal! suggestion but Hare and Forbes are having their Annual Sale soon, and they owe me a little in credit, so I am tempted to spend.

Shall see what November brings.

Am very grateful to all.

BS first in my book. It's relatively easy to cut straight with a BS but much harder to cut curves with a TS.

I'm a fence-sitter... I'd say both. :U

It depends on what type of toys you plan to make.

Something like Charleville's - with a lot of curves - is obviously best done on a BS.

However, if you're building up toys such as cars, trains, etc. from primarily square-cut wooden blocks, then a TS would be the go. They can be done on a BS and cleaned up on a linisher, of course, but a TS would be quicker and less effort.

Yeah, I'd definitely go for both. (And a linisher and a lathe and... :innocent:)

Pretty much as skew said
The only thing if you absolutely can only have one , with fences and practise and some skill you can (abet more slowly) everything on a band saw that you can on a table saw but not vice a versa :2tsup:

When I was making toys (and I'll get back to it one day) at the start, all I had was a bandsaw and a jointer - with those two I could do everything I needed. Now that I have pretty much all I need (except for a drum sander) I'd be using the t/saw in future.

Thanks everybody.