Thread: Tablesaw VS Bandsaw

Both?

If I need to rip something thicker than 25mm, it goes to the bandsaw. If I need to do almost anything else, it sees the table saw.

My table saw spends most of it's life with a crosscut sled on it though, so I could prolly get away without one most of the time if I had a SCMS.


I'd sooner give up my table saw than my bandsaw though, even though I use the table saw more often, simply because I can do what the table saw does with other tools I already have with only a little more effort/fooling around.

And I'd very much like to have another bandsaw in the same size I have now so I can fit a smaller blade for bendy stuff. As it is, it takes about 20 minutes to change blades, so I don't do it very often.

Actually, I like that idea. Might put the decent TS on the back burner yet again...

Im on the same wave length as Schtoo. If i had to take a solar powered machine onto a desert island it would be a bandsaw (followed by a jointer)

Its an interesting debate

One of the editors of FWW rated most important shopmachinery as follows:

1. Bandsaw
2. Jointer.
3. Router
4. SCMS
5. Drill press


6.Thicknesser
7. Tablesaw

Funnily enough a thinknesser was the next BIG buy choice followed by the Tablesaw.

Regards Lou

Its a bit rich putting a Router, SCMS, Drill press in front of a Table Saw:confused:

Bandsaw without a question.

Course, if I could afford one of those $1000s worth of tablesaw I might rethink, but at this stage, the saw table is a workhorse, the real interesting, and versatile stuff is done on the bandsaw.

Bandsaw (but I don't own a TS).

If I had to order tools in the order that I would want them it would be:

1. Bandsaw
2. Drill press
3. SCMS (precision quality though)
4. Router
5. Thicknesser
6. Tablesaw
7. Jointer

But, I don't have a SCMS, tablesaw or jointer.

Also, my woodwork/metalwork has slightly different needs to what I would guess a lot of other woodies might want. e.g. I couldn't get by without my drill press...

Horses for courses I think. It depends upon what you're doing & how things are prioritised. I use the bandsaw for ripping or doing fine detail work (actually, after buying a BAS350 yesterday, I've got two bandsaws at the moment). The TS also gets a lot of use doing acurate straight cuts (or it will when my thumb heals).

Keith

I use my tablesaw much more than my bandsaw. For most things that I do, I can do in one operation on the tablesaw what would take several if I didn't have one. I use my bandsaw mainly for resawing, cutting shapes and removing waste from between dovetail tails.

When I finally got a shed I could work in and a few extra $ to spend I started buying fixed machines

14" belt sander
Pedistal Drill Press
Band Saw
Triton Mk3
Thicknesser
SCMS
Scroll Saw
Oscilating spindle sander
Jointer
Triton 2000

That was over 26 years though and though I use hand held tools the most the belt sander would get switched on more often than anything else


Rgds

Oh yeah, I forgot about belt sanders...

I use that a LOT.

Oh my gosh! How did the drop saw get up there? No 3? No 4?:eek:

I use my jointer, thicknesser and tablesaw to machine old timber. I can’t do it without them. I use my bandsaw for resawing or cutting amusing shapes.

Remember that if you get a multi-speed bandsaw you can also use it to cut non-ferrous metals/plastics.

Mine spends about the same amount of time doing these cuts as it does on wood.

Cam

Table saw for me, I have both and the Band saw is invaluable for re sawing and curved cuts etc, but in general woodworking the Table saw is hard to beat.

As has been said it depends on what your doing if for example if you are primarily a wood turner or a small box maker etc the the Band saw would be the go. But if you plan on making full size furniture and occasionally using sheet good then the table saw is the go, with the bandsaw as a backup.

The problem with a band saw is that the blade can blunt very quickly and sometimes only on one side of the blade meaning a crooked cut with resulting scrap material. A table saw will (while not recommended practice) cut with even a quite blunt blade and in a straight line.

Also table saw blades work out far more cost effective over time as they can be cheaply resharpened

Just my opinion though........


Cheers


Dave

Hi,

I have one of those Ryobi tablesaws as well as a couple of bandsaws - 9" Ryobi and access 14" Leda and Triton setup. Triton is good for storing things on

Bandsaws do all the work, tablesaw is rarely used - as I have a SCMS this does all the cross-cuts and any boards or similar I cut is just done with a circular saw.

Used the 14" 3/4HP bandsaw to convert 100mm square by 2m oak and elm recycled wood into 1mm x 5mm x 1000mm strips for model boat. Tablesaw couldn't cut through the 100mm but bandsaw worked a treat - just get one with a good fence.

If you're doing lots of panels and large boards for solid furniture though, go for the tablesaw for ease of use/setup.

So the #1 decision is what you will be building, then work out the most appropriate tool to do the job. So if you're doing lots of dado cuts, you might find this difficult on a bandsaw!

Regards,
Darren

PS And which ever one you choose, at some point you'll want the other one!