Help buying a bandsaw?

[upstatenybowyer]

Hello friends,

So I may finally be in the market for a bandsaw. Aside from about 2 years of high school experience (about 25 years ago) I know next to nothing about large woodworking equipment. Assuming I want something that stands on its own, has plenty of horsepower to rough out bows, and will last for the remainder of my time here on earth, here are my questions...

Should I buy something new or used?
What brands should I look for?
Approximately how much should I expect to spend?   

As always, thanks very much in advance for your input. 

[stuckinthemud]

Kinda depends on your budget, you get a lot more for your money second hand but much more hassle finding a good one and getting it to your shop

[bubby]

You can always check out craigs list for a used one, i got a 14" saw at a yard sale for $50 must be about 7-8 years ago. Grizzly is a good brand, just try and get the biggest you can afford , maybe the outlaw will chime in he is the king at finding good deals

[gfugal]

I bought a Wen bandsaw from amazon about a year ago. I've come to rely on it a lot. Makes things much easier, but then again its good to rough things out with hand tools every once and a while. Since i have amazon prime the shipping was free.  I haven't had problems yet. There's definately better ones out there but this is a great deal for the price.

[BowEd]

Like said depends on your budget Jeff.Grizzly here with at least a 1hp motor.2 speed meaning 2 pulleys.14" bandsaw.I think mine cost around 450.00 dollars new though.Polar bear series.They'll send you a catalog if you want or are online too.They have a sale every spring too.I think in Springfield,Missouri at the plant there.Their very good about advice and parts too.I knew nothing about them in the beginning either but they're not that complicate really.I use mine for roughing out staves 5 to 6 inches thick of osage with a 3/4" blade and 3 teeth per inch on the slow speed.That and the farriers rasp roughs those staves out in a hurry.1/2" blade does a lot of the finer things.

[Stick Bender]

Buying a band saw can be tuff choice because you want to get one with all of the things listed I was in the same boat about 5 years ago I had a 14 in. Ridgid band saw that I was quickly out growing & was doing a lot of furniture work & re sawing so I looked around & really wanted to buy American but couldn't find any thing that would work for me so I wanted something that I would never have to buy again so I ended up buying a 23 in Agazani band saw and it's been every thing I ever wanted up to 18 in. Re saw capability I have actually re sawed walnut logs to make table tops plus it will take blades up to 1 1/2 in I could Easley resaw backing strips with a veneer blade with little sanding I have a complete cabinet shop but buy far my go to favorite power tool I also opted for the roller guides I can do compound angle cuts with out the blade coming off  it wasn't cheap but really a great investment , regardless what you buy I would recommend Large working surface bed, roller guides heavy wheels high horse power 220 v  dual dust collection sorry for the book  but it's such a important tool !

[Pat B]

Grizzly makes a great bandsaw. I've had one for years. If you atr planning to build lots of bows get at least a 14" with at least a 1hp motor, new, used or whatever.

[Jim Davis]

Buy an OLD USED AMERICAN MADE machine. Delta, Powermatic, Walker Turner, even a Craftsman if it's more than 30 years old.

Look for cast iron, no plastic, very little aluminum.

It's possible you might have to replace bearings, but they are available for all the old machines and the old machines are far better than the new stuff. They truly don't make them like they used to.

Craigslist is a good source.

Go cruise around here for a while before buying.   http://owwm.org/index.php It's well worth joining and free.

[upstatenybowyer]

Thanks so much for the input guys. I know this is a big and important buy so I certainly won't rush into anything. Sounds like I need 14" minimum and at least 1hp. So that at least gives me a starting point. I don't know about power tools, but certainly with hand tools they do not make them like they used to. I guess I'll start looking on craigs list and if you don't mind I'll update this post when I find some options. My brother in law has lots of heavy equipment, trailers, and a big truck for his business so I'm sure he would help get it over here and I've got plenty of room in the garage.

[osage outlaw]

You've been cranking out all of those bows without a band saw? 

I agree with the 14" 1 hp or more recommendation.  A few years ago I bought the anniversary edition from Grizzly.  It has done everything I have needed it to do.  Even 4.5 hours straight resawing red oak barn siding.  You can find some great deals on Craiglsist.  I've bought several band saws off there over the years.  If you go the used route look them over closely.  Check the blade guides, tires, motor, etc.  If you post any links to used saws here make sure to disable the direct link so you stay on the good side of the moderators.  I would avoid the Rigid brand.  I have heard a lot of bad reviews of them.  The blade tensioner is made from cheap pot metal and it breaks. 

After you get a bandsaw watch some youtube videos on how to properly set the blade guides and tracking.  That will make a big difference in how well it cuts.  Keep a sharp blade on it also.  Timberwolf is a popular brand but pricey.  I have been getting Olson blades off of ebay for pretty cheap and they work very well.  Good luck in the search and let us know what you find. 

[upstatenybowyer]

Great info Oultaw and much appreciated. Yeah, believe it or not I rough out all my staves with a hatchet, a 5 amp jigsaw and a drawknife. I've been saving for a bandsaw for almost a decade. With the b-day coming up the wife's feeling a little soft  so I think now's the time!

I'll be careful not to post any direct links cause I'm all about keeping the mods happy.  I've got a Timberwolf splitter that's awesome. Didn't know they make blades. They don't make bandsaws do they? Probably way too expensive anyway.

Looks like there's only 1 decent one near me on that website and it's at the very top of my price range, $1000

15" x 20-7/8" tilting table (to 45 degree) rip fence. PWBS-14CS 14" 1 phase 1.5 HP band saw motor
Adjustable miter gauge T-style rip fence w/resaw assembly 1/4" band saw blade. Goose neck work light. Chip blower

[osage outlaw]

That's a great saw but it's pretty expensive

[LittleBen]

I was in the same position as you for a while. I'd been wanting a real bandsaw (had a small benchtop model that was useless for bows) for years.

I scoured Craigslist, and decided if I didn't find what I wanted in 6mo I would buy a new grizzly g0555lanv which was like $650 shipped.

I looked and looked, and when I finally found a 17" 2hp grizzly g0513x2 nearly mint, for $800 with extra blade and mobile base I jumped on it. That was more than I hoped to spend, but it was still just about 60% of new price when you consider tax and delivery. I'm glad I threw down the extra guap and bout the bigger saw. It's a beast. Only wish I had found a 19" grizzly with 3hp or 5hp. No man was ever disappointed with a tool that hadn't too much power or capacity. Now that I have it, I can't help but think I wouldn't have been happy with the 14" for long. I use mine for all sorts of stuff. I've even taken to using it for cutting plywood parts I would previously have cut on the table saw. It's quieter, and drastically more powerful than my contractor saw, and with a wide blade can rip with surprising accuracy.

A good deal will not last long on craigslist. Lots of crap or high priced stuff sits forever, but the real deals come and go fast, so keep cash on hand, know what you're looking for and what you can spend, and be ready to make a move. I've seen several nice saws for sale around Albany over the last year or two. Keep looking, get an idea of the market, figure everyone expects some haggling, and eventually you'll get what you want.

Lastly, 14" and 1hp is the minimum many recommend. I can tell you that after owning a relatively large 17" saw, a 14" saw looks tiny, and a benchtop saw looks like a child's toy. Keep in mind though that anything over about 1 1/2hp will require a 220v outlet, or a 30amp 110 circuit, so plan on the electrical work you'll need to do, or the cost of an electrician.

P.S. Forgot one important thing. Craigslist recognizes "bandsaw" and "band saw" differently, so make sure you search for both. Right now there's a Yates American 20" saw for $1750, but it's been for sale for a while and seller has cut price. Maybe there's a deal to be made although that is ridiculously large machine, and probably 3phase 220v

Then there's always a few old 30" crescent or Oliver bandsaws up for sale I found you're handy. Hook up a big 5hp motor and you can cut basically anything imaginable on one of them .... that is if you have the space, and a forklift to move it.

[Jim Davis]

As said above, do check the tires and guides. But both are available. Just factor them into your offer if the saw needs them. Good to get a ballpark idea of the cost of those items before you go to look at a saw.

I have three band saws: a 14" with half horse motor, a 12" with the same and a very old Delta 10" with a 1/3 hp motor. They are all I need. I could do everything with the 14", but I like the little Delta for fine/small work and I have the old Craftsman 12" slowed down for cutting metal.

The newest is the 14" Beaver from about 1960. I paid $75 for the 14", nothing for the 12", and $5 for the Delta 10". 

[BowEd]

If you get one from Grizzly it'll get sent to you in 2 boxes.You can put it together then.You can get familiar with it too.Pretty easy instructions with it.They do have quite a selection.One thing I like about mine is that there is a release lever to relieve the tension on the blade when not in use.