Minimum bandsaw power

[HoorayHorace]

Thinking of investing in a small bandsaw for help in making laminates. Just cant take sawing ipe by hand anymore!! 

I'm thinking of one of those smaller, portable 2.5 amp things. 

Question is, will that be sufficient for cutting out bow blanks, or do I need one of those big full power machines (which I don't have the space for)

Thought it wise to ask you guys before just parting with my cash.

[mwosborn]

For making laminates and cutting out bow blanks I would not go less than 1 hp.  Not that a small bench top won't work, but once you have used a bigger one you will not want to use the small one.  When it comes to bandsaws - bigger is better.

[HoorayHorace]

Problem is, I don't have room for a big one  Out of College, I'm in a Bachelor pad.

[bushboy]

Those little saws are ok for making hickory,maple board bows.when it comes to staves and super hard exotic woods not so much!i find the blades on the small ones fail in a short time.i use a Milwaukee portaband the blades are real tough and cheap.

[Renacs]

  Get the 1 HP. I started out with a small benchtop and it ruined and cost me alot of time money and wood.

[HoorayHorace]

Maybe I will have to try If I can find someone who can cut the dimensions for me

[bushboy]

Cutting a blank is a bit of an art. I wouldn't trust anybody else, save a fellow bow builder.

[Sidewinder]

After several years of using hand tools I ventured out and bought a 12"  craftsman bandsaw with 1/2hp. $150 on Craigslist. After butchering a couple of nice staves with it  due to blade wander I decided to go back to the hand tools. I know that there is a technique to using one, unfortunately the 1/2 horse is not enough. I've been having dreams about a 14" 1hp Grizzly for a few years but I think its a daydream. I always reach for my drawknife, rasp and scrapper when I get inspired to make a bow. It allows me a little more time to make less mistakes. Although I will say a good bench sander could save some time. What do you think Jon W?     Danny

[bubby]

I cut my lams with a table saw or a wormdrive skillsaw and a straight edge

[HoorayHorace]

Slugging away with the hand saw it is then 

[smoke]

I too made the mistake of getting a 1/2 horse saw.  Really need to go to a full 1 horse to make it work right.

[Pat B]

You can get by with one of the bench top models but you will have to take it slow and keep sharp blades handy. Horsepower is probably more important so get the one with the most hp you can find.

[Jim Davis]

do a search and read previous band saw threads.

I have 3 OLD band saws that I got cheap and free. I used a 10" 1938 Delta with a 1/3 hp motor to rough out three bows in the last week. It cut as fast as I could carefully guide the staves. A sharp 3-tooth-per-inch blade sliced red oak like cheese.

Blade wander is because of a dull blade, too many teeth per inch, a poorly adjusted set of guides, or a cheap Asian saw. If it's made in China or Japan or Taiwan it's junk. If it's a new saw from Sears, Lowes or Home De Pot, it's junk.

If you are resistant to learning how to set  up and care for a band saw, stick to a hatchet. Even a handsaw needs sharpening and tuning.

This image is of my 10" Delta after I restored it. It was Rustoleum silver and dirt when I got it. Had to clean, lube and adjust the bearings, install new tires and buy a stand and blade. Paid $5 for the saw itself at a yard sale.

Check this forum too. http://www.owwm.org/">Old Woodworking Machines

Jim

[cdpbrewer]

I have a 12", 1/2 hp, Craftsman model #113.243310 bandsaw- bought it new ~32 years ago for woodworking.   With it I've roughed out maybe 30 hickory and oak selfbows from staves up to 3” wide, ripped off ~200 of lams, bellies and backings from 1.5” to 2" thick hickory, IPE, maple, osage, cherry, walnut and oak boards and profiled and cut handles in around 60 bows.  Roughing out bows from wide hickory staves really pushes the limits of the saw but it’s doable if cut like in the attached sketch.   

The keys things are tuning the saw when needed (more frequently than one might think....), a sharp/clean blade, not feeding too fast and practice (e.g. saw way outside of the line or on a scrap of same or similar wood).   For tuning, there's lots on the web but I've found Mark Duginske's "Band Saw Handbook" the best source.   Cool blocks help a lot also since they can be set really close to the blade.  For blades, I use 1/2", 3 tpi raker tooth- mostly .025" thick.

That said, I’d definitely spring for a 14”, 1 hp band saw if I had space in the shop for it- and the required (IMHO) dust collector.   As it is, a big and frequently emptied shop vac handles the 12” saw  (a plus for the 12”, 1/2 hp saw ).

c.d.

[willie]

i would take another look at a new milwaukie portaband  its very well made, versatile and small. mine doesnt look like the one in the picture above, i think its quite a bit smaller