New band saw. What's it for.

[bigtiller]

Lots of good things mentioned, only one to add unless I missed it...

A bandsaw allows precise cutting of inside corners WITHOUT over-cutting with a circular blade.

Yep, inside corners and a really small saw kurf.

If mine had an automatic tensioner it would get used a lot more often.

A 3/8 blade with 4 or 6 TPI and standard hook is a good "combination" blade.

 

[MossRoad]

.... My original reasoning for wanting one was because Norm had one on The New Yankee Workshop....

That guy right there has probably caused a lot of marital spats over the years!!! :laughing:

 

[/pine]

That guy right there has probably caused a lot of marital spats over the years!!! :laughing:

May have posted this before...A good friend of mine's wife was good friends with Norm's wife (both Polish girls)...she said his garage/shop was packed to the rafters with all kinds of unfinished and partially completed projects and multiple tools etc...the exact opposite of what was depicted in the TV shows etc... FWIW...

 

[N80]

Thanks guys. Lots of good advice here. A couple of nice things about this saw. 1) Carter blade tensioner. You set the tension and then there is a lever for full tension, low tension for when not in use and all the way down for blade replacement. 2) Carter roller blade guides. Super easy to set up. I just got through doing it. Blade does not wobble or wander. 3) Built in work lamp. 4) Blower tube to blow dust away from cut line.

The unit is missing its miter gauge. I ordered one. Not cheap. The fence does not engage properly. Missing the plastic pad that engages against the rail. Ordered new pad.

Ran a piece of really hard walnut scrap through it. Went through it like butter. Almost scary. Made me very aware of my fingers. Will buy or make a push stick.

Wheels and blade tires are immaculate.

My shop is in my basement. I need to figure a way to manage dust. Usually I just took my compound sliding miter saw just outside. It is on a folding metal sawhorse deal. This will not be practical with this band saw. It has wheels but only for shop floor.

Wonder if I can get an adapter to hook it to shop vac?

 

[goeduck]

I am absorbing all of this since a neighbor offered to give me his Jet bandsaw after getting a new one. Looking forward to having a new tool.

 

[N80]

I am absorbing all of this since a neighbor offered to give me his Jet bandsaw after getting a new one. Looking forward to having a new tool.
View attachment 569852

That is the same model number as my Powermatic. Keep us posted as to how that works out.

 

[goeduck]

He took off for vacation to Italy until mid October so I have some time to dream up some projects. I would not accept it for free and we agreed to compensation of $200 which his wife was overjoyed with but that is still a great deal. I always wanted a bandsaw but never could justify it until now. Nice to have good neighbors.

 

[forgeblast]

Its funny I had a wood bandsaw, tuned it up and then never used it. It sat taking up space so I sold it and really have not missed it. For my spoon carving I use an ax

 

[EddieWalker]

May have posted this before...A good friend of mine's wife was good friends with Norm's wife (both Polish girls)...she said his garage/shop was packed to the rafters with all kinds of unfinished and partially completed projects and multiple tools etc...the exact opposite of what was depicted in the TV shows etc... FWIW...

I've always wondered how much time it took him to figure out one of his projects that he did on his show, and what happened to all that practice material. On his show, every cut, every measurement, was always perfect. In reality, there had to be some trial and error that went into that.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I've always wondered how much time it took him to figure out one of his projects that he did on his show, and what happened to all that practice material. On his show, every cut, every measurement, was always perfect. In reality, there had to be some trial and error that went into that.

By the time he built one for the show, "usually" it was the third one he built, so he had a lot of practice before doing it on camera...

SR