Yet another bandsaw question...

[Harold Burrell]

I, too, am in the market for a bandsaw. And since I have oh so very happy with the other Grizzly stuff that I have purchased (ie. jointer & TS), I plan to go with them yet again.

Like others here, I am looking to do some resawing. It seems that many here are happy owners of the G0513 and it's variants and that is definitely one that I am looking at. However, I am wondering why not much is said about the G0457? How do you think that would compare?

I do realize that maximum cut-height capacity on the 17" is greater, but...I have a thought on that...

IF I am goint to resaw a board, wouldn't my next step be to take that board to the jointer? And, since I have only a 6" jointer, wouldn't my max cut be 6"?



Help me out here...

[Nelson Howe]

I can't speak for those particular saws--mine is a 10 year old 16" grizzly with a 7" resaw capacity--but as for resawing, your next step could also be back to the planer to resurface for another resaw, a sander, or hand planes. If you limit yourself with the bandsaw to 6" because of your 6" jointer, I think you limit yourself unnecessarily.

Nelson Howe

[John McClanahan]

Nelson has a good point. Every time I ended up buying one size bigger/better/higher priced, I was glad I did. I can't remember a time I felt like I waisted any money.

John

[glenn bradley]

I do realize that maximum cut-height capacity on the 17" is greater, but...I have a thought on that...

IF I am goint to resaw a board, wouldn't my next step be to take that board to the jointer? And, since I have only a 6" jointer, wouldn't my max cut be 6"?



Help me out here...

Uh, in my humble opinion, no. You may resaw a 12" board and then take a 6" wide section out of it an a slight angle to maximize the grain pattern you are after. Then take that to the jointer and proceed. Grain does not always run straight and the look we want is not always handed to us.

That is the liberating thing about milling your own boards; you get to choose. You are no longer constrained by the "factory" edge provided. You create your own reference line based on the figure you want to use.

All that blathering out of the way, with the price and footprint so close, what do you see as an advantage to the smaller saw? The table is 40% smaller, the trunnions are not steel or cast iron (I'm sure the table size makes this OK) and the throat depth and resaw height are less.

The G0457 seems to be targeted at 'resawing only' in a commercial setting (the "parts" cabinet with shelf and more specific capacities). I am sure it is a great saw but, the 17" would be more flexible. If you have a second saw and this is just a resaw machine. It is probably a good choice based on your material sizes and requirements.

[james bell]

i went with the minimax 16 and happy with it - EXCEPT that it has a minimum blade size that limits tight curves. so i have an old 12" sears for this purpose but it doesn't cut thick wood well. keep this in mind when shopping - i might have gone for a 14" instead. hindsight being 20/20.

[Tom Esh]

...It seems that many here are happy owners of the G0513 and it's variants and that is definitely one that I am looking at. However, I am wondering why not much is said about the G0457? How do you think that would compare?
...

Did you try a forum search on "G0457"? Seems to be a number of satisfied owners, self included. It's a terrific machine. Loads of power, flat table, superb fence, decent guides, and dead-on alignment. I didn't buy it just for resawing, but it will tension a 3/4" Timberwolf or Woodslicer and cut all day long without breaking a sweat. No complaints.

However one thing about resawing is it wears conventional blades faster than most folks who've not done it before imagine. If I were planning to do a lot of resawing (like every project), I'd want a carbide-tipped blade, but they're thicker, require more tension, and like big wheels. 17" would be better than 14", but I'd be looking at 20"+.

The other thing about resawing is once you have the capability, you'll be inclined to do more of it than you might have anticipated.