Band Saw placement

[Bruce Seidner]

I am cramped for room and want to put a 14"Band Saw up against the wall of the shop where I have a long miter saw bench set up. It is not a problem for a drill press or in most scenarios a problem for a router table to be up against a wall. I don't recall ever really wanting to be on the back side of either machine.

I am trying to imagine a situation where I would regret this placement for a band saw and am not coming up with anything. This makes me anxious. Usually there are compromises and I can't think of one.

I am thinking of having it on the end of the bench, against the wall, so the band saw table will line up with the long miter saw bench. Besides saving floor space I could use the miter saw bench as out feed table to support re-sawing cedar board into cedar strips for a kayak. I also have a bit of a wild hair idea that would place the band saw, not on the end, but inside the miter saw bench. There is a cut out that lowers the miter saw, why not a cut out for the band saw? The band saw table would be independent and still able to angle. But when it was flat it would have both in feed and out feed on either side of the miter saw bench.

Can anyone think of a job that would make either of these placements of the band saw problematic? I don't think I have seen this done before.

[mike holden]

Bruce,
I have mine against the wall, and only move it out when the outfeed needs clearance (the dust collector is next to the bandsaw).
Getting behind the column is a rare to never occurrence.
Mike

[glenn bradley]

My 17" has its spine to the wall and I haven't moved it since I put it there. My little 10" is on a stand with the spine perpendicular to an old DP that I use for my sanding mop so, no real access there either. No complaints on either positioning.

[Paul Atkins]

Don't fret so much. A 14" bandsaw weighs nothing and can be moved around if you need it to. I have my 20" Powermatic on wheels and move it around all the time because my shop is so full of junk.

[Bruce Seidner]

Thanx guys!

The miter saw bench might not be deep enough to swallow the whole band saw but I will see if ican arrange some integration and buid a new band saw table that fits into the slot I will cut. Although it may extend a bit beyond the current bench. I can match the apron trim and it will look like it was born that way.

[Chip Lindley]

Problem with incorporating a BS into a miter saw cutoff table is that you push stock through a bandsaw facing the side of the saw--which might as well be called the front. I think it would be very awkward to handle any sawing from a position NOT facing the blade's cutting edge. Looking spiffy is one thing; convenient access for real productivity is quite another. Combine the two and you really have something!

Use that space above your miter saw table for parts bins, shelving or real cabinets. Maximize your storage above and below.

Mount the BS on a mobile stand and position it anywhere you need it, any time! Even out the door on a nice day!Roll it out of the way when not in use. Sometimes, *built-in* can later cause angst when great inconvenience is encountered.

I save some space by parking my three BS's from the wall at a 45 degree angle. Just enough room to resaw stock 3'-4' long. Plenty of room for smaller curved work.
Anything longer, I roll out and reposition.

[Bruce Seidner]

All of that makes good sense and is clearly the voice of experience.

In terms of placement it would be on the end of the bench so I could stand facing the blade.

I have also found a way to have it semi-stationary and integrated into my miter saw table AND be able to slip it off the base for the bench onto a mobile base. I will be mounting the motor and BS on a common sheet of ply which can be moved, especially on a nice day where I would rather have sky over me than a low basement ceiling joist.