I purchased an older 14" Delta band saw and am in need of a miter gauge for it. I am new to this type and size of band saw, so any recommendations of type/brand and maybe place of purchase will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Bob
[OP]
Member
I purchased an older 14" Delta band saw and am in need of a miter gauge for it. I am new to this type and size of band saw, so any recommendations of type/brand and maybe place of purchase will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Bob
Member
First, I tend to rarely use a miter gauge with my bandsaws though I do keep a Incra 120V beside my MM20. I suppose my first question is what type of work do you expect to use the miter gauge for? If you don't have specific cuts in mind it is usually easier for the one off miter cut to borrow the one from your table saw if it clears the blade on the bandsaw, wider ones often don't. I guess what I am asking is do you really NEED a miter gauge or do you just feel compelled to have one since there is a miter slot?
Of all the laws Brandolini's may be the most universally true.
Deep thought for the day:
Your bandsaw weighs more when you leave the spring compressed instead of relieving the tension.
Agree, my bandsaw miter gauge got modified for a sander that I have. Yes, I actually use a miter gauge more on a sander than on a bandsaw. If you are sure you have a need for one, check the miter slot to see if it is the "standard" of a nominal 3/8" deep by 3/4" wide. If so their are many after market gauges available from any woodworking supply house. Here's a cheap one at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Accura-miterga...6560112&sr=1-9
"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".
– Samuel Butler
Member
Kinda hard to argue with Van, on that one. My BS came with one, but ... I have a small collection of OEM gauges, from other tools. Anything that fits the slot ... will work for general cross-cutting, etc.Originally Posted by Van Huskey
Member
I would suggest to use that bandsaw for 10 years, and then, if you still think you need a miter gauge for a band saw, then go get one.
Todd
[OP]
Member
Thanks all that have replied so far. My needs so far would be for general cross-cutting and some miter cutting. I do not have other equipment that has a miter gauge that I can use on this band saw. The slot is the standard 3/8" x 3/4".
Bob
Member
Delta 14" bandsaws have the conventional 3/8x3/4" groove. The stock gauge for a Unisaw or Delta/Rockwell contractor saw will work after the T-slot washer is removed.
Note: some aftermarket gauge heads (e.g., Incra) are wider than the stock Delta item and, although fine for table saws, will touch the blade on a bandsaw. Metal on metal is not good. Found this the old-fashioned way.
If you're mostly cutting 90 degrees, you can make your own with a 3/8x3/4" stick to run in the groove and a wooden head of your own design. Think t-square.
BobV
[OP]
Member
Todd,
In reply to your suggestion, the saw is over 10 years old so it may deserve a new miter gauge and secondly I may not be using the saw in another 10 years. But, thanks for your insightful input.
Bob
QUOTE=Todd Burch;1851281]I would suggest to use that bandsaw for 10 years, and then, if you still think you need a miter gauge for a band saw, then go get one.
Todd[/QUOTE]
Cutting miters on a bandsaw is not going to be very accurate even with a top of the line miter gauge. Check yard sales and flea markets for a miter gauge with a 3/8 tall by 3/4 wide miter bar.
Lee Schierer
USNA '71
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[/QUOTE]
Sounds kinda sarcastic, and perhaps deserved. We're even.
My suggestion was for YOU to USE the saw for 10 years before you made a miter gauge purchase decision.
You said you are new to a bandsaw. As you might have gleaned so far from these replies, unless you are doing rough cuts, it's not a saw for "general crosscutting", and rough cuts don't warrant a miter gauge. And a bandsaw is most certainly not a saw for cutting miters (unless you don't care too much about precision). For one, the table on that saw (your saw) is really too small to set a miter gauge to any reasonable angle and still have table support for your stock.
A bandsaw can easily be freehanded, and consider that slot in your table to be used for jigs you make (or buy) for table-like sleds or circle/curve cutting. I've owned two bandsaws, (a Jet and now a Laguna) and the miter gauges for both saws, were, and are, for how I use the saw, a waste of money and shop space.
I don't know why band saws even ship with miter gauges.
Member
Most of you guys use better saws and blades than I do. With my old no-name clone saw and blades the blade would wander off the line using a miter gage. I need to "steer" the work-piece to cut straight. Been working for me for 30 years and wouldn't know what to do with a top line saw if I had one.
Contributor
I would say,if your mainly going to do 90degree miter cuts then any miter gage will do.But if your going to be doing compound miter cuts or angle cuts then a good one is in order.I have the Kreg miter gage that I mainly purchase for the PM66 but it can be adjusted for the BS as well.So,if it were me I would purchase a good one that can be use on the TS and BS that the fence can slide to one side or the other,and have positive stops such as 90,45,22.5,which is good for repeat setups.Good luck w/your choice----Carroll
Contributor
Bob
Just about any after market miter that will work on a table saw will work on a bandsaw. I use an older Incra 2000 miter with adjustable stops on mine.
Will you actually use it? That depends on you, and the work that you do.
I would politely disagree though that a miter is useless, or to buy a cheap one. However, Todd is spot on about making your own jigs for use with a bandsaw. You can do some very accurate, repetitive work, on a band saw with a well made jig.
Unfortunately the miters that ship with bandsaws are a waste of the poor metal they are even made with. Which is why they generally end up at yard sales, or taken apart to be used to fabricate an actual working jig. Put a quality miter on your bandsaw and you will use it more often, and as Carrol stated, it really needs to be adjustable, to get any long term, justifiable, use out of.
"The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)
Member
The biggest issue you have in getting a good miter gauge is the distance between the slot and the blade. I would suggest the Incra V27 (occasionally you can get the V120 for cheaper on sale). Make sure you purchase it from a place that you can return it if it too wide. If you buy it locally and they have a 14" cast saw it is a good bet that no matter what brand it is you can get a good idea whether it will fit between the slot and blade by putting it on the saw, most all of them have a pretty standard 14" table give or take a little.
Of all the laws Brandolini's may be the most universally true.
Deep thought for the day:
Your bandsaw weighs more when you leave the spring compressed instead of relieving the tension.
Contributor
Making your own seems like a pretty good choice. If you find yourself using your home made jig quite a bit and for whatever reason it doesn't cut the mustard, then buy one. All you'd need would be some time and some scraps. I use my miter slots more to hold feather boards for resawing than for a miter gauge.
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