What would you do? 1 Bandsaw or 2.

[Karl Card]

I enjoyed having a smaller saw and larger saw setup. Until the smaller saw went down, but it will be replaced when I find a good deal on one... As others have stated it is nice to have your tools setup to use instead of adjusting or changing setting when your in the mood to get some work done...

[Bill Wyko]

I say a bandsaw for every blade. (I'm up to 4) so I say go for it.

[eugene thomas]

I like having two saws for all the reasons stated but also hate the thought of having to do the twist for storing on my $200+ blade.

[Phil Thien]

Two bandsaws, changing blades is a PITA.

While these are smaller, one is setup for resawing (up to 7"), and the other has a Carter blade stabilizer for the curves.

I'd find it very difficult to go back to a single saw.

[Dan katz]

Changing bandsaw blades is a pain in the butt! If I had the ability and the space for two bandsaws that is what I would do too, have one set up for resawing and the other set up for your lighter work.

I've got an old 20" Rockwell which I use for mostly ripping and an old Delta scroll saw which allows me to use up to 1/4" band saw blades. The main advantage of the scroll saw is that it allows the inside cut which is impossible with any bandsaw.
This function will open up many possibilites that you may not have explored yet.
Dan

"Suspenders are easier to break in than new boots"

[Chris Fournier]

I'd have to have a very bandsaw intensive shop to own two of them. A friend of mine did own two a while back, after a year he's down to one. too much capital tied up for convenience sake only. Would you own two table saws, one for ripping and one for crosscutting?

[Glen Blanchard]

Would you own two table saws, one for ripping and one for crosscutting?

Well, no. That being said, how long does it take (and how much of a hassle is it) to switch from a crosscut to a rip on a table saw?

[Curt Harms]

I'd have to have a very bandsaw intensive shop to own two of them. A friend of mine did own two a while back, after a year he's down to one. too much capital tied up for convenience sake only. Would you own two table saws, one for ripping and one for crosscutting?

The answer as usual is "it depends". People keep a 2nd 14" cast iron saw frequently. And yes people keep a second table saw though usually with a dado blade mounted. Would most people have two big $ saws in either case? Probably not, unless they use both machines a lot. It depends on how much the second machine is worth and how often it's needed.

[Jim Matthews]

The little bandsaw can be cheap and coarsely made yet still be very effective.

Resawing (perversely enough) is a more precise thing.
I would spend big bucks on a machine dedicated to resawing - if that's what you'll do most.

There are a couple of beefy Hitachi's for sale on the auction site that cannot be named.


Here's my take - unless you're going to dedicate a saw to hold a 1" blade - you don't really need a dedicated machine.
The current crop of steel frame machines track straight with a 3/4" blade which, properly sharpened with the correct number of teeth, will resaw most anything.

Feed rate and sharp teeth seem to have the greatest effect on results for me.
(I don't cut any exotic stuff, and that might change my view.)

[Neil Bosdet]

The decision's been made. I'm going with 2 saws. It's extravagant but I use both set ups frequently. It's a big time waste changing over and I find I'll avoid it and delay cuts I need to make based on having to switch. To Jim, I'm resawing exotics and using 1.25" carbide blade. Then on the flip side I'm using a .25" blade for the curvy work. It's not a quick change. I only wish I could get by with a small, inexpensive bandsaw for the curvy work but I need a min 18" throat.

Fun topic though. My buddy has 2 bandsaws (same reason) and 2 table saws. 1 for ripping etc and 1 set up for dado. Nice set up. I don't dado often enough to consider 2 saws (yet).

[james bell]

I have a 16mm for resawing and a 12" for scrolly work, but also a Hegner scrollsaw for real scroll work with a deeper throat. Can't put a small blade on the 16" which is why I recovered my given away 12" craftsman