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Thread: Even a cheap bandsaw.....

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    Even a cheap bandsaw.....

    Even a cheap bandsaw can work wonders. At the woodworking show last weekend there was a 20+ year old Craftsman 12" bandsaw in the Carter booth. Alex Snodgrass demonstrated how well it could resaw with a 6" thick glue up of mixed hardwood boards. He resawed off a slice almost thin enough to read through, maybe a 16th thick....perfect thickness, no bow at all.

    I am sure he had that baby tuned within a gnats eyelash, but still...it was a plain old Sears saw.

    Like my rich buddy says, "It's not the arrow, it's the Indian".

    Rick Potter

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
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    I'm sorry that Dad and I were at the show Saturday and missed two chances to meet up with you Rick. Alex's experience is certainly an asset in that sort of thing. He is obviously very comfortable around a bandsaw. I am repeatedly amazed how well my garage-sale 1970's 10" Delta bandsaw does with only a little attention to setup and some cool blocks. Although I have blades that are for specific purposes on my larger saw it is not uncommon for me to quickly use the little saw for larger work that one might expect of it. It certainly earns it's footprint in my shop.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Connecticut
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    I have an AMT 14" Delta clone that has been a workhorse in my shop for 30 years. Other than the shop vac, it's my most often used tool.

  4. #4
    I would love to see Alex do his demo. His video certainly demystified bandsaws for me. My old harbor freight 14" was amazingly good for a cheap delta clone. My newer griz 14" isn't that much better (though it's a lot easier to change blades and has actual dust collection). Probably the most worthwhile upgrade is a good blade.

  5. #5
    If I'm going to one of Alex's live demos, I probably have lots of questions about my band saw. Getting your band saw to work well consistently is kinda hard.

  6. #6
    Just finished sawing out 800 car bodies for Toys for Tots. Do this every year. Use my Delta 14" open stand, which has dust collection added, along with 1.25HP motor. The DC is from my "Top Tip" in Wood a few years back. I own two other Delta 14 band saws, and still have my Sears 12" saw. Made a small FORTUNE cutting out foam signs back in the eighties with the Sears saw.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Gus Dundon View Post
    If I'm going to one of Alex's live demos, I probably have lots of questions about my band saw. Getting your band saw to work well consistently is kinda hard.
    Gus, have you watched his "Band saw tune up video"? Definitely worth 15 minutes.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    So Cal
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    3,778
    I just put a new woodmaster Ct on my b20/20 I had forgot how nice a new blade cuts.I was starting to think something is wrong with the saw.I have a 14 inch saw also I keep a 4t skip blade on it.I really should change out blades more often.Right now I have just about every machine set up to do something so I don't want to say too much I afraid I will jinx myself.Aj

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