Help evaluate my bandsaw options please

[John Bailey]

I've used a VFD for years with my Oliver. Very good solution.

John

[Dave Sabo]

and I want to be able to resaw and slice up small logs.

If this is your goal, then the choice is clear.

And it ain't a saw with a busted table.

[Phillip Mitchell]

I would sell them both and get a small / medium sized band saw mill if your goal is to saw logs. No woodworking bandsaw is really optimized to saw logs, even small ones and it’s much more time consuming and cumbersome to move a log through a stationary blade over a relatively small table (without purpose built infeed and outfeed support...but you still have to lift and push the log through) compared to a band mill with a head/blade that rises on a rolling carriage to saw the log that is securely clamped down to a flat bed.

If you want to do smaller, more woodworking / furniture scaled work on a bandsaw, then I would evaluate the condition of the 20” Delta. If it wasn’t a basket case and didn’t need too much, I’d buy a VFD and go to town, but to expect it to saw logs is asking too much. Just my opinion.

[Jim Becker]

Honestly...I’m not sure either would be appropriate for your stated goal, but clearly the larger one is the only practical choice of the two you now own. Sawing even “small logs” and the likes isn’t a great job for a bandsaw designed primarily for dry lumber. Different stresses; different band requirements; need for lubrication to help cool the blade so It doesn’t dull prematurely, etc. at some point you’re going to want at least a small horizontal band mill to do the job of breaking things down from rough for your stated purposes and a heavier saw for re-sawing dry lumber to crafting dimensions

[Carroll Courtney]

I also have 20" saw and love it,I think that it will get you by for what you want for little while.But as a money maker I don't think its going to work for ya.When you do cross that line I would think that maybe one of those horizontal wood band saws be better suited for your purpose. I always wanted one for my own veneering but that dream never came true.