Hi, would anyone have advise or recommendations on band saws, e.g., brand, supplier, size, price range.
Among the Binondo stores that carry power tools, is there any one that could be said to be the 'best'? How about among the non-Binondo, non-mall stores?
For resawing (cutting a plank into thinner planks, e.g., cutting 2 x N to 1 x N), what is the best way without a band saw -- two passes with circular saw, if possible?
For manual method, can a Japanese pull saw do resawing well, up to a certain plank width?
Or would a frame saw work better? Has anyone made their own frame saw (using I understand a section of band saw blade)?
Re: Band saw, resawing, frame saw
A bandsaw is one tool I do not have :(. I was building one but the project got sidetracked. For large planks I think the best is to use a bandsaw. I thought to build the band saw because my 12" table saw creates too much waste when I've resawed planks. Also, even with a 12" blade using two passes it can only cut 10" at the most I would think - I've never resawn anything wider than 6". If do use a table saw, you'll need to think of your jigging very well ... the trick is to apply the feather boards ABOVE the saw blade as well as at the table level BEFORE the blade. You'll also need a taller than usual fence.
Sorry I don't know about the prices, P30k is my guess for a still smallish bandsaw. You can buy the blades no problem at your industrial supply. Just have the length on hand so they can cut and join the blade to your specs.
Resawing logs is a total different business because there has to be a way to keep the blade cutting in a flat plane. I've come across are several websites/articles about building such a machine .. doesn't seem all that hard.
Hope this helps.
Re: Band saw, resawing, frame saw
Interesting, how were you going to build your own band saw? From scratch? Are there published plans? How were you going to make or obtain the wheels and the mechanism for tensioning and blade alignment? Would the drive be an electric motor? How were you going to do gear reduction and speed control?
Or was going to be more like a vintage wooden contraption so as to require more of woodworking skill instead of metal machining?
Re: Band saw, resawing, frame saw
Take a look at the Vintage Plans website. I studied all of those and then also had a look at the manuals for the modern bandsaws. Nothing much to these things really.
I made my frame from wood but only because I had the wood, C-section steel would have been fine. I also made the wheels of wood reinforced with fiberglass and epoxy. This is as far as I got though.
The tension/tracking adjust mechanism would have been the most challenging but it is not really that complicated. I'd say any decent machine shop could make one but I think you could DIY one with a little effort. For speed reduction, simple pulleys will do which can be bought at any industrial supply, along with the necessary shaftings and pillow blocks. The last thing is the blade guide, again not so easy but not really hard.
Re: Band saw, resawing, frame saw
Thanks for the pointer. Amazed to find lots of info when googling for 'band saw plans'. Will have to add 'make band saw' to the to-do list.
In meantime, to resaw 2 x 4 x 16 to 1 x 4, I guess I will just use circular saw for now, or try Japanese saw and see how much effort/time/patience it requires and whether the cut can stay straight enough so as not to require too much smoothing with plane afterwards. Kerf might be less with Japanese saw than circular saw, but then you might have to shave away anyway when planing afterward, resulting in even more loss of wood than circular saw.
Re: Band saw, resawing, frame saw
There is a Canadian guy building bandsaws and offering plans. Just put woodgears and bandsaw in your search engine. If you are still interested that is. I bought them and they look quite good. Now I have to try to get all the pieces, here in Davao it is not so easy. I will post more if I build it.
Re: Band saw, resawing, frame saw
There is a Canadian guy building bandsaws and offering plans. Just put woodgears and bandsaw in your search engine. If you are still interested that is. I bought them and they look quite good. Now I have to try to get all the pieces, here in Davao it is not so easy. I will post more if I build it.
great Dan, we look forward to your build and hope you can post pictures. We Love pictures... :pinkglassesf:
click my signature and it will take you there........
