Band Saw

[Kev K.]

Hi I am planning on buying my first band saw soon and I was wandering what the best size saw is for building bows.

[Pat B]

14", 1hp motor and the name Grizzly!  Can't go wrong.   Just .com that and see what they have to offer.        Pat

[Kev K.]

Thanks Pat

[Justin Snyder]

Well Pat is close.  14" for sure, but go with the ShopFox.  It has bearings not cool blocks. Good price too.  Justin

[Marc St Louis]

My 12" delta has been good to me

[DanaM]

I also have the shopfox, about $500 and came with a fence and miter and the roller bearings as Justin said. Good saw for the money!

[Pappy]

I like my 15 in. Sears but I think more than throat depth is the blade length I have one with a
90 in. blade and the bigger one is 111.That give the blade time to cool on big stuff.It really
depends on what you plan to do with it.I cut a lot of big stuff if you plan to do that with it buy the best and biggest you can afford.
   Pappy

[mullet]

  I just got a Rigiid 14",and it works for me.

[Justin Snyder]

OK,  I think you are good with most brands.  I think that 14" is the absolute minimum though.  Justin

[duffontap]

I thought those 12" Deltas that Costco was selling would be great if you kept very sharp blades on them.  I do almost everything on an 11" Shopsmith bandsaw and it works fine with sharp blades and poorly with dull ones.  Grizzly makes a great 14" bandsaw that I think comes in under $390 that has bearings.  I've used it a lot at a friend's shop.  My maintenance shop at work has a 18" Rikon with a 2 hp. motor that's great but totally over-kill for anything I do on bows.  I would go with Justin and others that say 14" is the way to go if you can afford it.  If I had my choice it would probably be a 14 Powermatic--but I clearly don't have a choice.

         J. D.

[Pat B]

And be sure it has a 1hp motor(at least) and not a motor that will produce 1hp. There is a diffeaence.   Pat

[Hillbilly]

Pappy, I noticed that you had one under the shed identical to mine. The ancient Craftsman bandsaw/sander, I think it's 14-15" an d 1/2 horsepower. I bought mine very used for 50 bucks, and I've cut a ton of wood with it. Even wades through osage splits.

[Skeaterbait]

I can't complain about my 12" Craftsman.

[jamie]

justin id love to hear why you would take bearings over blocks.

[Justin Snyder]

justin id love to hear why you would take bearings over blocks.

Many of the lower priced saws have plastic blocks.  All of the blocks wear, except the steel ones, but the plastic ones will wear real fast.  I had to replace the blocks within a couple of months. I had nothing but problems until I purchased the carbon fiber blocks. With the bearings you also don't have to keep adjusting the guides to match the blade.  The bearings also do not rub on the blade and add heat, so the blades last longer.  Justin