Band saw opinions / options? I need one.

[JPembleton]

Slowly but surely I am attempting to fill up my garage with tools so my wife can't park the SUV in there. I lack the skill and tools to do really nice work on canoes. Two things I really need are a router and a bandsaw. Skill will come over time.

I don't know much about tools other than the older one are usually better and the cheap ones at the big box stores are not up to the tasks.

In my search for a used bandsaw I came across a 3 wheel Delta (pic below).

In looking for opinions on the web there have been many negatives regarding the 3 wheel design. Does anyone here have experience (good/bad) with this type of band saw? I need one for the same uses as most here. Decks, thwarts, paddles..... hardwood cuts that may be tough on a saw.

Thanks

Jamie

 

[Dan Miller]

Three-wheel bandsaws have two major problems - aligning three wheels can be a headache, and the because the wheels are smaller diameter than a 2-wheel saw, the blade turns a tighter radius, is stressed more, and won't last as long.

You are better off holding out for a decent 14" 2-wheel saw - you won't regret it in the long run. Delta and Jet are the industry standards, and if you can find an older Delta, that would be great. You might also look at the Grizzly and Ridgid. The latter has been getting some favorable comments.

Cheers,
Dan, whose bandsaw is presently 4-hours away and missed greatly!

 

[JPembleton]

Thanks Dan,

I'll likely have to unload one of my canoes to buy a good saw but i'll hold out until I find the right one.

Jamie

 

[chris pearson]

3 wheelers are a disaster!!!! Stay away from them! I think Grizzly is the most bang for the buck for a good 2 wheel bandsaw. I have an older Jet and its pretty cheap. I had to remachine the cast seat on the upper housing that allows the saw guide to go up and down. The lower wheel is also attached with a shotty screw as well. They copied deltas castings, but didnt spend time trueing things up and attending to the details that make a difference.

 

[Rob Stevens]

I used a 3 wheel Delta for the past 5 years, as it was "loaned" to me indefiinitely. The owner has now reclaimed it, and I'm actually glad to see it go.
I did work it pretty hard cutting out 5/4" and 6/4" hardwood paddle blanks and even re-sawing some hardwoods for various uses. It never tracked very well, no matter how well adjusted. One major problem was the small size of the thrust earings. They would overhead and burnout. I did replace the guide bearings with "cool blocks", which helped to keep the blade from overheating and thus getting dull sooner than expected.

I have looked a lot of possible replacements, and my preference is the one with (1 1/2"?) roller bearings instead of guide blocks.

 

[Rob Stevens]

Oh ya, and make sure you pay attention to the quality of the fence -which are usually available/provided. I have spent years cutting with a hardwood (sometimes with half round pivot point) clamped to the table. A quick set fence is a lot easier to position and reset.

 

[Dan Lindberg]

The standard for small shops/homes is the 14" Delta, some of the small saws you see are copies of the Delta. They are readily available and sometimes cheep.

It doesn't take much to replace bearings and re-tire if needed.

Step up's would be either the 14 or 16" Walker Turner, or the 16" Yates American, both are much sturdier saws then the Delta. The W/T 16 is nice as it's really the only small saw that has a 12" resaw.

If you go up to a mid size saw, the 20" Delta is very common, other brands less so.

Though for canoe building you don't realy need a saw larger then the 14, unless you pan to do a LOT of resawing, then the 20 might be better.

But be carefull, old machines propagate just like old canoes, and you might end up with more and larger machines in your shop. I started looking/thinking a 14 Delta, and it grew into a Yates American W16 and then a Moak 36.

Dan

 

[Kevin French]

I've used a small 3 wheel with good results.

Check Craig's list for a Rikon. The 14 & 18" have won a bunch of awards for best saw for the money.

 

[Denis M. Kallery]

Kevin,
I see there is a Walker Turner 14" band saw listed on Ebay right now. Check Walker Turner. It is out your way! I'm a lucky guy with a 16" W.T.
Also if you go to Google Images -type in Walker Turner there may be one listed there. If you type in Band saw there are some there too.
Denis

 

[Kevin French]

Thanks Denis, but I bought a brandy new 18" Rikon a year ago and I'm in bandsaw haven.

 

[Max Peterson]

I've used a number of bandsaws over the years. Most can be made to work OK with attention to detail, modification, and adjustment. That said, I have a 1950's Delta 14" which I will probably never get rid of, and an old Crescent 36" which is rough in appearance but accurate in function. I don't know about the latest round of new developments, but you can usually save lots of money by buying an old (1950's and earlier) cast iron machine and working it over. Almost everything on an old machine is repairable. Plan to stay away from the newer Deltas and their knockoffs. They are not usually worth the trouble. The latest Grizzlys have been given good reviews but an older saw will cost less than half. Even the older two-wheel 12" Sears machines can be made into good saws for everything except the heaviest of re-saw work, and they are frequently available under $150. I have had two used three-wheel versions in the shop over the years. The first was a nightmare to adjust and align. The second came to me well aligned and I never touched it. We used it here as a third saw for roughing out small carvings in Basswood. It worked great for that, but wouldn't be appropriate for anything much heavier. Bandsaws have a small footprint. Buy the largest and heaviest you can afford and put it on a mobile base. There have been dozens of articles written about bandsaws. Check out Fine Woodworking Magazine Nos. 157, 173, and 199 for excellent information about tuning up your new old saw. Finally, while the bandsaw doesn't pose a kickback problem, remember that the bandsaw is the choice of meat cutters. Always be aware of the blade.

 

[Dan Lindberg]

Denis,

A W-T 16 owner, nice saw, I'd like to up grade, from either the Y/A or the Delta but at least here, W-T's are expensive. I was offered one a few weeks ago, but he wanted something in the $800 range, too much for me. Maybe someday. The YA is fine but it is limited to something in the 6-8" height range.

And Max,
good words and a Crescent 36 too, do you know what model and/or year? Any pics? I have to make a RPC before seeing my Moak run, but am really looking forward to it.

Dan

 

[Max Peterson]

Dan,

Lunch time!

I have a 6" riser block on my little Delta and have re-sawn hard maple, ash, etc. 11+" thick with no problem. Just use a fresh, sharp blade of about 3 TPI, go slowly to let the teeth clear the chips. The saw must be tuned up and well adjusted.

My Crescent is the third that I have owned. The first was so long ago I can't remember what it was. The second was a Crescent made in the 1920's with wire cages and babbitt. It had been setting outside for a year before I got it. I cleaned it up, re-poured the lower bearing, painted it International Harvester Red, and used it for a couple of years. It was a real beauty! Some fellow from Minnesota saw it on Wood Web and he now owns it. I miss it and comments it drew from visitors to the shop. The one I have now is actually a better saw but not as charming. It was made sometime after Rockwell bought out Crescent. I don't know much about it except it is serial #80008 and sports a direct-drive 3HP motor that is about the size of your Moak. It is ugly, but works so well that I have never had the need to go in and clean it up. I use is almost every day.

Your Moak looks great! I'm fortunate to have a shop in an Industrial Park. Most of my larger machines run on 3 PH power. I have several friends who run their professional shops with phase converters, however. That opens up the possibility of using really great machines that usually sell at bargain prices. Get that converter up and running. You will be really glad you did it. Also, polish up, fine tune, and paint the saw while you are setting it up. Once it's running you will never get back to do the cosmetics.

Max

 

[Dan Lindberg]

Hi Max,

Yup, lunch time.

Yes, doing the riser on the 14 Delta is what I was going to do originally, but I have a bunch of 3x12 planks that I'm considering resawing into flooring, and thought that would be a bit much for the Delta.

A 20" Delta would work fine but I stumblied onto the Moak and couldn't turn it down. It also has a 3 hp direct driive motor, 600 rpm.

Yes, doing the repair/repaint up front is good advice. I've been lax and now have a garage full of projects, both canoes and machines.

You don't hang out over on the OWWM site by chance do you? Anybody that has fixed up old saws and poored his own babbet just about has to visit there. )

Dan