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Bob,

My go-to saw is my MM16 Bandsaw.

I don't use my 10" table saw very much, but when I do use it I ALWAYS use a sled and anchor the piece to be cut with hold-down clamps in 'T' slots on the sled. It turns my cheap table saw into a much more accurate tool and is much safer than using a fence and getting my hands near the blade. I took the fence off the saw and have not had it on for a few years. (much safer)

My Dad passed away in 2011 and I got his 4" hobby Dremel table saw. I made a small sled for it and tuned it up, and added dust collection. It is very accurate and safe to quickly cut small pieces of wood quickly (I really like sleds.). I also swap out the saw blade and put in a 4" cut-off grinding wheel and cut steel with it. Very handy.

Ed

My go-to saw is usually the table saw. It is so versatile i think I could do away with all the others. Tight curves could be a challenge, but a jigsaw could handle that. I suppose if I were only building guitars the bandsaw would move closer to the top.
I currently have 3 table saws, 4 sliding compound saws ,2 bandsaws, 1 chop saw and 1 scroll saw, plus a dozen or so hand held electrics and at least 10 handsaws.
Don' t tell my wife!

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My memory is so good, sometimes I remember things that never happened.

I got done with jigsaws a while ago because while it's useful for some things it can't really cut anything thicker than 1.5". The only thing the bandsaw falls short on is inside cuts...

As for those 3 wheel saws... yes while they will probably do a good job cutting thin 1/8" thick woods plywood really eats blades for breakfast. Not to mention if you ever try to cut a scarf joint the blade will dull almost instantly. Like I said it won't handle any blade thicker than .014" because anything more and the blade will break. Even 2 wheeled 10" bandsaws can only run blades of up to .020" (woodslicers) since the .025" blade I tried ended up breaking in minutes. Lenox Diemaster lasted longer at 6 months but I suspect it's due to the more flexible steel they use.

_________________
Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

I am think I have narrowed my search down to these 2 bandsaws.

Laguna 14" Bandsaw, 3 HP Leeson Motor

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2083658/35880/Laguna-14-Bandsaw-3-HP-Leeson-Motor-LT14-SUV.aspx

or

Rikon 18" 2.5 HP Bandsaw

http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2005220/17458/rikon-18-25-hp-bandsaw.aspx

Anyone have either one?

Any regrets?


The Laguna is only a 14" saw but has a 14" resaw capacity and a 3 hp motor.

The Rikon 18 is only 2-1/2 hp and only has a 12" resaw capacity

Both are the same price, both seem to have benefits and drawbacks so I am interested in hearing if anyone has either one.

I thought about the Grizzly but with only a couple of distributors in the USA I have read bad things about getting parts or service (so that one is out).

Thanks for any input you may have.

Cheers,
Bob

Guys, I have what might be considered a stupid question. Most people in this thread recommended not getting a 9" band saw, and that a 14" would be much better.

I may not be thinking this through properly, but I'm not coming up with a lot of guitar building situations where a 9" would not work. I'm not a very experienced band saw operator, so like I said I might be missing something.

Thing is I've found a few brand new with warranties for under $200 and that's a price range I could afford. It would be my first band saw, and in a few years maybe I'll be at a point where I can both afford and justify spending more money.

I'd appreciate some advice. Can I get away with the 9" to start?


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Depends what you wish to do with it. Forget about cutting a scarf joint. You are asking it to cut in the region of 2 to 3". Whilst it might do it it's also likely that it could also struggle a lot. Not only that but you can cut a scarf joint with a hardpoint handsaw in less than a minute. I see these saws as being OK for a cheap alternative to the Proxxon mini table saw that's being discussed on the other thread. The difference being that the stock will need a touch of clean up after cutting on the bandsaw. The advantage it has over the mini table saw is it's ability to do curved cuts. I had a 3 wheel version (similar size saw) and virtually always used it for material that was 1/2" and under.
You should be able to find a used one in very condition at just about half that price. Providing it's set up very well and you limit yourself to THIN stock it should be OK. When you get bored of it or wish to upgrade you can then sell it. You shouldn't lose more than a few dollars. That's the beauty of buying used equipment in good condition. The first buyer takes most of the hit.

Thanks, Michael.

I was really thinking mainly of cutting spruce brace wood. As for the Proxxon mini table saw, there seem to be some pretty mixed reviews about those. The band saws I've been looking at are the same price as the Proxxon 37006. Would you recommend that over a 9" band saw?

Justin, sure you can get away with it but it will limit you in terms of power, blade width and, likely, smoothness of cutting as it is not likely a well machined tool. I had a 10" bandsaw for a while and soon regretted not getting a more substantial, heavier machine. Now I own a Delta 14" with six inch riser and love it. I am thinking about getting a small bench top bandsaw where I can leave a 1/4 blade on it for tight turns and dedicate the larger bandsaw with a wider blade for heavier work...I really dislike changing blades back and forth.

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Doug

Don't let fear or common sense stop you from trying to build something

Not to mention unless you only cut paper thin stocks your blade will last about 2 weeks because the special blades that often comes with 9" saws are made of unhardened spring steel. Anything harder and the blade will break.

_________________
Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

Cutting spruce is extremely easy. Seriously, a decent Jetcut or Japanese Kataba will whizz through it in minutes. Probably not that much slower than a Bandsaw. Unless you are intent on making more than say a few Guitars per year I wouldn't bother with a Bandsaw or a table saw. These machines save you time when cutting up a fair amount of material or when you have multiple tasks. Nearly everything can be bought to near finished dimensions - Soundboards, Backs, Sides, Necks, Banding, Fretboards, Bridges. There's not a lot left for a Bandsaw or table saw to do. If you are intent on processing your own wood or have 10 fretboards (for example) to prep there's not a lot to gain. If you are making herringbone or some other inlay that requires a lot of accurate repetitive cuts then perhaps it's a different matter.

I have a 10" Delta that is indispensable. I use timberwolf blades on it and it behaves like a real bandsaw and I can re-saw about 4" stock quite easily. I also have an 18" I just bought for re-sawing but the 10" sees most of the work. If I had to do it all over again I might buy a 14" heavy duty saw that could do everything but having a smaller band saw is a very nice addition to the shop and a 'go to' saw for many many tasks.

The blades make all the difference in the world. Before I tried the timberwolf blades I was thinking if giving it away, it was near worthless. But the new blades turn it into a real useful tool.

Also use my Bosch contractor table saw for many other tasks. I know others don't use a table saw but I do a lot of different things with mine.

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Thank You and Best To All

I've got Timberwolf blades on my 10" Delta and they last a long time and cut great. A 9" saw is a different animal but I'm surprised how versatile the 10" saw with a good blade can be.

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Thank You and Best To All

My go to saw is a 12in older craftsman with a 5 tooth rip blade purchased for $30 off craigslist.It needed a $20 quality belt after 1 year of use .This saw does almost every shop job .I have another 12in sears with a resaw blade, and another scmi 18 in with a trimaster resaw blade. Despite their low price and lowly status.I find these BS easy to use , easy to set up, easy to repair and easy on the wallet. I/m considering buying a third sears 12in one if I can find one locally. .I currently have 5 BS.

Do you think the Japanese Kataba would work well when trying to cut brace wood? The wood I got from RC Tonewoods was 2"x1"x22" and I'm wondering if there would be any issues trying to saw through 22" of wood and keep it straight compared to using a band saw and a fence.

I like the idea! $55 is WAY easier on my budget.

It should be easy to saw to a line at that thickness. You'll need to have some method of holding it rigid. Vice is the usual method. Just saw to a pencil line. Pretty easy, if you let the saw do the work. Use a pistol grip, with the index finger pointing down the blade.
This Stanley 'toolbox' saw should be good.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stanley-15-Shar ... 25889c9aad

Despite the price they are pretty good. I think they are called a Stanley Fatmax fine finish saw here in the UK. I have a small 15" version. You can get them much longer but the toolbox saw is a handy size. They are a hardpoint ,so once it's blunt it's a throwaway. They cut similar to Japanese saws. Should be fairly fast and easy. Cutting Spruce with it and you should get a decade out of it! The only downside is that the kerf is a bit wide at around 1.3 mm's but you are hardly losing a huge amount of material. The same saw will cut a scarf joint and crosscut Neck material. Not a lot to dislike considering the price. Just don't 'force' these types of saws because the teeth are hard and brittle.

Just remember that handsawing takes some skill and requires an extreme amount of endurance. You WILL get very tired just cutting ONE brace! Sharp saw and good set helps reduce the amount of stamina needed but it is still tiring. It's amazing how people do stuff back in the day.

_________________
Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

Endurance!!! What? For cutting a 2" piece of Spruce?
OMG. I wouldn't want you in the trenches with me, that's for sure.
This is what you call real men. Obviously don't make them like that anymore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb_YNZn_kaQ

After watching this Tai you are excused. You can go lie down for an hour or so!

I don't mind the time or effort spent using a hand tool to complete a job. My concern was all about how straight of a cut I can easily make with the Kataba. Thanks for the advice guys.

Check out this 10" Craftsman. Yes it's only 10" and no it won't re-saw 14" Coco bolo and everyone who recommends a much larger saw is absolutely correct but my Delta 10" has been a great tool with the proper blade.

This lowly Craftsman with a nice timberwolf blade (they make ANY custom size) will serve you very very well as you begin your tool collection. In the future when you need to upgrade, keep it for smaller work and you never have to change blades on your larger saw for smaller tasks. $199 and you're in the guitar business.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-1-3-hp-3 ... 921400000P

_________________
Thank You and Best To All

For hand tool ripping I have a japanese large kataba rip blade . I compared it to a german 28in frame/bow saw 5 pt rip blade . an the german saw is more accurate and much faster . IMHO the japanese saws were mostly designed for cutting softwoods, wheras the german bowsaw with the 1.5in blade is primarily used for x cutting and ripping hdwds. I have the 10 in craftsman and they can be bought on sale for $159. IT/S A clone of the rikon 10in and good for luthiery and small work.

Thanks Larry and Ernie.

I had seen that Craftsman and have always had good luck with any tool of theirs I've owned. That may be the way I go. Either way, I can always grab a hand saw of any type and give that a try.