Benchtop Bandsaw Recommendations?

[Cartaphilus]

I'm interested in acquiring a small bandsaw to start experimenting with segmented pens. I'd like to be able to cut both wood and acrylic and be able to cut curves as well as straight lines. Any recommendations?

 

[jttheclockman]

Welcome to the forum Alan. I hate doing this all the time because for one thing I do not own one and not a big fan of wood cutting benchtop tools. I understand the room thing but a benchtop will take up as much room as a floor model but sits on top of a bench. They are heavy so you are not moving around and once you set up you do not want to be wracking things by moving them. If you are set on one then the big player in this area is Rikon. They get good reviews. But remember you are limited in what it can do because of the size and components within including the motor. Good luck and these are my thoughts.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WRLZPGV?tag=thetoolgeek09-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1

 

[Cartaphilus]

Thanks very much for the prompt and detailed reply. Normally, I would totally agree with you and I'd opt for a full sized band saw so that I wasn't as limited in what else I might want to do as I'd be with a benchtop. What I didn't say in my post and I should have, however, is that price is a major factor. I simply can't afford a full sized floor model at the moment.

I'll check out the Rikons.

 

[Kenny Durrant]

You mentioned cutting different materials and doing different things. That would be as simple as changing blades. I have a Craftsman just because it was the most cost effective at the time I bought it. It's not precise but it does what I need. Therefore you might also want to check on how easy and quick you can change out the blade.

 

[boatemp]

I have a 9" Delta. I use it a lot more than my 14" for blanks and other small work. It is light enough to move easily (I'm 81 and no problem)a and is pretty accurate. They go for a litlle over 100. A lot of different blades available. There a a few others in the same range. Make sure it has a metal table. Good Luck!

 

[Edgar]

I have a 10" Craftsman that I got many years ago for free. I tried to use it for general purpose sawing such as what you described, but frankly, it's simply not well suited for that task. A few years ago, I bought a floor mount 14" Rikon and don't regret the $1,200 investment one bit. I still have the table top saw, but all I use it for is to cut blanks in two after drilling.

I agree with what JT said - inexpensive bench top bandsaws are not precise, tend to wander, and can be difficult to adjust. The old adage of you get what you pay for definitely holds true, but if it's all you can afford, try to find the best one you can and, like Frank said, be sure it has a metal base. Also, try to check one out in person in a store and have them show you how to change blades & make adjustments to see if you are happy with the procedures.

 

[bsshog40]

I bought this 9" from grizzly. I also was able to get a metal blade for it also as I cut bar metal for my knife guards. Works good.

 

[penicillin]

Do you have space for a floor standing bandsaw? A typical 14 inch bandsaw has a small footprint, but some operations (e.g., rip cuts, some resawing) need space around the bandsaw.

If so, consider buying a used floor standing bandsaw. It may fit your budget and offer more usefulness and versatility.

 

[jeff]

There are a lot of things about bandsaw adjustment that contribute to good cuts, but the most important is correct blade tension. The problem with the small bandsaws is that their frames often aren't beefy enough to allow proper blade tension. You can fiddle forever with guides, but without proper blade tension it's a lost cause. Even some larger saws don't have a frame that allows proper tension on wide blades, but you can get close. I have a 17" floor model, but a couple years ago I bought a Rikon benchtop saw to dedicate for blank cutoffs. I'm pretty experienced adjusting machinery, but I could never get that thing to cut well. Even across a 1" pen blank, the cut was wavy.

If you're determined to try a benchtop saw, use the thinnest blade you can tolerate. You may be able to get proper tension on a 1/8" blade. If the saw doesn't have a tension indicator that you can trust, perhaps consider something like this.

 

[jttheclockman]

Jeff is correct and thus the reason I do not recommend tabletop wood cutting tools. I said woodcutting. I have a tabletop drill press and it is a Delta and highly recommend them. Not much adjusting with a drill press. Those smaller bandsaws and even some of the lighter weight saws are plastic. My brother bought a Delta 9" many years ago and he could not get it to run right at all. IHe asked me to look at it and the biggest problem was the plastic tires. They were crowned too much and the blade would not stay on them. As Jeff said you need to use the smallest blade you can such as a 1/8" That Rikon as is many others are made in China and many times quality control is not their strong suit. They are more a numbers operation. Put out as many as they can.

A properly tuned bandsaw of any kind does take some knowledge and doing. Have a warped wheel or bad bearings and you can tune till the cows come home and you will not get zeroed in. Prope blade tension helps as well as good quality blades. A welded steel frame saw is best to take flex out of saw. There are many things to look for in a good quality bandsaw.

 

[Penchant 4]

Rikon 10". I use two of them. They have all the capacity needed for segmenting writing instruments.

 

[Mrach]

I have the Grizzly G0803z 9in tabletop bandsaw. I set it up per Alex Snodgrass of Carter Tools and have never had a problem with anything I want it to do. You can view Alex's video instructions on You Tube it is a great and informative video on setup for any band saw of any size.

 

[jeporter02]

I have a Ryobi 9" bandsaw that I picked up a while ago specifically for turning. I was living temporarily in a place and figured I only needed something quick and cheap to last me a year, and then I'd probably get rid of it. Otherwise, I'm a big proponent of shelling out the extra cash for a quality tool. Five years later it's still in my garage and gets frequent use. No, it isn't accurate, and if you want to bust out your micrometers and blade tension measuring tools, you'll be sorely disappointed in this Chinese built machine. However, it cuts pen blanks in half really well, takes the corners off my square bowl blanks superbly, dimensions small pieces of wood and resin into pen blanks, recently shaped several Pinewood Derby cars like a pro, and does absolutely everything I've needed it to do. The surface it leaves is totally unsuitable for gluing up, which makes absolutely no difference to me because I'm mounting it on a lathe and turning it down anyway.

If you're in a permanent shop, and can afford a floor model, you should really spring for it. You'll be much happier. Once I settle down (my job has me moving every 2-3 years) and have a permanent shop I plan to get a much nicer floor model. But if all you're doing is cutting wood that never exceeds more than an inch or two, and you don't need a fine surface or laser straight lines, I think you can be happy with a benchtop model.