Re: About band saws


"SBH" <Meanie.Brat@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:a856c326-0c1f-41c3-994c-55be79fbcbcb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Just curious about the dimension of band saws. When a band saw is
listed as a 10, 11, 12 inch and so on, are they referring to the depth
of the blade to the back of the unit or something else? Does the
height play a role in that dimension? What should I look for in a band
saw?

Thank you

Commonly on a 2 wheel saw the numbers represent the approximate width of cut
capacity/wheel diameter.
Height is not a factor in the description measurement.

What do you want to do with your band saw? Cut veneer, simple cuts,
occasional cuts, resawing?

What I would look for in a saw, Balanced cast iron wheels. Ceramic
Guides. Ample HP. Quiet operation.

I bought a 12" Craftsman Band Saw with 1/2 hp in 1983 and occasionally used
it. In early 2006 I "thought I was upgrading" to a Rikon 18" BS. The Rikon
was an improvement but I was far from satisfied with my $900 purchase. I
returned the saw after 2 weeks. About 3 months later my Laguna LT16HD saw
arrived and I am very pleased although the cost was about 2.5 times more
than the Rikon. I feel the Laguna is a better value for my money.

IMHO something important to look for is the ease of changing the blades and
adjusting the guides. The Craftsman and the Rikon were a royal PIA compared
to the Laguna. For different cutting operations blades need to be changed.
The correct blade makes sawing a lot more enjoyable and being able to change
blades and adjust the guides quickly and with out it being a hassle
encourages using the correct blade.


.

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