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Purchasing a new bandsaw

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I need some advice from bowl turners who round heavy thick wet blocks with their bandsaw. I have an old 14" bandsaw and it is fine for the smaller stuff. What I need is a new bandsaw with a wide deck low enough to reach with heavy wet blanks ( example: 19" square x 9" thick ) I need to be able to reach the deck with these heavy blanks and then have a machine that can round these massive wet blanks for turning; other wise, I feel about beat to death after rounding and preparing these huge pieces for coring after chainsawing them somewhat round. expense is of course a factor, but I expect to pay for a good machine. Just need to hear from a few of you other minor bowl production turners. Thanks
 
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I built an extension table the same height as the bandsaw table that I can clamp to it. It makes it much easier to cut a bigger blank on my 14 inch Grizzly. Another thing I did it change the belt to the low speed pulley to help with the bogging down problem. As far as getting the wood up to the saw, I use my hand truck to swing it up off the ground then its a deadlift from there.
 
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Horsepower and a suitable blade are critical for cutting thick bowl blanks. Save your money until you can purchase a bandsaw with a lot of horsepower. I have a MiniMax 16 with 4.8 hp motor. It cuts thick bowl blanks with ease. - John
 
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Bandsaw tables are pretty bad, most being way too small, and in general designed to cut curved forms rather than log blanks. This means that unless you build extension tables (outfeed table, and wider away from the blade, an infeed table gets in the way, but you could make a small extension) you have to support the blanks. I have a Laguna 16HD with a 4.5 hp Baldor motor. I can slice one side/face of a blank flat first, and then slab them up with ease. I use a 1 1/4 by 3/4 inch apart teeth for slabbing. That blade isn't too good for cutting rounds, but you can nibble down the edges pretty well. With the chainsaw chopsaw (there is a video) I built. I seldom cut slabs on my bandsaw any more, and just use it for rounding off corners. These bandsaws are in the $3,000 range, but worth every penny. Depends on how much you are going to use it. Getting slab sides parallel is huge in time saved from roughing. More so than cutting circles.

robo hippy
 

hockenbery

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I have a Laguna 16HD too great saws.

My saw has a nice sized table. But for big heavy blanks

A valuable tool in my shop is a hydraulic table. It is a flatbed cart where to top elevates to with a foot pump connected to the hydraulics.

The table get a little lower than my hand truck so easy to move wood to the table top from the hand truck.
Pump it up Levek with the bandsaw table lock the wheels and I have a Huge auxullary table for the band saw.

Clamp 2x4s to the top and the blank have be elevated to mount it in the lathe.
 

john lucas

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I also have a 16" minimax. It replaced my 14" Delta with riser block. It is so much easier to control the wood on that thing. I purchased mine used which ideally would be the way to get one. We have a 16" Jet at the shop where the club meets. It makes more noise when running than my Minimax but seems to work just fine.
 
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I have similar questions as Breck, however I have just purchased the new 18" jet bandsaw. My questions would be more directed to the extension tables some of you all have mentioned. Does anyone have any pictures of their setups?
 
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watch Craig list and be prepared to travel....there are some big machines out there....a shop teacher had one that went begging in his estate.....I just do not do that big of stuff.....I will see Terry the 13th.....he may know who got it.....19 x 9 no problem
 
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I appreciate all the replies guys, seems the wisdom I am getting is to save up enough to get a serious bandsaw. I would love it if a couple of you gentlemen who have built a wooden extension table for your bandsaw could post a few pictures like Dusty wanted also. By the way the reason I wanted a better bandsaw is more horse HP and a table large enough to put a block on and cut the blank round. At the present time all my heavy and very large blanks are rounded by cutting off the corners with my chainsaw.
 
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it's not to hard building a bandsaw table.....I found plans somewhere on internet......bought bandsaw @ estate sale and added riser arm.....it's offbrand Asian machine.....I think the arm was a delta model.....it fit.....it cuts dry wood better than wet.....and the thicker pieces sometimes are not straight.....did this when I first started turning.....scared me one time....did not use for good while......think things out before you start.......makes a great place for odds before you need to put them away so you can use it....used 1 inch plywood
 

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john lucas

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Yea my 16" Mini max has a pretty good table but it needs an extension. I like to resaw logs into longer thicker stock like 6x6x24" etc. Very hard to do by your self. I'm going to make a table extension that swings down when not in use. I also think while I am doing that I will add about 6" to the width of my table to more easily handle rounding larger blanks. I have the angle iron to build it it. I want it to be easily removable so I'm going to build the parts that fasten to the saw with angle iron and may build the fold up legs out of it also.
 
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You could always start off with a large 24" x 24" piece of plywood or aluminum and bolt it down
to the bandsaw table and build whatever fences and guides from there.
 
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That is an amazing find Olaf

it's not to hard building a bandsaw table.....I found plans somewhere on internet......bought bandsaw @ estate sale and added riser arm.....it's offbrand Asian machine.....I think the arm was a delta model.....it fit.....it cuts dry wood better than wet.....and the thicker pieces sometimes are not straight.....did this when I first started turning.....scared me one time....did not use for good while......think things out before you start.......makes a great place for odds before you need to put them away so you can use it....used 1 inch plywood

Matthias Wendell. A bit of a Shade tree genius, has full plans here
https://woodgears.ca/bandsaw/build.html

I’m not that ambitious but it’s a great read.
 
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it's not to hard building a bandsaw table.....I found plans somewhere on internet......bought bandsaw @ estate sale and added riser arm.....it's offbrand Asian machine.....I think the arm was a delta model.....it fit.....it cuts dry wood better than wet.....and the thicker pieces sometimes are not straight.....did this when I first started turning.....scared me one time....did not use for good while......think things out before you start.......makes a great place for odds before you need to put them away so you can use it....used 1 inch plywood
We may all know this but others reading posts may not---when cutting wet wood you need a blade intended for that purpose . I use a 3TPI skip tooth that at local industrial supplier makes up for about $9 each. They do not last as long as the Timberwolf but I come out ahead financially. Also Highland has a nice woodturners blade.
 
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Breck , as far as the lifting there is an answer. Harbor Freight has an electric hoist that handles 400/800 lb. works off of 110v. I bought one several years ago never have used it in that form. I'm going to make a frame to attach this so I can lift into the back of truck via an inverter and then when I get home I can plug into wall and unload. Still have to figure out how I'm going to get it to work in garage.
 
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Breck...I talked to Terry last night....he said the new owner of the residence had no use for the bandsaw....this was several years ago that Mr. Lane died.....I stopped by the place this morning and got no response at the door.....I will check back periodically and see if the bandsaw is still there.....its a hoss and easily do 9 inches thick.
 
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HFT lift 400/800 costing less that a bowl gouge, is a no brainer. I mounted mine on the ceiling a foot behind the lathe bed. The blanks are raised to lathe bed level and then nudged on the bed with my belly!

A few years ago, I had an old oak tree taken down on my property yielding some huge blanks that were prepared for me by the tree surgeon. I had a big one about 25 x25 x 6 stored near the lathe. Estimate weight of that very green oak around 160 lbs. I could not lift it and my 14inch jet bandsaw couldn’t support it. Yet I did get the blank cut on the band saw to a nice 22” blank to turn on my 2436! Thank you harbor freight. Since this is a bandsaw thread, I don’t mine saying that I avoided the urge to purchase a bigger, more powerful saw to handle those occasional monster blanks.

39A09017-A8D2-4127-979A-0E9636C119C7.jpeg


Albert Einstein: “Excellence is doing a common thing in an uncommon way”
 
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john lucas

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Dennis what a great idea. You should send this to the editor of American Woodturner for inclusion in the tips section. I'm sure Josh would love it. Joshua Friend <editor@woodturner.org>
 
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Breck , as far as the lifting there is an answer. Harbor Freight has an electric hoist that handles 400/800 lb. works off of 110v. I bought one several years ago never have used it in that form. I'm going to make a frame to attach this so I can lift into the back of truck via an inverter and then when I get home I can plug into wall and unload. Still have to figure out how I'm going to get it to work in garage.
Bill that is a great idea thanks!
 
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HFT lift 400/800 costing less that a bowl gouge, is a no brainer. I mounted mine on the ceiling a foot behind the lathe bed. The blanks are raised to lathe bed level and then nudged on the bed with my belly!

A few years ago, I had an old oak tree taken down on my property yielding some huge blanks that were prepared for me by the tree surgeon. I had a big one about 25 x25 x 6 stored near the lathe. Estimate weight of that very green oak around 160 lbs. I could not lift it and my 14inch jet bandsaw couldn’t support it. Yet I did get the blank cut on the band saw to a nice 22” blank to turn on my 2436! Thank you harbor freight. Since this is a bandsaw thread, I don’t mine saying that I avoided the urge to purchase a bigger, more powerful saw to handle the occasional monster blanks.

View attachment 24218


Albert Einstein: “Excellance is doing a common thing in an uncommon way”
Thanks Dennis great idea
 
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I'm very pleased with my Laguna 14BX. It replaced my 12" Delta with a riser block, sounds like you might want something bigger though.

Let us know how this ends up.
 
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Earlier this year found a Minimax 16 on Craig's List, for $100 more than a Laguna 14 BX. Lots of power, and put a 1/2" x 2 tpi Timber Wolf blade on it, and cuts large wet blanks very well. Just found out that the premier saw sharpening fellow in town also can make custom length blades, so that I can save the shipping on new blades. If you are patient, you can find well made quality tools previously owned for a very reasonable price if you have a way to get them home.
 
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I have a Laguna 14 SUV bandsaw with a 3hp motor. The table is 35 3/4" high and 16" X 20" in size. I can cut wood to slightly thicker than 14" with the right blade and without forcing the wood. The proper blade for bowl blanks is 3/8" X 3 tpi hook blade. Highland makes an excellent Wet Wood bowl blade
 
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Breck, you can spend a lot of money on a band saw but unless you doing a bunch of re sawing the min max and the like are a bit expensive. That being said, if you find a used one for the money go for it.
I'm getting ready to buy the grizz 514 and add a extension table ( shop made) to it for cutting rounds. 12 inches tall is tall enough for me. Under 2000 and I have been able to cut 1/16 verniers with my grizz 555 after a good tune up. Cutting rounds is as straight forward as it gets, just need power and 3 hp is enough. Make a jig, this will do two things it will make your rounds much more true and keep the wet off of a majority of the cast table. Just make sure you clean the BS after cutting a bunch of green wood.
I do some hand wood working to and I figure if I want to do a bunch of re sawing I would look at the laguna or the newer grizz 14x14 when the time comes. then I have two and can keep the set ups and I have spend less than a 20in minmax.
On the other subject the table lift thing is one of those things you will never regret purchasing, the winch you might, plus you have to mount it and make sure your set up is nice and strong. then you have to have a way to attach the wood to the winch etc. with the table lift you put on your wood low and raise it with your foot right where you want it.

Just my two cents worth.
 
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It seems there are a number of great ideas from this one forum topic. I seem to keep going back to the laguna 3hp type bandsaw. I really like the ceramic guide blocks because I have always had trouble with my grizzly wheel type guides even to the point of replacing both upper and lower and even then they refuse to stay in alignment when using thick wet wood it seems. I really wish I could get a good method of holding slabs for cutting the corners off with my chainsaw easily then my bandsaw would be only for smaller and drier stuff.
 

Bill Boehme

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It seems there are a number of great ideas from this one forum topic. I seem to keep going back to the laguna 3hp type bandsaw. I really like the ceramic guide blocks because I have always had trouble with my grizzly wheel type guides even to the point of replacing both upper and lower and even then they refuse to stay in alignment when using thick wet wood it seems. I really wish I could get a good method of holding slabs for cutting the corners off with my chainsaw easily then my bandsaw would be only for smaller and drier stuff.

With any good bandsaw, the bearing type guides should stay in perfect alignment. Maybe the Grizzly doesn't have good guides.

I have tried ceramic guides, but I much prefer the phenolic guides. Actually, you can use most any very hard wood for guides. I like teak. The nice thing about wooden guides is that you can embed the whole blade in the guides, teeth and all. That works especially well when you are using a very small blade.

I also agree with Paul's recommendation about the Carter guides. I have then on my Minimax MM16. The ones that I have give me the flexibility of using the bearing guides or ceramic or phenolic or wood.
 
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If you want to cut slabs into octagons, best way is to lay it flat, then make sure the teeth on the side of the bar are into the wood. From the handle end, the teeth are on the fight side, so you have to cut going around from the left side/clockwise. If you try the other way, as soon as the chain hits the wood, the slab spins and you can't cut. If you do a good job of cutting parallel sides to the slab, rounding on a bandsaw is faster than rounding on the lathe.

Paul, I never had any problems with the ceramic guides. About 15 years now. I may need to replace the thrust bearings/guide on the back sides of the blades, but other than that, I prefer them to the roller bearings. They never get any wood sludge build up on them. If I am cutting up a lot of Madrone, it is very sticky, and I get a lot of build up on both the blade and wheels to the point that if I don't clean it off and come back out the next day to continue, some times the saw is bound up and won't spin...

robo hippy
 
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If I ever get a piece of Madrone that has to be cut on my bandsaw, I'll surely keep your comments in mind. Thanks for the info.
 
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Yes, I replaced the ceramic guides that came with my 14SUV Laguna bandsaw with the ones that Carter sells for it. Give them a call and they'll walk you through the process of getting the upgrade kit specifically for your brand and model.
 
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