Band Saw Horsepower

[David Cosentino]

I'm planning on finally treating my self to a band saw specifically for cutting bowl blanks and resawing. The question is, what horsepower do I need? I'm looking at 14 inch band saws. Can I get away with 1 horsepower, or will I regret it. Trying to save some $$

I have a 14" Jet with a 6" riser. This gives me an 11 depth. The 1 HP. motor barely gets it done with a fresh blade. I would suggest one with a larger motor.

 

[John K Jordan]

I have a 14" Jet with a 6" riser. This gives me an 11 depth. The 1 HP. motor barely gets it done with a fresh blade. I would suggest one with a larger motor.

You might insure your saw is aligned and the tension is right. Those and the wrong blade can make sawing thick stock difficult or impossible. As I mentioned earlier, I used an ‘80s/‘90s era 14” Delta with a cast iron frame and a 6” riser for years to resaw boards and process green log sections into turning blanks. That saw could handle 12” wet or dry stock with ease. I learned a lot from Mark Duginske’s book and one by Lonnie Bird, as well as the Itura Design docs.

To make the saw work I had to 1) align the saw, 2) replace a weak tension bracket, and 3) install a stronger tension It took me several years to sort this out. The low saw HP limited only the sawing speed.

I quickly learned that, assuming a sharp-sharp-sharp blade appropriate for the wood thickness, insufficient tension could be the biggest problem. And tension marks and indicator needles on EVERY bandsaw I’ve checked were way off, according to my tension gauge. (I use a Starrett but many have rigged up accurate gauges using digital calipers, a couple of small clamps, and some pieces of wood. It’s not rocket science, just measurement and math.) I’ve used my Starrett to “recalibrate” the tension indicators on friend’s lathes. I think every woodturning club should buy one to loan to members. They are easy to use.

I now use a larger saw with more HP, but still, the saw alignment, blade, sharpness, and tension have to be right.

JKJ

 

[Steve Tiedman]

Is 7.5hp enough? And the blade is 19' long. Rockler probably doesn't stock those blades...

Used Tannewitz 36" GH Band Saw, 1984, 7.5HP, 3PH, 19' 5" Blade, Foot Brake, Auxiliary Table for Sale at John G Weber Co Inc

Tannewitz 36" GH Band Saw, 1984, 7.5HP, 3PH, 19' 5" Blade, Foot Brake, Auxiliary Table 35.5” throat capacity, balanced wheels 1/8”-1 ¼” blade width. 19.5’ blade length, 7.5 Hp direct drive. 36’ x 37’ cast iron table, Table tilt 45 degree right – 5...

www.johngweber.com

Other bandsaws at this site, catering to industrial users. That said, some prices are on par with prices some turners here pay for lathes.

$4500 will get you 3hp with a 20" wheel. And this is the small model from this manufacturer.

CANTEK 20″ BANDSAW - 3HP - HB500R

CANTEK 20″ BANDSAW - 3HP - HB500R Product Description Industrial design for every day bandsawing. The Cantek HB500R 20″ Bandsaw incorporates a robust design with economical price point. With its industrial cast iron wheels and table assembly it can handle any job. With its powerful 3HP motor...

www.alpinetechco.com

Want to spend some serious cash on a serious bandsaw? Look up Northfield brand bandsaws, built in Northfield, MN.

 

[John K Jordan]

In the college woodworking shop in the late '60s I used a bandsaw with a 20' blade. The machine was massive. All their biggest machines used 3-phase motors. It can be a effort to set up to use 3-phase motors without 3-phase coming into the shop.

There are Lennox bandsaw blade shops all over the country. I use a local one to make all my blades. Just take in an old blade if needed for him to measure. Sometimes he'll make blades as I wait. Sometimes I order a 100' length of blade stock and he makes it all into blades for me. My saw uses 11'10" blades. For most of my use, 1/2" 3tpi blades are perfect.

 

[Michael Brown]

I have a Jet 18" with a 1 1/2 hp motor. Not powerful enough. I intend to put a 3 hp or possibly a 5 hp motor on it. If 2" was the thickest material I cut it would be fine as is. It will do up to 12" thick.

I have the jwbs-18 3hp 220v...
I resawed and crosscut a 15.5" mesquite log. It was amazing. I got 7 blanks out of it.

3hp is plenty, I wouldn't say no to 5hp from 1.75, but I wouldn't upgrade my 3hp.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

Is 7.5hp enough? And the blade is 19' long. Rockler probably doesn't stock those blades...

Used Tannewitz 36" GH Band Saw, 1984, 7.5HP, 3PH, 19' 5" Blade, Foot Brake, Auxiliary Table for Sale at John G Weber Co Inc

Tannewitz 36" GH Band Saw, 1984, 7.5HP, 3PH, 19' 5" Blade, Foot Brake, Auxiliary Table 35.5” throat capacity, balanced wheels 1/8”-1 ¼” blade width. 19.5’ blade length, 7.5 Hp direct drive. 36’ x 37’ cast iron table, Table tilt 45 degree right – 5...

www.johngweber.com

Other bandsaws at this site, catering to industrial users. That said, some prices are on par with prices some turners here pay for lathes.

$4500 will get you 3hp with a 20" wheel. And this is the small model from this manufacturer.

CANTEK 20″ BANDSAW - 3HP - HB500R

CANTEK 20″ BANDSAW - 3HP - HB500R Product Description Industrial design for every day bandsawing. The Cantek HB500R 20″ Bandsaw incorporates a robust design with economical price point. With its industrial cast iron wheels and table assembly it can handle any job. With its powerful 3HP motor...

www.alpinetechco.com

Want to spend some serious cash on a serious bandsaw? Look up Northfield brand bandsaws, built in Northfield, MN.

If I were in the market, I would find this one hard to pass on.

 

[Richard Newman]

Is 7.5hp enough? And the blade is 19' long. Rockler probably doesn't stock those blades...

Used Tannewitz 36" GH Band Saw, 1984, 7.5HP, 3PH, 19' 5" Blade, Foot Brake, Auxiliary Table for Sale at John G Weber Co Inc

Tannewitz 36" GH Band Saw, 1984, 7.5HP, 3PH, 19' 5" Blade, Foot Brake, Auxiliary Table 35.5” throat capacity, balanced wheels 1/8”-1 ¼” blade width. 19.5’ blade length, 7.5 Hp direct drive. 36’ x 37’ cast iron table, Table tilt 45 degree right – 5...

www.johngweber.com

I had one of these for many years, they are really great saws! I did a lot of resawing with it, but with the 880rpm direct drive motor, the blade was really going way too fast, blades didn't last long, especially in rosewood or ebony, around 9000 fpm. When I first got the saw, the Lenox field rep came by to advise me, and said 3000 fpm would be a more appropriate speed. Now I'm using a 20" Powermatic 81, 5hp. Works just fine, but I have a lot of rosewood to resaw and I'm going to fit it with a vfd to enable slowing it down.

Also, if anyone wants a 36" Tanny, they go much cheaper at auction, often under $1K