Introducing the Bandsaw | Paul Sellers
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- čas přidán 7. 09. 2024
- Paul introduces the bandsaw as an extra tool to free up time and energy to focus on hand tool woodworking. He goes over the uses of a bandsaw and the features that he looks for when acquiring one.
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You're the last person that needs to explain himself Paul, you're a master and an inspiration to so many woodworkers. The fact is that we know you can do it with or without power tools. If you choose to use them for any reason it's alright by me. Love your videos and wish you all the best.
Wish I could like this 10x
Well said!!!!
I am a beginner woodworker. I have almost exclusively learned it from your clips. Introduction of bandsaw is a new chapter.
My question is “ As you have setup the workshop for a small space and small budget woodworking. What bandsaw would you recommend for people like me? A £1700 bandsaw is very difficult to justify for hobbyists.
Thank you.
An indispensable tool. No detraction from the hand tool mentality, just a time saver. Excited to see you incorporate it in the projects.
This is just to confirm that you can learn something almost anytime if you only pay attention, sometimes from an unexpected source. Already have a bandsaw, Grizzly G0513X2 and it has proven to be more than adequate for my needs. I watched this video, primarily out of curiosity, to get your take on this power tool and saw a solution to a problem that I did not know I had. My dust collection had a "Y" in it but I had put the "Y" right up at the intake on the collector. This meant I was running two full lengths of hose along with the associated loss of suction. After watching your video, with the "Y" at the back of the saw, I almost ran out to my shop to change my setup. It even looks better.
Thank you for the help.
When I saw new videos of Paul Seller's. I become a child and I'm just as happy as watching Captain Cousteau's new adventures.Cheers from Turkey...
Ha ha....Paul it's old age, I have been sawing wood with hand saws for last 55years or so, now can't. So now making a band saw, planning is still easy. 73 now. Wood and metal works are my passions. Like making tools. I love vintage tools.
Paul, I remember watching your videos religiously when I first started woodworking, and I wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn't for your videos. I was a hand tool only woodworker, and I said to myself I would never buy a power tool, but one day I decided furniture making is something that I would love to do for a living, and so I got some tools that made my dimensioning a whole lot faster so that I could get into the "fun" stuff a whole lot faster. It's something that I don't regret. When you save time on dimensioning it unlocks things that you couldn't do before in a reasonable amount of time. It did, however, hurt my pride just a smidge lol. Thanks for the videos Paul!
Well said! PS - as creepy as it may seem, I love the stuff you put up on instagram. Nice work mate!
@@benfox9382 Not creepy at all! thanks for the kind words!
Having moved away from machines (not really tools at all in my view), I doubt I would ever go back to them, not just because of the massive footprint they take (even with wheels on), as much because I have left that world behind and I won't allow such invasive methods in my life again. Also, I don't need to use mass-making equipment to make beautiful things. You see for me it is the process that matters as much as the end result and I really don't care how long `i take to makes something. Had I machines as you speak of back there I would find it all too easy to turn the machine on and, in my view again, become undisciplined. I know my way is not for everyone and as you say such power equipment does save time, but my following want this alternative you see. I hate what machines do to my working environment. It's a creative space you seer. `an environment i have striven for. And it is not just air pollution, and it does pollute if you don't have the highest regard to extract it, but all of the other pollutions too, eye pollution, noise pollution and so on. Most people with machines are constantly thinking about safety. Let's not just ignore that. Then there is the other pollution to the inner senses of which there are 20 more than the five we acknowledge. It's more a gut thing as much as anything else.
@@Paul.Sellers I can completely agree with you! I find myself rushing things that before I would have never rushed, and I lose the reason that I do woodworking in the first place! Because I love making beautiful furniture. Safety is huge, it's so easy to run your fingers over the blade of a table saw, and then your future is greatly altered. Using hand tools has a certain sense of appreciation for your work. Thanks for the comment Paul! Love what you do!
I find that if you restrict your selection of tools. Ether from power tools or handtools you restrict your abilities. I totally was that guy that wouldn't do anything with handtools. I can admit it. I would look at a plane and say who would use that???
Now the No4 is more often on my bench than in my drawer. It's just the right tool so why stop myself from using it. I have no better tool to get my wood dimentioned than the jointer and planer and tablesaw. Guess what I will not restrict that ether. I have them.
I can't say that I ever lost that love of looking at the simpleness piece when it's done. It's the repetitive grind of making 20 identical benches that I do not love from doing this for a living. but when each is finished I do admire it every time and I think this is the best I have done so far.
I’ve been digging around a week or so to see what if any machines Paul uses to dimension lumber. I found in previous blogs that the bandsaw is key. Since I have a nice stack of 6/4 & 7/4 oak that is 20 years old and needs re-sawing, I added the bandsaw to my saved searches in Craigslist. A great deal on a Grizzly g0513 popped up and I made the scary plunge of emailing the owner. This would be my biggest tool purchase ever. Turns out, the owner has taken very good care of it and is giving a very reasonable deal, including being willing to deliver it! I am supposed to see it later today. Last night I used my MasterClass membership to search for any videos about bandsaws and found this one! It was uploaded to CZcams after I went to sleep! Feels like a sign! Can’t wait to see that band saw this afternoon and finally use that stack of old oak that has been in my garage for six months. I’ve always viewed Paul sellers as my main woodworking teacher, and I can’t wait to make more projects under his guidance. I’m so thankful that I stumbled into his videos a year or two ago. Thanks, Paul and crew. Ignore any haters out there. Y’all (I’m from Tennessee!) are the best woodworking lesson providers anywhere, hands down. Cheers to you.
This man is an international treasure.
Thank you for the bandsaw discussion and the features to look for. I am sure my wood working experience is not as extensive as most of your viewers. For me the power tools are for stock preparation since getting closely dimensioned material is not always available or desirable and I can use the power tools to get good stock out of live edge or salvaged material. But when it gets to the point that you begin fitting joints and final dimensioning your material, there is nothing more satisfying than the sound of a hand plane shaving the wood to a polished surface or the sound of the tenon saw and chisel cutting dovetail or box joint.
Even the most distinguished master craftsman of 200 years ago would turn to modern equipment to prep his raw material if he didn't have apprentices to do it for him. Thank you Paul for your wonderful videos and continued inspiration.
I like that you have introduced the super continious beaver! She can really go thru the wood and is a great addition to any shop.
Every video you put out makes me excited. I'm so glad I adopted you as my father without your permission. Always fantastic teaching, always top notch content.
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Paul, excellent timing as I just purchased my first bandsaw a couple of weeks ago and am learning how to use it. Besides all we'll learn from you, I'm also happy that I bought mine before you started this series, just in case you have an impact on bandsaw prices like you've had on hand tools ;)
Thank you for sharing so much of your knowledge and experience with us. I've learned a lot about hand tools from you and am looking forward to this as well.
I enjoy my band saw for the same reasons you give, I simply do not want to rip large or even manageable lumber by hand. Electric band saw, drill press, and lathe are not cheating for a hand tool shop, in my opinion. They make the process enjoyable.
I started off building a table saw from an upside down circular saw. I built my bench and other things in the shop. I got a hand plane and liked how simple it is to take a few thousands off. I would often use a miter box because it was quicker, quieter and made less dust. A year ago, I had some $ and was going to get a sawstop. As I thought about the safety, noise, dust I focused on what I was really trying to do: easily dimension wood. I also wanted to make my own lumber and a table saw can only do 5-6 inch cuts (by flipping). So I got a 14" band saw for less. I have 12" of capacity. Less noise, more space and maybe less dust. In the last year, I've been very happy. My circular saw is back to normal and I've reallocated the wood I used to make the table saw. Thanks for further validating my choice.
I’m glad you are introducing your viewers to band saws. Mine is a very important too in my shop. It’s one of the first tools that I bought.
the bandsaw is the only power tool i dont think i could live without... just a great machine
Nice introduction and very helpful to those who are looking to buy their first machine.
Thank you , Thank you for what you are doing. It is difficult to find a mentor locally and this venue has allowed me to locate a few for woodworking and yours is one of the best.
You have greatly helped me with my hand tooling and fine detail work. I have worked my body hard all my life (auto technician and shop owner by profession) and it's starting to show, especially with Carpal Tunnel. Therefore, I have so many power tools. Keep up the great work. You are an excellent teacher and inspired me to slow down and enjoy my woodworking time with your tips and techniques.
Hi Brian - I had carpal tunnel release surgery this week. I'm thinking I need more power tools and to make my body last as long as possible so I can enjoy life to the full. I love using hand tools though.
@@saxilbyjoe4325 How bad was it? I'm headed there pretty quick I'm sure.
I had an electrical conduct test on both arms. One was severe and the other moderate - I've just had the severe one down so far. Four days in it feels better - although the boxing glove size bandage is a bit restrictive. Go for it.
@@saxilbyjoe4325 Thanks for that. Pretty sure my R will be severe and L moderate. Have to schedule some vacation. LOL. Good luck with yours.
Hi Paul, That's a neat bandsaw which beats the miniature one I have. They can be an expensive item to have in a workshop. I remember in my old apprenticeship days as a Fitter and Machinist, there was a bandsaw that had a blade welder and grinder fitted so that we could make our own replacement blades. It would butt weld the two ends, temper the welded area and then we could grind it down with the use of a thickness gauge to make sure the welded joint was able to pass through the guides etc. Those were the days that we did everything and not have to buy ready made blades at inflated cost. I think the bandsaw brand was "DoAll" which of course it did.
My university has an old DoAll welder bandsaw from the 1940's, still going strong. One of the best machines in the metal shop.
Hey Corson,
Tell whomever in the University, to keep that classic old machine. I used it and made untold blades for the Tradesmen that were teaching me over the years. These skills and abilities we learned as apprentices are no longer required in business but wouldn't it be great if they were available to us that have our home workshops. Thanks for the feedback, brings back old memories. Allan
The blade welders seem to only ever have been included with metal saws. There are several reasons. Metal cutting saws are more expensive, in general, so the added cost is more tolerable. Cutting inside of a hole, you sometime break and reweld the blade in the hole. With wood, it is often easier to just shim and glue a cut line to get inside of a hole or just route out the inside contours. Thirdly, metal cutting saws run at much lower speeds. These blade welders require user skill/finesse and there's a learning curve. If you don't heat treat the blade, correctly, a metal saw is generally more forgiving due to the lower number of rotations a blade will see in its lifetime before the teeth are dull.
I can see you've had the experience with these machines. Yes, there was a few things to consider when welding and tempering the blade, even the pressure that was applied to the butt weld had to be just right and the two cut ends needed to touch across the cut accurately to get a good weld. My experience with these was when I was a young apprentice Fitter/Machinist in New Zealand. Back in those days, Tradesmen had a very wide scope of knowledge and skill seeing it was pre-NC machines and that was my advantage. I'm always thankful to those great old Tradesmen that took the time and patience to teach me. Allan
I used to make round coffee tables. I could never cut a round talble top by hand. I had to use board, with jig saw on one end, and peg on the the other end of the board. We would secure the peg in the middle of table, and swing the jig saw around in circle. The jig saws last for about two tables, and then burn up. Then we use an electric router, on a board. That worked if took your time, but it never gave us clean edge. I figured I need a band saw, but we made everything in small apartment. Thanks for the video.
A band saw is one of those tools that is worth its freight. Mine is a fairly cheap, cast iron framed, two wheel model with an extension to take wider pieces for resawing. One advantage in Europe including Britain is that the power tools are all 220/240 volt. In the US you need to either run 120 or bring in a 220 line and think through what type of saw and motor you'll need, or cultivate an electrician to help with rewiring.
OMG Paul.. And now you destroyed the life of viewers who thought that the world ends with hand tools;) Have a nice use this great machine! :)
a did you know that he use power screwdriver, and its cordless!!! ;)
When I got my cheap bandsaw I was pulling my hair out trying to get straight cuts while using the fence. It kept wandering even though I had everything parallel and square. It wasn’t until I learnt to set up the fence to account for blade drift that I got much better results!
Finallyyyy ❤️❤️❤️ I already thought you forgot about when you mentioned it once. Happy to see it popping up now. Thanks! ❤️
Wow. Some of these comments are just asinine and ridiculous. Paul Sellers is a true craftsman and artist with any tool or piece of wood. If he wants to use electricity, who cares? He's not selling out for advertising. He didn't even plug the brand name of the band saw or speak of where he purchased it. He speaks quite eloquently about why he chose a band saw and why it will be useful in his woodworking. I'd be willing to bet all of these keyboard warriors being critical of Paul using a band saw either own one themselves or wish they did. I have a cheap $100 band saw and I would love to have a larger band saw like Paul's. Woodworking is about envisioning something in your head and using the tools you have to make it come to life. If you use a band saw in your craft then good on 'ya mate.
I would love to see you do some videos using the bandsaw like common issues you can run into and how you would deal with them.
They are on they are way. Started to edit them as we speak!
Great video Paul.I'm glad to see you use some Labor savers.As we get older we all need them.They in no way detract from your hand tool Talent.
Thank you......looking forward to the rest of this series
Great video Paul! Was good to meet you in person in our town on Remembrance Sunday, love the content! Cheers, Ben.
Hey, Ben. Yes, it was nice meeting you and your wife. Hope we meet again.
Two gentlemen who rate among the great woodworing artists of all time, James Krenov and Sam Maloof where big proponents of the use of the bandsaw. If you are not familiar with these two names; and I am sure Paul would agree, they are well worth looking up.
Lovely saw, i have a record bs9 hobby bandsaw was given to me last year for Christmas, nice little machine for small things but would like to upgrade to that one you have, i like the record dust collection system, have that on my list too.... For Santa 🎅 ha.. Maybe
A tilt table is also super useful... not to mention a backstop/fence for depthing tenon shoulder cuts
I was indignant, and ready to rail against the evils of machinery in woodworking. You changed my mind in 60 seconds.
Thank you for doing this series.
Your just doing this now after Murphy has taught me how to use my bandsaw???? LOL. Had a Go555 for 10 years and sold it with the jigs I made for it for what I paid for it and bought a 17 inch Grizzly having the same features as your saw including steel wheels and trunnion. Looking forward to your thoughts, opinions, and sharing of your experience.
Great video as always. I really hope you do more videos on the bandsaw, covering any number of the topics you mentioned. Did you add the blade brush on the bottom wheel? Any suggestions on adding a brush to bandsaws that don’t have one?
I noticed that you build your bench higher than most too. I am going to build a workbench to replace the one I am using right now. Taking away the bottom shelf to help with cleanup an to raise it up by 4 to 6 inches and save the back a little.
You will soon get used to it and save your back. I know more woodworkers with bad backs and our questionnaires have well proven that too low is n=bad-back country. I have worked for 53 years at 38" high and have an excellent back at 68 years of age.
My bench right now is set up at 36 inches following traditional ergonomics templates. And I do strain my back especially when I have wood in the vice.
I will be building a new bench soon. Definitely going with construction grade lumber. It's a workbench not a showbench and I would rather the nicks be on my bench than on my showcase pieces.
I do love my bandsaw! I find that my poor tablesaw is quite neglected these days.
I am more interested in seeing what you do with it. I already have a small table saw for ripping. To tell the truth a bandsaw forever changed my metalworking, but I haven't seen a solid need for it for wood yet.
Well, you have a table saw, already. And you can make intricate parts like trunions and brackets and the like out of steel with your vertical saw. So you can probably live the rest of your life without a wood band saw, unless you feel the burning need to resaw trees or make expensively thick veneers. Some people choose a band saw and a router table over a table saw, because together, this can be cheaper and more versatile than a table saw... just much slower at making lots of furniture grade rips due to the surface finish that has to be cleaned up. Now if most of your projects are cabinets and tables and bookcases, you will probably be happier with the table saw.
Another thing, is the band saw is quiet. No hearing protection needed. There's a lot you can kind of figure out as you go when cutting and making a one-off in relative silence and relative safety.
For Paul, it is probably gonna be used mostly just to cut down larger materials to the sizes where the hand tools can take over and finish. The circular saw might be cheating, if you use those saw cut surfaces. The band saw will leave plenty of work for the hand planes and chisels :)
Nothing wrong wit a little help as we age. Resawing with a frame saw or panel saw is quite the workout and it does take more skill and time than a bandsaw. Plus, for those of us with arthritis, resawing an 8 foot 8/4 board in two, and getting the cut perfectly straight, can be a multi session job. The bandsaw makes quick work of such tasks and you still have some umph in you to grab the hand tools and soldier on, so to say.
Band saw, 60” two man frame saw... same thing. I don’t have a second person so I’ve been thinking of a band saw for dimensioning small logs into usable boards. Though I’d rather get a little exercise with a frame saw. Either way. Mr. Sellers thank you. And remember... use the manufacturer’s recommendations only.
Interesting, as I like to follow your methods, but I always rip with a powered saw. The bandsaw covers this and is quiet. Mine has a light now which I find a help. I think I have the same as yours, maybe smaller, A Startrite 301, but a much older one. I had to replace the table as it was not level across the slot . The winding mechanism for the throat is backwards progress as the teeth can get clogged up . A slide with a clamp is better. I like my bandsaw higher too. The kick stop is great.
I hope you can advise us how to set it up and avoid drift.
TO KNOW: Startrite Industrial Bandsaw 503/UK3 (400 V, 3 phases)
It really look like a SICAR™ that is not made anymore. These models are in fact great tools. But you should make a video on how to avoid the blade drift on any band saw. It's not easy to adjust the parameter to avoid it. There are some factors the should be taken into consideration like the with of the blade, the quality of the blade and it's sharpness and pressure and the number of teeth. You are a so good teacher that such a video from you would be invaluable.
It's all on its way, Robert.
that is one quality piece of hardware
I really do not understand why there are so many people who apparently have a problem with Paul Sellers owning a band saw. What is the issue? I am sure that he has proven that he can rip down the length of long pieces of timber on hundreds if not thousands of occasions, so why waste his time and energy when rough dimensioning, re-sawing, and similar tedious jobs can be done so quickly on the band saw. We have also seen that he uses an electric drill, lights his workshop with electric light rather than by candles, and he even has an electric steam iron, but I have never heard anyone complain about that.
This is a non-issue and no surprise. Mr. Sellers used a band saw in the very first video I watched which was making a wooden mallet. I made my own and have watched every video Mr. Sellers has made. Really nothing new.
@@davehickman7857 Thank you, and to me it is a non-issue as well, but if you care to look at some of the other comments here you will see that some are apparently very disappointed that Paul Sellers uses a band saw, and another one even accuses him of being paid by sponsors to promote this particular tool. This is what I do not understand!
Also, cutting the rough curves on a piece will get you to the Stanley 113 (or other method of planning curves, ie mallet and chisel or spoke-shave) and would be a great time saver in that as well. Plus, as you get older your body doesn't really want to do what it did when it was younger and stronger. I love my hand tools, but the bandsaw leaves me much less sore than a hand panel saw of any design. Arthritis has taken its toll, and I just have a terrible time redrawing with a hand saw any more. I had a small three wheel one, but it can't do nearly as much as my 14 inch Wen bandsaw can.
THANKS PAUL.
I have just bought a bandsaw (an old Startrite 351E, similar size to yours) and I've been watching many videos on this. But very excited to watch yours as you are one of my favourite woodworker youtubers. Previous owner didn't use any extraction and the tyres are a little worn but with a little clean-up, new blades, and some accurate adjustments, I'm looking forward to using it! Main thing is the frame and the wheels seem extremely robust. You mention in another comment you use an older model of Startrite, Paul (not the one shown here) - which model do you have?
Thanks Paul.
Bandsaws are so versatile
Great explanation of the key features. Thanks very much. Any advice on minimum motor power you should look for?
It's a good step in your videos, just as long as you don't start making one of those bandsaw boxes
Not quite the same thing as a typical Bandsaw Box, but definitely worth a read: paulsellers.com/2018/12/an-exercise-project-for-the-bandsaw/
I use a bandsaw with a 1/2" 3tpi quite alot. What type of blade guides do you prefer? cool blocks, ceramic or roller guides? Great videos!
This one goes to eleven 😂 very good video 👍🏻
Thanks Paul
It’s always good to take advice before buying a bandsaw! I bought a Grizzly G0555! Later I will buy a better model with more features.
I used a Grizzly 18 inch from 1988 until 2008 without any problems. Back then they said not to buy them because they were made in Taiwan. Today most bandsaws are made there but sometimes minor assembly in the country of sale.
That looks like a good handsaw. It's heavy and should do a lot of work. If it works well for you then you shouldn't "need" an upgrade. Sometimes all you need is a couple of different types of blades and you are good for a long time.
My problem with this unit is the table is a little small, needs new bearing guides because it holds 1/4-3/4 blades sloppy, the raising lowering guide is manual and it’s under powered!
It’s a nice unit for the price but not very precise!
Between the bandsaw and my dewalt slide chop saw I hardly use the table saw
@@1956vern The lack of accuracy and power might just be blade tension issues. I have a much cheaper similar saw but upgraded the tension spring and added roller guides. Even with a riser block, it tracks fine. I like rarely use anything but the widest blade that will fit.
David Kirtley:
I bought the riser block. It’s a great unit. I’ll keep it for now. It’s does not slip: I have used others with the fiber blocks that were more accurate!
Great video as always. What would you consider to be the minimum hp of the motor you would want?
1000W. But from experience I'd suggest quality of guides (above and below table) is more important than power.
and there will now be a spike in bandsaw sales, just in time for christmas. :)
Cool, now a dust extraction video.
I don't like machines where I have to use my feet/legs to press the emergency button because i feel like when I am in a situation where I have to press it I want a stable posture. whenever possible I have installed the emergency stop on head hight so I can headbutt it. It works well because every time I flinch I press it in the same moment.
Thank you.
Yeah I only have the home gamer's band saw, which is why I use a full sized table saw because that is much easier to find and afford.
About 25 years ago I bought my Startrite bandsaw. There was a clamped bar on the front of the table to attach the fence. It pulled the table way out of flat over the slot. About 1/16” step. It was hopeless. I rang them up and they said the table was flat within a few thou. I said they deserved to go bust if they didn’t listen. I think they stopped trading shortly after. I Replaced the table with a solid aluminium one and have never looked back. Ive replaced the wheel bearings once. I guess yours is completely redesigned and made in China. I’d like to know how you deal with drift.
I have the same bandsaw. How did you raise it up and what wheel base have you used? I'm 6'2" so it gets my back after a lot of continuous use
I'm quite scared around a table saw after a few bad experiences with poor instructors not familiar with tool safety. I want a bandsaw solely to shrink down the lumber prep time! Thank-you for sharing this and I look forward to more about the bandsaw. What brand is that with all of that cast iron?
It looks like a Startrite to me.
Of course power tools are worthwhile. Someone would have to be pretty ignorant about general shop practices to not understand their value in any shop. The only reasons to not have the typical stationary power tools is if you can't afford them, your shop has neighbors who would be disturbed by the noise, your shop is built in a way that getting large pieces of equipment into it is not possible, or your shop is just too small for them. The usual stationary tools are table saw, jointer, planer, and bandsaw. Radial arm saws used to be common for cross cutting, but power miter saws have mostly taken over because they are cheaper and probably safer. Shapers used to be pretty common, but are not seen much anymore because portable routers are definitely cheaper and safer. The last tool that might be pretty common would be a power mortiser. If you can afford them and have the ability to get them in your shop, go for it. You will be able to make things much faster, and with much less physical effort.
Thanks for this deezynar. I think perhaps this comment needs a little balancing to it though. The assumption very often from western parts of the world is that everyone wants them, has access to them and so on, after all isn't the machine the bigger and better way. In reality a lot of people don't want industrial processes and whereas I think your reasoning is fine, often it is hard for those with machines to understand that not everyone lives in the same privileged position. There is a whole world of 'others' in every 'other' country in the world that follow me that will never have a hope of owning such things. The impression given that people are "pretty ignorant" if they don't understand enough to want them is very a questionable phrase. My research shows that it is a much larger percentage of people who have made highly educated evaluations leading to the conscious decision not to install machines. That's not to do with ignorance and of course there are many, many good reasons beyond those given NOT to install them. As for, "the usual stationary tools are table saw, jointer, planer, and bandsaw. Radial arm saws used to be common for cross cutting, but power miter saws have mostly taken over ...". Again, perhaps you miss something else here. A massive audience wants the work working with their hands. 98% of them are pursuing hand work skills because they want the skilled workmanship, not to become a machinist. Oh, and no matter what anyone says, machines are highly invasive in more ways than just floor space. I think you touched on that, but people love the idea of stepping back just a tad to a space where they are in control of their lives and no longer driven onto the conveyor belt.
I wonder what Paul thinks of Mattias Wandel's bandsaws
I don't know where to start with this issue so i'll ask here if thats ok - my bandsaw (a smallish DeWalt DW738) is tracking fine on the top wheel as its adjustable, but on the bottom wheel the blade runs right on the front edge of the wheel and obviously theres no adjustment for this. Any one have any ideas?
Paul, can you please answer a question for me. I've just watched your vid' on the 'Scrub' Plane. When I were a lad; longer ago than I care to remember; that type of plane was known as a 'Jack' Plane. Is there a difference? Is the term 'Scrub' an American term? Or! Have I been wrong all these years?
the one machine I have!
It's like watching the Pope do a video on the joys of sex. Fascinating, but completely unexpected.
The best
Does anyone have a good suggestion for a bandsaw for someone on a budget? I mostly do wood working on a fairly small scale (wooden swords using 3/4" thick hickory), but I'm getting tired of the inconsistency of the jig saw I'm using.
The ability to adjust the angle of the fence would be nice, but not necessary.
where do live, Stephen? Country?
@@Paul.Sellers Florida, in the United States.
@@MrSJPowell Maybe consider the smaller Rikon. I have concluded that many makers got out of actually making any more and just put their own stamp on what's made in China. The different brands are way too close to one another in design and manufacturing processes.
+1 Rikon for value. But FYI, anything less than 14" will increase your run cost and maintenance time. The little benchtop saws tend to fatigue and break the blade before it is dull.
Regarding an adjustable fence: don't think you can do this with a small saw. For a hobby saw, in general, you will often find it easier to just cut to a scribed line unless you buy a larger machine that is more stable. Because to get it to cut str8 to a fence, you will have to dial in the saw, and on a smaller saw this will not be a one time and forget it type of deal. It will drift over time as the blade and the wheels wear AND you will most likely have to re-tweak it every time you change the blade. Most 14" and under band saws don't even come with a fence for that reason. Another trick is to use a point fence, which allows you to make adjustments to the stock as you cut.
3/4" plywood tends to cut straighter than 3/4" hardwood rips. Up to 3/4" plywood will cut very straight on my saw (14" Rikon), even using a sled. The tpi matters, too. If your tpi is high and the teeth are too fine, the harder it is to cut a given material straight on a band saw. I keep the tpi coarse and just finish with the planes and sanders. But for a 3/4" hardwood rip, it depends on the species. Something like poplar might rip fine up to 3/4 or even 1" thick. But other harder woods I wouldn't try to use a solid fence or a sled for a rip.
My opinion 14" is the point where the saws are built well enough to be 100% reliable for at least rough work. 16" and double/triple the cost if you want something that can make reliable straight rips in hardwood thicker than 3/4" using a fence. A 10" table top saw, you can cut maybe up to 3/8"thick hardwood straight. But by the time you get it dialed in for 3/4" hardwood rips with a fence, the blade will break and you will have to start over. Or if it doesn't, as soon as you start trusting it, you'll make a rip in hardwood and find you ruined a big chunk of it cuz your cut wandered. And you will eventually revert to cutting to a scribed line by hand/eye coordination, like the rest of us that don't have $$$ saws.
I would think that for a first big machine you would go for a jointer-planner as it saves more time and it is also very painfull to do it by hand so why a bandsaw ?
We want the hand tools more than the machines, but the bandsaw is useful for resawing and reducing large stock to smaller sizes. I think that's what I said clearly in the video here though. Then there is noise, floor footprint, limited functionality. Oh, and we are not talking about collecting machines and having the bandsaw as a starter. We're talking perhaps one machine! Many woodworkers around the world, about 90%, would never have space for a more than a single machine.
Paul Sellers I totally agree with you regarding not collecting machine tools. I am just wandering why not a jointer for the only one tool ? It is also very painfull to do it by hand, very time consuming and need skills that take long to time to achieve.
@@fabrexavier77 It doesn't really take long to master planing. Once you have it it is yours for life. That's why we have produced hundreds of free videos on woodworkingmasterclasses.com to help people to learn and also to preserve such skills. Remember I have used hand tools for almost 55 years to date and that is is full time six days a week. I have no pain in my body (I am 69 in January) and the workout saves gym fees too!
That tension cam lever is a feature I wish my cheap bandsaw had; it looks like it makes swapping blades far simpler. I had to compromise on my blade to find one that did the most things to an acceptable degree, but nothing really well, because changing it is a pain.
Did you add the dust trap board just above the lower wheel yourself? That also looks like it could be a useful addition.
Not the cheapest bandsaw but not the most expensive either. Seemed like a good compromise and investment for a dedicated woodworker.
Hi Paul I have a very small workshop and I’m wondering do I sell my tablesaw and invest in a quality bandsaw as I only make small to medium size items could I ask for your opinion many in advance
Personally I would ditch all other machines for a half decent bandsaw. The other machines take up far too much room, art all extremely invasive in noise and air pollution and much more dangerous. It's a no-brainer for me. That said, I do understand those that work as machinists with perhaps minimal or even zero skills in hand tool work relying totally on machines. Customers are often cash strapped and are looking for inexpensive product and machines help to achieve this.
Paul Sellers thanks Paul
What bothers me about bandsaws is the small table, if you are trying to rip down an 8' length it's not easy. I am working on a table extesion, not sure how it will work out.
I just use a couple of inexpensive roller stands at the rear and inline.
That looks like an expensive piece of kit. What make is it? Please post a link in the description.
Looks like a 16" Startrite - name on the inside of the top door. They are around £1400-1600
It's a Startrite
About £1500 in the UK I reckon
It looks like a Startrite 403.. when he opens the top wheen enclosure it says Startrite.
@@awblyth Your'e right, I missed that sticker until it was too late. I can make any bandsaw work well. I had a secondhand cheapo Clarke for years and got it working like a dream in a few minutes.
Hi Paul, always watch your vids.
Perhaps you could show us how you use your cheapo Clarke bandsaw as this would be a machine more in the realm of many of your viewers price range ? Plus space would be a consideration with the Startrite for many of us.
Could we take a moment to think about all the poor bandsaws out there which wont get to be used by Paul. This one doesn't know how good it's got it. ;)
Three-wheeled bandsaws are terrible, I'm surprised you mentioned them at all.
Scott & Sergeant £1250 ex vat for a £240v Startrite bandsaw.
Hello bandsaw.
I have mixed reaction to this video... I watch your videos because of the use of hand tools. It's what makes your channel unique. I really don't want to see videos with machines. There's plenty already out there and I don't watch them. I'd rather watch you resaw, joint and thickness stock by hand than feed it through a machine. I hope the channel isn't taking a wrong turn.
Not at all. Nothing's changed, just feel that some people need to use a bandsaw because of time constraints. I'm very protective of my work and my ethos.
Da Vinci would use a bandsaw if he had access to one. No need to apologise Paul !
Hybrid woodworking. Or as carpenters call it woodworking.
Hand tools are great, but people are a bit obsessive and cultish about it nowadays. Fact is the majority of the hand tools in an 18th-19th century shop were used by the snot-nosed 'prentice who was more often than not thinking of how the milk maid looked from behind in her new dress while he worked. All of your planes, jointers, rabbet planes, etc.... were considered idiot proof, and were thus put in the hands of idiots.
Joints, piece selection, molding, fitting and finishing were the purview of the journeyman and master woodworker, because that's what really matters. People spend way too much time playing around with grunt tools nowadays when there are so many great ways to take those wastes of time out of your routine so you can focus on what actually makes you a good woodworker and produces quality pieces.
There's no reason to spend 30 minutes planing down a slab when you can use a 3hp planer to bring it down to rough dimensions in a few seconds and then spend 3 minutes finishing it with your hand planes. What kills me is that most people who champion the grunt work are people old enough that they should understand and appreciate how valuable their time is, and be humbled by the fact that they have a finite amount of it left. Spend that other 25 minutes gawking over your great work with a cup of coffee and going online to learn more techniques.
Wrong! Not everyone feels the way you do for one thing. Not everyone in our world can own a 3HP planer let alone dedicate valuable floor space for one. By the time you've added the three or four other machines needed you've lost your working space. Bandsaws take up only a small foot print by comparison and it is is a refined way that gets wood to a place for simple planing in a few seconds and then hand planing takes only a few minutes and in many cases seconds. You're over exaggerating things, which is very common with those who cannot understand.
@@Paul.Sellers I understand. I also get a lot of pieces of wood that have a lot of work required to bring the beauty out. The mills in my area don't cut for quality, they cut for quantity, and if you aren't using a planer, you're using a router with a spoilboard bit and a jig. If you're not using that, you're likely cussing up a storm and looking for your axe. 30 minutes is no exaggeration, and that's just to get it down to thickness.
No piece of machinery is out of budget if you're willing to buy used and be patient in finding it. I picked up a 5hp industrial cabinet saw for 20% of it's value. My bandsaw and drill press around 25%, and planer for less than 20%, etc... All are in better than new condition after a little TLC.
As far as room goes, you make it when you buy the tool. Ingenious people who can take raw materials and turn them into great pieces of hand-crafted whatever should never settle for petty excuses like "I don't have enough room". Rolling bases quadruple a shop's effective space, and a quick google search on various forms of the term shop organization will turn up people who'd make Batman turn green with envy and throw his infinite capacity utility belt that always has what he needs in the trash to start over, or change careers one.
Overhead shelves, mobile racks, benches that fold up on the wall, etc... Silly things like 3 dimensional capacity can't keep a determined woodworker from buying his toys if he really wants them. I saw one guy rig up a chain hoist gantry in his basement and use it to stack shapers like storage boxes up to the ceiling. Where there's a will there's a way.
@@PapiSmerf Geno, I still think we are not speaking apples for apples here so I feel defensive for the rest of the world beyond certain parts of the USA. Having lived for 23 years in the US I understand where certain statements come from. One, machinery is drastically cheaper than the rest of the world pays. Two, American homes are drastically bigger than the rest of the world and garages generally two to four times the size as those say in Europe and especially the UK. Most people could only dream of the possibility of roll around stuff. Most of my followers are living on a budget, working two jobs and trying to raise a family. Most Europeans are locked into much tighter noise level laws, segregation twixt commercial zones and home zones. In Texas where I lived for so long you could do what you wanted when you wanted if your neighbour was half a mile away. Not likely to happen here in the UK. I think it is time to cut a little slack for others. Also, my lot love hand work. They are not looking for machines and don't really care for them anyway.
@@Paul.Sellers Don't pigeonhole "Your Lot" into a specific group. I'm here and commenting for a reason. Most of the ingenious ideas for organizing a shop I'm referring to come from people in the UK and Asia because god knows I haven't had to stack any 700 lbs machines like bricks in my basement. I'm talking about apples if you're buying apples. I was just pointing out something that a lot of people forget during their hand tool fervor, and that's that you aren't going to be drawn and quartered by the local guild if you buy a moulding machine so you can get back to making chairs, which is what you really want to do.
I check prices in the UK too. A lot of the sites I get my equipment from are international. I've seen some amazing deals go over there while I sat and squirmed over here in my jealousy all because the right people weren't looking at it or it was the wrong time of year to sell that machine. It's all patience.
Noise is manageable too. Building PC's was my hobby before woodworking, and I'm currently using one that has 18 high speed fans in it that is quieter than the ambient background noise in my living room.
Don't sell your crowd short. You never know what kind of crazy things they may be able to pull if you plant the seed of an idea to get them started.