About 20 years ago when I didn't know as much as I do now (which still isn't
much...), I bought a benchtop bandsaw. It was a Craftsman and has served me
reasonable well over the years. I built a stand for it so it's at a nice
working height and I don't have to use precious benchtop space. Yes, I know
basically what I have is a bandsaw taking up as much space as a regular
bandsaw, but I only get the capacity of a baby one. The hundreds of dollars
I saved were put to better use at the time though. I obviously don't do
resawing as it only has about 4" capacity under the guides. However, for
making an occasional curvy cut which is going to be sanded it works fine. I
don't know if it fits your definition of not being cheaply made since that's
a relative statement, but I've been "satisfied" with it. Trying to cut a
2x4 on either dimension is a challenge for it. The power is actually not
the biggest problem, but I think the problem is you can't tension the blades
enough and you end up with a wavy cut. For a 3/4" board it works great.
I've been longing for something bigger for a while (and just bought a 14"
JET at auction last night), but the benchtop served most of my needs until
recently.
--
Larry C in Auburn, WA
"tony" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I do not have the room for a full size bandsaw in my garage.So im in need
of
> a benchtop model.Im not doing resawing or anything heavy duty.I don't want
a
> cheaply made one.If anyone has a recomendation I'd appreciate it.
>
>
Y'know, I never bought "benchtop" tools, because they were low in capacity,
power, weight and durability. Then I started looking at what I had come to
over the years, and I realized that all my "stationary" tools were sitting
on "benches" of my own making. Most stands, being filled with empty air,
and lacking wheels, had been replaced by castered cabinets where I store my
really portable tools like routers and saws so that I could continue
collecting newer tools without throwing anything away which I would need two
days later. I had benchtops without knowing it. Only thing I couldn't - or
didn't, in any case - do was store one under the other. Which is a good
thing, considering my back.
Look at the open stand JET or Delta 14s. Same working parts as the tin
cabinet, and dirt easy to build into a cabinet holding four or five tools,
on wheels, and using mostly useless space above the waist, anyway.
Rob, you've said what I said a few bandsaw threads ago. More than 90% of
bandsaw work is within the capabilities of the unmodified 14" saw.
"Rob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have two bandsaws. One of them might be what you are looking for
although
> it is a bit bigger than you indicate. It is a Jet 12" bandsaw. It is a
> very nice saw. I do resawing with my 18" but everything else I do with my
> 12". It is an inexpensive saw that doesn't take up much space although
more
> than a benchtop.
>
> Check it out.
>
> Rob
>
>
> "tony" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I do not have the room for a full size bandsaw in my garage.So im in
need
> of
> > a benchtop model.Im not doing resawing or anything heavy duty.I don't
want
> a
> > cheaply made one.If anyone has a recomendation I'd appreciate it.
> >
> >
>
>
On Sun, 08 Feb 2004 03:28:05 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>tony wrote:
>> .I don't want a cheaply made one.If anyone has a recomendation
>> I'd appreciate it.
>
>Buy at least a 12" and a mobile base. The benchtop models are not very good
>and are cheaply made. .
there have been a few stoutly built small bandsaws. inca made one,
IIRC.
problem is, these machines are rare and folks as have one are
reluctant to part with them....
tony wrote:
> .I don't want a cheaply made one.If anyone has a recomendation
> I'd appreciate it.
Buy at least a 12" and a mobile base. The benchtop models are not very good
and are cheaply made. .
--
Ed
[email protected]
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome
I have two bandsaws. One of them might be what you are looking for although
it is a bit bigger than you indicate. It is a Jet 12" bandsaw. It is a
very nice saw. I do resawing with my 18" but everything else I do with my
12". It is an inexpensive saw that doesn't take up much space although more
than a benchtop.
Check it out.
Rob
"tony" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I do not have the room for a full size bandsaw in my garage.So im in need
of
> a benchtop model.Im not doing resawing or anything heavy duty.I don't want
a
> cheaply made one.If anyone has a recomendation I'd appreciate it.
>
>
In article <[email protected]>,
"tony" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I do not have the room for a full size bandsaw in my garage.So im in need of
> a benchtop model.Im not doing resawing or anything heavy duty.I don't want a
> cheaply made one.If anyone has a recomendation I'd appreciate it.
>
>
If yours is gray color and three-wheel, it was made by King Seeley. I
have one of those. I have been able to get it tensioned quite nicely
although I did have your problem when I just didn't tension it enough.
One thing is that the tires look quite new and not worn. I'd suppose if
they were, it could cause the tension problem since with mine as I've
said the tires look nearly new and I've got the tension about as far as
it will go.
--
Jim Polaski
"The measure of a man is what he will do
knowing he will get nothing in return."
P.S. At least one of the name brand WW mags (Wood I think) had an article on
building a stand with a removable top so you could use the stand and move a
benchtop tool onto it as needed. If I remember correctly, you could store a
couple of tools under the stand and have one on top. Seemed like a useful
stand if your space is limited and you have a couple of benchtop tools. Now
that I think about it I've also seen one version with a fliptop that rotates
on a couple of metal rods so you can have one tool on top ready for use and
another tool underneath. To switch tools you just rotate the top.
--
Larry C in Auburn, WA
"Larry C in Auburn, WA" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:3wtVb.5119$QA2.12964@attbi_s52...
> About 20 years ago when I didn't know as much as I do now (which still
isn't
> much...), I bought a benchtop bandsaw. It was a Craftsman and has served
me
> reasonable well over the years. I built a stand for it so it's at a nice
> working height and I don't have to use precious benchtop space. Yes, I
know
> basically what I have is a bandsaw taking up as much space as a regular
> bandsaw, but I only get the capacity of a baby one. The hundreds of
dollars
> I saved were put to better use at the time though. I obviously don't do
> resawing as it only has about 4" capacity under the guides. However, for
> making an occasional curvy cut which is going to be sanded it works fine.
I
> don't know if it fits your definition of not being cheaply made since
that's
> a relative statement, but I've been "satisfied" with it. Trying to cut a
> 2x4 on either dimension is a challenge for it. The power is actually not
> the biggest problem, but I think the problem is you can't tension the
blades
> enough and you end up with a wavy cut. For a 3/4" board it works great.
> I've been longing for something bigger for a while (and just bought a 14"
> JET at auction last night), but the benchtop served most of my needs until
> recently.
> --
> Larry C in Auburn, WA
>
> "tony" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I do not have the room for a full size bandsaw in my garage.So im in
need
> of
> > a benchtop model.Im not doing resawing or anything heavy duty.I don't
want
> a
> > cheaply made one.If anyone has a recomendation I'd appreciate it.
> >
> >
>
Tony, I'm not trying to be a smartass, but what do you hope to do with a
bandsaw, if you have such limited space? You might be able to get by with a
good jigsaw that would have a lot more quality than the benchtop junk that's
out there. I'd sure look hard at getting a decent saw on a mobile stand and
placed in the corner. I'd even consider investing in a top quality one and
making it my only stationary saw.
Bob
"tony" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I do not have the room for a full size bandsaw in my garage.So im in need
of
> a benchtop model.Im not doing resawing or anything heavy duty.I don't want
a
> cheaply made one.If anyone has a recomendation I'd appreciate it.
>
>